Virginia Golfer May / Jun 2020 | Page 9

Around The Commonwealth On the Record Bill Millsaps’ impact on his colleagues in local and national media were numerous. Here are a few snippets from tributes published in the days after his death. NANCY MILLSAPS JOHN FEINSTEIN, The Washington Post “When ’Saps walked into a room—locker room, media workroom, ballroom—people noticed. He was a big man who carried himself like the athlete he had once been—he played basketball at the University of Tennessee—but it was more than that. “Everyone knew who he was, not because he was a TV star or because he screamed for attention the way some do. His work spoke for itself, and his opinions, whether written in the Times-Dispatch during his 39 years at the paper or spoken in the middle of a crowded press room, were universally respected. “He was a throwback: a newspaper man’s newspaper man. He never aspired to be on television or even to write books. He loved newspaper work and newspapers, having fallen in love with that version of the written word as a kid growing up in Chattanooga, Tenn.” JERRY RATCLIFFE, JerryRatcliffe.com, longtime Virginia Golfer contributor “Millsaps, who played basketball at Tennessee and looked more like a tight end or linebacker, was a giant of a man and a giant in the world of sports journalism. I considered him the John Wayne of sportswriters. He was my hero, not only because he was a great writer, but a great person. “When he walked into a room, everyone noticed. He spoke with authority, and if he was your friend, you knew you were always covered. When I lost my job in the spring of 2018, ‘Saps was outraged and was one of the first two people to come to my rescue offering any help he could possibly provide. That’s the kind of friend he was.” DAVID TEEL, Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist and 13-time Virginia Sports Writer of the Year “But even as he and other iconic columnists—The Washington Post’s Dave Kindred, Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Furman Bisher and Roanoke Times’ Bill Brill were confidants—traversed the country and globe, Saps befriended and counseled the next generation back home. “He taught us to report and prepare tirelessly, especially as a columnist, and never to take ourselves too seriously. I learned those lessons, and much more, throughout the years.” FRANK BEAMER, former Virginia Tech football coach (quote courtesy of RTD) “When I started being a head coach, it seemed like there were a lot of people that, the article needed to be negative or controversial to make it interesting. I never felt that way when I was dealing with Bill Millsaps. He just told the story and didn’t try to make it any more than what it was. And I always appreciated that about him. I always thought he was very fair, not trying to make a big headline, that he was just a guy you could trust in the business.” GIB PALMER, Virginia Golf Hall of Fame president “Saps was an iconic sportswriter and important public figure, yet he was kind, humble, and had a great sense of humor. I first got to know him when we served together on the Board of the VSGA and we spent a lot of time together on various Board projects. When the time came to form a committee to develop the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame, Saps was the first person I contacted. His knowledge of golf in Virginia, along with his historical perspective, made him a perfect choice. From the very first meeting of the committee, Saps’ contribution was critical in the creation of our Hall of Fame and the selection of the inaugural and subsequent classes. Members of the committee clearly respected him and sought his opinion frequently. “Virginia Golf Hall of Fame rules prohibit anyone on the committee from being considered for election, so when the time came for us to consider Saps, I asked him to step down. He politely declined, saying that he preferred to continue to serve rather than being considered for election. I assured him that he could return to the committee as a member of the Hall of Fame, so he relented. Needless to say, he was immediately and unanimously elected to the Class of 2019. The Induction Ceremony was held on May 9 and on May 10 Saps rejoined the committee. “I greatly admired Saps and I will never forget his wisdom, his wit, and his kind manner. I enjoyed working closely with him for many years, but more importantly I was honored to call him my friend.” CHRIS LANG, Virginia Golfer editor “I never crossed paths with Saps professionally when he was at the T-D. I returned to Virginia in 2005, just as he was retiring. Having studied journalism at Virginia Tech and having been an avid newspaper reader growing up, I was well aware of his work. When I first started at the VSGA in 2015, executive director Jamie Conkling asked me to reach out to Saps, who was heading up the Virginia Golfer/Communications committee. Being able to chat with and pick the brain of one of Virginia’s media greats did nothing but help me professionally, and I was extremely grateful for his mentorship. We worked together closely on producing the commemorative Virginia Golf Hall of Fame booklets each year, and I was fortunate to develop a relationship with Saps and can echo everyone’s comments about his kindness and character. He only wanted the best for Virginia Golfer and the VSGA, and his experience and expertise were greatly appreciated. He will be missed.” vsga.org M AY/J UNE 2020 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 7