The long-time sportswriter and the first author to focus on a single-game analysis passed away Sunday at the ripe old age of 99.
I had interviewed Arnold Hano back in 2012 to discuss A Day in the Bleachers, a classic about the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and Cleveland Indians. It would have been a sensation regardless, but Hano had the good fortune to decide to go — on the spur of the moment — to Game One in which Willie Mays provided us with one of the great baseball highlights of all time. And remember, this was a time when before ESPN or MLB.com where you could watch it over and over from multiple angles; Hano only had the one chance to see the play.
Richard Goldstein wrote this wonderful tribute for The New York Times today, with major play on ADITB and hailing it as “a forerunner of the subjective New Journalism that flowered a decade later.”
Hano wrote hundreds of articles, not only about baseball, but social issues as well. He moved to Laguna Beach, California, many years ago and became a voice on local issues. Here’s his obituary from The Laguna Beach Independent.
I was supposed to co-host a tribute to Hano back in May with Jon Leonoudakis, the brains and vision behind The Sweet Spot, a series of baseball films including Hano: A Century in the Bleachers in 2015. (You can watch it here.) Unfortunately, that was the day I had the misfortune of being in a car accident that landed me in the hospital and rehab for several weeks. Those were some depressing times but both gentlemen cheered me up with a brief “get-well” video with Hano in his usual self-effacing mode.
A Day in the Bleachers is almost 70 years old at this point. I wonder how many young fans have heard of this book let alone read it? It’s a shame; his work should be a mandatory part of any journalism classes, if such things still exist given the current state of the industry.
There have been many reissues of ADITB, but this is my favorite — which features illustrations by Mark Ulriksen — despite the $700 price tag.
Here’s what Leonoudakis posted on Facebook:
I am sad to report my good friend, writer Arnold Hano, passed away on Sunday at age 99. Arnold was one of the best sportswriters of the 20th century, and he loved baseball and his New York-San Francisco Giants.
I’m going to be posting about Arnold and our friendship for the next few days. He had a tremendous impact on me personally and professionally.
Arnold was much more than one of the most prolific writers of the 20th century (over 500 magazine and newspaper articles, over a million books sold). He was a social activist who would not tolerate discrimination of any kind and wrote articles that helped save the environment. Arnold changed the practice of Laguna Beach barbers who refused to cut the hair of African-Americans in the late 1950s. He was also an Army veteran who served in WWII.
Arnold wrote one of baseball’s most iconic books, A Day in the Bleachers, when he attended Game One of the 1954 World Series, where Willie Mays made one of the greatest catches in baseball history. Hano’s written account of the catch is considered the best coverage of the iconic play by #24.
I spent two years making [A Century in the Bleachers] with Arnold, who was a biographer’s delight: he saved everything, had total, visceral recall going back to the 1930s, and was a great storyteller. I got access to Orlando Cepeda and Felipe Alou for the film, and they were delighted to get re-connected with Arnold after 50 years. Arnold did a lot to promote Latin-American and black ballplayers in the 1950s and 60s when they weren’t given a lot of positive, honest ink in other periodicals back then.
We traveled the country together screening the film, culminating in a showing at the Hall of Fame, where Arnold was given the royal treatment. The HoF will be the final repository for Arnold’s baseball work, a fine legacy for a passionate baseball fan.
The best time spent was when we turned off the camera and talked baseball. He spun stories about seeing legends like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Lefty O’Doul, and Rogers Hornsby play.
There is so much more to share, and I’ll do so in the days to come. Rest easy, Arnold, and thanks for all the great stories.
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