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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Iconic Boxing Writer And Historian Bert Sugar Has Died

Farewell, Bert Sugar…the sweet science (and baseball) will never be the same.

After a long battle with lung cancer, legendary Boxing writer, historian, and one of the all-time great characters, Bert Sugar, of Chappaqua, New York passed away this Sunday afternoon at the age of 74.

He was surrounded by family at Northern Westchester Medical Center in Mount Kisco.

Sugar, instantly recognizable with his brown fedora and cigar, is the author of over 80 books. He will always be remembered as the publisher and editor of “Boxing Illustrated” and later “The Ring” magazine.

After he passed the bar exam, he became one of the original “Mad Men” in the 60s, working at McCann Erickson and J. Walter Thompson.

Sports, primarily boxing, was his passion. Under that constant barrage of one-liners and a rat-a-tat-tat delivery was an observer so thoroughly steeped in his profession, that other writers and even boxers and managers paid attention.

Repoz Posted: March 25, 2012 at 05:59 PM | 23 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: history, obituaries

Reader Comments and Retorts

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Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

   1. Who Swished In Your Cornflakes? Posted: March 25, 2012 at 06:22 PM (#4089007)
Huge loss. One of the best ever.
   2. YR Misses Reggie Bars Posted: March 25, 2012 at 06:26 PM (#4089009)
I thought he was older than 74. Big loss for boxing, so few remaining personalities have any connection to the old-time fighters.
   3. Bruce Markusen Posted: March 25, 2012 at 06:32 PM (#4089011)
Nice guy and a colorful character. Between his hats and his multi-colored pants, it was always easy to spot him on the streets of Cooperstown. Although best known for boxing, he was a huge baseball fan.
   4. Joe Bivens, Minor Genius Posted: March 25, 2012 at 06:38 PM (#4089015)
Too bad. Didn't know he was ill.
   5. Rafael Bellylard: Built like a Fielder Posted: March 25, 2012 at 06:54 PM (#4089024)
Furman Bisher and Bert Sugar. Rough week to be an iconic sportswriter.
   6. TerpNats Posted: March 25, 2012 at 08:02 PM (#4089056)
Have his book "Baseball's 50 Greatest Games." Very well done.
   7. Gamingboy Posted: March 25, 2012 at 08:24 PM (#4089064)
Imagine your quintessential old-time sportswriter. Fedora on the head, a smoke in his mouth. Greying, looking like he just walked out of central casting.

That's Bert Sugar. A shame to hear he's gone.
   8. bobm Posted: March 25, 2012 at 08:25 PM (#4089065)
[6] Have his book "Baseball's 50 Greatest Games." Very well done.

I agree.

R. I. P.
   9. AndrewJ Posted: March 25, 2012 at 09:14 PM (#4089082)
I used to see him holding court on Main Street in Cooperstown during HOF induction weekend. Always looked and sounded like he stepped out of a production of Guys and Dolls. A great talent, and he'll be missed. RIP.
   10. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: March 25, 2012 at 09:15 PM (#4089083)
He outlived boxing.
   11. AndrewJ Posted: March 25, 2012 at 09:24 PM (#4089087)
He outlived boxing.

I was just going to say that Bert's death would be getting more attention if boxing itself was still one of the major US sports.
   12. hardrain Posted: March 25, 2012 at 09:38 PM (#4089092)
Now Boxing is truly dead.
   13. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: March 25, 2012 at 09:45 PM (#4089094)
originator of one of the best trivia questions ever:
more than 40 HRs in a season, more than 10 letters in the last name
   14. MHS Posted: March 25, 2012 at 10:30 PM (#4089107)
During MSG shows you would always see him holding court (seems like a theme) with the people sitting on the floor. In between bouts he would always be surrounded by fans, celebs and fighters from the undercard. He was really in his element.
   15. Misirlou is bad, he's nationwide Posted: March 25, 2012 at 11:26 PM (#4089119)
originator of one of the best trivia questions ever:
more than 40 HRs in a season, more than 10 letters in the last name


That link is useless.
   16. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: March 25, 2012 at 11:39 PM (#4089124)
Hey, even though pages 2 to 385 are unviewable, that is one impressive and thorough table of contents. To get the answer I can always go to BB-ref.
(there seem to be 4 answers as of the time that book was written, two Polish names and two Italian names. Plus one that happened just last year)
   17. Misirlou is bad, he's nationwide Posted: March 25, 2012 at 11:44 PM (#4089125)
I didn't find it useless - that was one impressive and thorough table of contents.


But it doesn't have Curtis Granderson.
   18. Obo Posted: March 26, 2012 at 12:14 AM (#4089135)
Link worked fine for me. Clicked on the section and was taken straight to page 34. Fun category.
   19. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: March 26, 2012 at 12:18 AM (#4089138)
(there seem to be 4 answers as of the time that book was written, two Polish names and two Italian names. Plus one that happened just last year)


Which guy besides Yaz has more than 10 letters in his last name? Big Klu and Granderson, for example, have 10.

Edit: And clicking on the link, Petrocelli and Campanella are the others, and they do as well. So the question, as posed by jmac, appears to still be intact. Well, at least until Salty breaks out this year.

   20. Ron J Posted: March 26, 2012 at 07:20 AM (#4089181)
#9 Funny that was exactly my reaction on seeing him in the Algonquin Hotel.
   21. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: March 26, 2012 at 07:56 AM (#4089194)
yes, I misspoke--I should have written "10 or more letters.." and I agree--I'm surprised to find out he was only 74. He looked 74 25 years ago...
   22. gef the talking mongoose Posted: March 26, 2012 at 02:40 PM (#4089418)
Geez. I just assumed he was at least as old as Bisher.
   23. Joe Bivens, Minor Genius Posted: March 26, 2012 at 03:57 PM (#4089470)
Well, at least until Salty breaks out this year.

I think he'll be good. 20 would be just fine.

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