Evening star., 1941-06-12
Sparrow Robertson,
Long Paris Sports
CoIumnist, Dead
Veteran Writer Known
To Thousands of
Visitors to France
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS Via BerlinD Delayedl
June l0.-William Sparrow Rob-
ertson, about 83, longtime sports
columniSts of the Paris edition of
the New York Herald Tribune. died
Unexpectedly today at his country
home in Bois lie Roi in Seine ct
Marine Department.
William Harrison Robertson be-
ionged to postwar Paris and was
known personally or through his
writings, to several generations of
Americans-"my old pals" as he
called them. His last column was
written June 10, 1910, exactly year
before his death, and published the
following day as the Paris edition
of the Herald Tribune shut down
its presses.
Mr.. Robertson, or the Sparrow, as
he was better known, had a follow
ing which included the American
colony in Paris as we'll as tourists
and casual visitors who happened
in and out of town. The Sparrow
not only wrote about the comings
and goings of the visitors, but he
personally chaperoned thousands Of
departures.
Catching the boat train with the
able assistance of the Sparrow was
something to write home about, es-
pecially if clipping of his column
could be inclosed. From 1919 until
the last edition went to press the
Sparrow gathered items for his
gossipy feature in what he called
the thirst emporiums" of the Right
Bank.
Born in Edinburgh.
His literary style, which he never
took too seriously, once caused
Eugene ONeill to exclaim: Why.
he's the greatest writer in the
world The Sparrow's daily column
was called Sporting Gossip
The author was as well known
as his writings. In scores of bars
and cafes he was greeted by Amer
leans and even Englishmen and
Frenchmen with shouts of "Allo
Sparrow" Friends of long standing
and acqualntanceS of a few hours
in some bar, the Sparrow referred
to in his column as my pals" or
my old pals and friends"
The Sparrow was uncertain of
his exact age, although he recalled
he was born in Leith Walk. Edin-
burgh, Scotland. He was brought
to New York as a child. In the
1865, he said, he was employed as
a cash boy in Broadway depart
r1ent store.
He opened a sporting goods store
on Broadway before he was 20 and
later participated in various dis
tance races. the records of which
he could never locate. He super
vised the construction of cinder
tracks at Yale and at the Olympic
Games in st. Louis in 1904.
Decided TO Stay In Paris.
For years he was an official at
track and field meets and at about
this time ran bar on Park Row
called The Sparrow's Nest"
The Sparrow got his nickname
from a Tammany Hall boss who
saw the diminutive athlete pirouet-
ting at political ball in an over
size, rented dress suit and ex-
claimed: Who's the sparrow?"
Mr.. Robertson operated a GYM
nasium in Brooklyn and at one time
was dubbed the athletic editor" of
the New York Sun through the
Whlm OF a great sports writer of
that day. He promoted the first
Negro prize fight for a worlds
championship and for two years
was coach of an athletic club in New
Orleans.
He went to France during the
World War to promote games for the
Y. M. c. A. and decided after the
armistice that Paris was the only
place to live.
The Sparrow ran afoul of the Nazi
eurfeW Immediately after the Ger
mans occupied Paris. He drew him.
self up to his full feet 2 and de-
r1anded that the soldier summon
his superior.
The superior. fortunately. was an
other "old pal"-the Sparrow had
met him at the Olympic games in
Berlin in 1886. The two did the town
together.