His
New York Times obituary, written by Pulitzer Prize
winning journalist Red
Smith, reads: “Jesse Abramson, a distinguished
figure in sports journalism
for 56 years and widely recognized as
the nation’s leading track and field
writer. Colleagues called him ‘The
Brain’, in recognition of his profound knowledge of track
and his phenomenal
memory for detail.
“As a rookie on the Herald-Tribune in
1924, Abramson rewrote Grantland Rice’s condensed cable
dispatches from the Olympic Games. Then, starting in
1928, he attended every summer
Olympics through 1976. He covered the
Games for the Herald-Tribune until 1964
(the paper folded in 1966), was foreign
press liaison at the 1968 Games in Mexico,
covered the 1972 Games for the International
Herald-Tribune, and was
press liaison in 1976.
“Mr. Abramson received many
honors, including the Grantland Rice
Award of the Sportsmen Brotherhood,
the James J. Walker Award for service
to boxing, and the career achievement
award from the New York Track Writers
Association. He was a founder and
long-time president of the N.Y. Track
Writers Association, and the NYTA’s
annual award to the outstanding athlete
of the year is named for him. He
was also president of the New York
Football Writers Association.”
In 1981, Abramson was honored as
the first media person to be elected to
the National Track & Field Hall of
Fame.
|