by Larry Eder
Meb’s book with Dick Patrick, Run to Overcome
I was so very happy to hear that the NYRR had developed a Journalism Award in the name of George Hirsch. From his time at New Times, to the Runner and to Runners World, George championed the cause of running journalists.
As Walt Murphy pens, Dick Patrick kept our sport in the world of print when few were writing about the sport on a large scale. A thoughtful writer, Patrick lets his concern about the athletes, coaches and causes in our sport to be felt by his readers.
Dick has written Starting Blocks in American Track & Field since 2004. As the publisher of AT&F it is wonderful to see Dick Patrick and in a month, James Dunaway celebrated for their contributions to our sport. I thank the NYRR for their stand up job with this award!
(c)Copyright 2010-all rights reserved. May not be reprinted or retransmitted without permission
Dick Patrick, who helped keep track and field and long distance running
in the national spotlight during his long tenure at USA Today, will
receive the George Hirsch Journalism Award on Friday during a press
conference hosted by the NY Road Runners. You can watch the conference,
which begins at 10am(ET), at http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/
Here is the original release from the
NY Road RunnersDick Patrick Named Recipient of the First George Hirsch Journalism Award
Annual award presented by NYRR recognizes excellence in track and field and running journalism
New York, September 14, 2010–Longtime track and field journalist Dick
Patrick, with more than three decades in the business including more
than 20 years at USA Today, has been named the recipient of the first
George Hirsch Journalism Award, presented by New York Road Runners, it
was announced today by NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
Patrick will be honored at a news conference during ING New York City
Marathon race week on Friday, November 5. A special award created by
Tiffany & Co., an official sponsor of the ING New York City
Marathon, will be presented at that time.
The George Hirsch Journalism Award recognizes excellence in the
reporting, writing, and broadcasting of the sport of the marathon and
long-distance running. Any journalist or broadcaster who has regularly
demonstrated excellence in the coverage of long-distance running and the
marathon through magazine, newspaper, radio, TV, and website coverage
is eligible to be honored. The award will be given out annually at the
ING New York City Marathon during race week.
The award is named in honor of George Hirsch, the founding publisher and
president of The Runner magazine from 1979 to 1987 and the worldwide
publisher of Runner’s World from 1987 to 2003. The award also salutes
Hirsch for the more than three decades of friendship and leadership that
he has provided to the long-distance running and marathon community.
Hirsch is the chairman of the board of directors of New York Road
Runners.
“To win an award named after George Hirsch is an undeserved honor,” said
Patrick. “George has been a forward-thinking magazine publisher, a
knowledgeable observer of distance running for a long time, and an
accomplished distance runner himself. He deserves to have an award named
for him. I’m fortunate to win the inaugural award.”
Patrick, 59, began his career in upstate New York at newspapers in
Geneva, Binghamton, and Rochester before moving on to USA Today in 1986.
At USA Today he wrote on five summer Olympics, nine world outdoor
championships, two world indoor champions, two world cross country
championships, and more than 60 major marathons. He was also a
contributor to Runner’s World, Running Times, and American Track &
Field magazines. He left USA Today in 2009 and is the co-author of Run
to Overcome, a biography of ING New York City Marathon 2009 champion Meb
Keflezighi, to be published this fall.
“Dick is a professional and personal favorite of ours at NYRR,” said
Wittenberg. “What a treat it has been for us for so many years to have
such a track & field aficionado covering our sport for USA Today and
many other outlets. Dick is the consummate professional. He is as good
at analysis and writing as our gold medalists are at running and
definitely a one of a kind.”
Patrick lives in Vienna, VA, with his wife, Jody, and children Eamonn, a
Cornell University freshman, and Shea, a high school junior.
