Larry Whiteside; Globe writer aided other black journalists

Larry Whiteside broke both barriers and stories as a baseball writer for the Boston Globe.

Mr. Whiteside, who died at age 69 yesterday at Kindred Hospital-Boston in Brighton after a lengthy illness, was hired by the Globe in 1973 and quickly became the only African-American reporter covering a major league baseball team on a daily basis for a major metropolitan newspaper.

He was also the first African-American beat writer in the Globe sports department, teaming with Peter Gammons to cover the Red Sox in the 1970s, when the Globe had both morning and evening editions.

But Mr. Whiteside, known to friends and colleagues as Sides, never wanted to be the story. He only wanted to report it.

"The press box was whiter than the game at that time," said Art Davidson of the MetroWest Daily News. "At dinner after games, he'd be the only black guy, but it wasn't a big deal. He was just Sides."

"We were great competitors, and we had a lot of fun talking baseball," said former Boston Herald Red Sox beat writer Joe Giuliotti. "He was paid to be a baseball writer for The Boston Globe, and that's what he did and he did it very well."

Mr. Whiteside worked for the Globe from 1973 to 2004 and for much of that time covered the Red Sox. He wrote stories about some of the most memorable moments in Red Sox history, from Bucky Dent's home run in the 1978 American League East playoff game to Roger Clemens's second 20-strikeout game in 1996.

As Red Sox beat writer in 1986, he authored the game story on the team's heart-wrenching and ignominious collapse in Game 6 of the World Series against the New York Mets.

He wrote of that fateful Saturday night at Shea Stadium: "The Miracle Mets have returned to Shea Stadium. And the demons of 68 years' worth of failure will haunt the Red Sox for at least another day."

Mr. Whiteside, who was born in Chicago, was hired at the Globe a year before Boston became embroiled in a racial firestorm over public school integration. Dave Smith, the Globe sports editor at the time, said that while Mr. Whiteside was a champion of African- American journalists, he never harped on race while working in Boston.

"Frankly, it wasn't his way," said Smith. "He was low-key when it came to racial issues. He obviously realized his position at that time. It was groundbreaking, so to speak, and he knew what responsibilities he had and handled them well.

"He was a real advocate for African- Americans in journalism and a leader, but he did it in Larry's way, which was somewhat low-key," Smith said. "He was a very good person and I would have hired him again."

Garry D. Howard, assistant managing editor/sports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, called Mr. Whiteside a godfather and role model for many of today's African-American sports journalists, just as Baseball Hall of Fame honoree Sam Lacy was that figure for Whiteside.

"Larry was that bridge for us," said Howard. "He was the bridge for this generation. He helped father this whole generation. I think you could trace it back to Larry and then to a Sam Lacy.

"When you say pioneer, you have to put that next to his name, not just as a writer, but as a mentor to a whole generation of African-American sports journalists that turned out to be pretty good and that he was very proud of."

Mr. Whiteside graduated from Drake University in 1959. He began his sportswriting career in college, writing for the Des Moines Register from 1957-59. He got his first full-time job at the Kansas City Kansan in 1959. Four years later, he joined the staff of the Milwaukee Journal, where he covered Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and Warren Spahn with the Braves before the franchise moved to Atlanta, following the 1965 season.

When baseball returned to Milwaukee in 1970 with the Brewers, the former Seattle Pilots, Mr. Whiteside was assigned to cover the team, which was owned by Allan H. "Bud" Selig. Mr. Whiteside and Selig, now the commissioner of baseball, struck up a friendship that lasted well after Mr. Whiteside left Milwaukee.

Selig so admired Mr. Whiteside and his work that he tried to hire him for a position in the Brewers' public relations department in 1972.

"Larry Whiteside and I literally started in baseball together," Selig said in a statement. "I am truly saddened by the news of his passing as he was an extraordinary person. He was one of the finest journalists and finest friends that you could have. I will certainly miss him. I extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends."

Before last night's game between the Red Sox and San Francisco Giants at Fenway Park, the Sox honored Mr. Whiteside with a moment of silence.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Larry Whiteside," the team said in a statement. "For more than 30 years, Mr. Whiteside covered baseball and the Red Sox for The Boston Globe with integrity, professionalism, and excellence. He was held in high regard and greatly respected by front-office executives, managers, coaches, and players alike."

The Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America approved Mr. Whiteside's nomination for the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, the writers association's highest award, earlier this year. His name will be offered to the national committee, which will choose three finalists at the All-Star Game in San Francisco next month.

Mr. Whiteside leaves his wife, Elaine, and a son, Anthony, of Stamford, Conn. A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Newton Cemetery Chapel.

Nick Cafardo of the Globe staff contributed to this report.