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
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