Sportswriter: The Life and Times of Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice (1880-1954) was arguably the best and certainly the most famous sportswriter of his time, the era also of Ring Lardner, Damon Runyon and Heywood Broun, who were his friends. Fountain ( Another Man's Poison ) approaches his subject with affection, admiration and not a hint of condescension. Rice's style was florid, he was a hero-worshipper and he was addicted to writing sentimental doggerel, of which he was inordinately proud, but these stylistic elements were prized by his fans. A Tennessee native and a Vanderbilt graduate, he worked for papers in the South and Midwest, then went to New York City in 1911, where he wrote for the Mail , the Tribune (for which he did his best work), the World-Telegram and the Mirror and was syndicated in almost 100 papers. He was a prodigious worker, but always made time to assist a beginning reporter, to befriend sports stars like Ruth, Dempsey and Bobby Jones and to become an excellent golfer. Fountain's celebration of Rice is a vivid introduction for a new generation to this consummate pro.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.