Larry Whiteside
Encyclopedia
Lawrence W. Whiteside nicknamed "Sides," was a pioneering African American
journalist
known for his coverage of baseball
for a number of American newspapers, most notably The Boston Globe
.
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959.
Whiteside started with the Kansas City Kansan
in 1959. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
where he covered the Milwaukee Braves
as well as civil rights
issues. Team owner Bud Selig
offered Whiteside a job with the Milwaukee Brewers
when the franchise relocated from Seattle
in 1970, but he preferred to continue working in journalism. In 1971, Whiteside started The Black List to help sports editors find qualified black journalists to hire. Initially The Black List only had nine names, but by 1983 it had expanded to more than 90.
on a daily basis for a major paper.
Whiteside covered many of the most notable events in Boston baseball history, ranging from Bucky Dent
's home run
to defeat the Boston Red Sox
in the 1978
American League East playoff, to the Red Sox losing the 1986 World Series
to the New York Mets
, to Roger Clemens
' second 20-strikeout
game.
Whiteside was an expert on Negro league baseball
, and was one of the first American journalists to follow baseball in other countries.
The National Association of Black Journalists
gave Whiteside a lifetime achievement award in 1999. He was part of the panel that chose the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
.
Whiteside developed Parkinson's disease
early in the 21st century, which led to the end of his career with The Boston Globe in 2004. After his death, the Red Sox observed a minute's silence in his honor prior to a game against the San Francisco Giants
.
committee as one of three finalists for the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, and he was announced as the winner on December 5 following a vote by the BBWAA membership; he was honored in July 2008 with inclusion in the writers' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Whiteside is the first African-American beat writer to receive the Spink Award.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
known for his coverage of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for a number of American newspapers, most notably The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
.
Early life and career
Whiteside was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1937. He graduated from Drake UniversityDrake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959.
Whiteside started with the Kansas City Kansan
Kansas City Kansan
The Kansas City Kansan is an online newspaper that serves Kansas City, Kansas and other towns in Wyandotte County.-History:Arthur Capper started the newspaper January 31, 1921...
in 1959. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
where he covered the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
as well as civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
issues. Team owner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
offered Whiteside a job with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
when the franchise relocated from Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in 1970, but he preferred to continue working in journalism. In 1971, Whiteside started The Black List to help sports editors find qualified black journalists to hire. Initially The Black List only had nine names, but by 1983 it had expanded to more than 90.
Career in Boston
He moved to Boston in 1973 where he worked for most of his career. At that stage, he was the only black journalist covering Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
on a daily basis for a major paper.
Whiteside covered many of the most notable events in Boston baseball history, ranging from Bucky Dent
Bucky Dent
Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...
's home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to defeat the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the 1978
1978 in baseball
-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...
American League East playoff, to the Red Sox losing the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, to Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
' second 20-strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
game.
Whiteside was an expert on Negro league baseball
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
, and was one of the first American journalists to follow baseball in other countries.
The National Association of Black Journalists
National Association of Black Journalists
The National Association of Black Journalists is an organization of African American journalists, students, and media professionals. Founded in 1975 in Washington, D.C...
gave Whiteside a lifetime achievement award in 1999. He was part of the panel that chose the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century...
.
Whiteside developed Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
early in the 21st century, which led to the end of his career with The Boston Globe in 2004. After his death, the Red Sox observed a minute's silence in his honor prior to a game against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
Posthumous award
In July 2007, Whiteside was selected by a Baseball Writers Association of AmericaBaseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
committee as one of three finalists for the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, and he was announced as the winner on December 5 following a vote by the BBWAA membership; he was honored in July 2008 with inclusion in the writers' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Whiteside is the first African-American beat writer to receive the Spink Award.