It has been 20 years since Jim Murray was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in journalism for distinguished commentary. It was April 12, 1990, when the announcement was made. Murray was one of four sports columnist to ever receive a Pulitzer Prize, and the only one who worked west of the Hudson River.
The others: Arthur Daley (1956); Red Smith (1976); Dave Anderson (1980).
We at the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation would like to share with you quotes from personal letters Jim received after being presented this prestigious award.
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"I'm old enough to have read the best of Arthur Daley, Red Smith and Dave Anderson, but the Jim Murray work is at the ‘head of the class’."
— President Gerald R. Ford 4/30/90
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"When someone has brought as much joy and enlightenment to others as you have, he sure as hell deserves something terrific in return.”
— Jack Lemmon 4/17/90
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"Let me add my name to the long list of those offering sincerest congratulations on your latest and most deserved honor. Not many guys have a Spink and a Pulitzer and you certainly deserve both."
— Jack Lang, Executive Secretary, Baseball Writers' Assn. of America 4/20/90
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"I'm glad your excellent sports writing has been recognized, because I've always considered you one of the fairest, most knowledgeable writers around.”
— Pete Rose 4/16/90
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"Congratulations. It's about time!"
— Gene Kelly 4/13/90
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"Congratulations on winning the Pulitzer Prize — we are thrilled but not surprised.”
— Gloria & Jimmy Stewart 4/13/90
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"You have a true gift for writing in a way that makes all sports fans look forward to the morning paper. Your writing enriches our lives and I am proud to be among your many fans."
— President Ronald Reagan 4/13/90
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"It's about time the prize committee came to their senses and gave the prize to the one man who could retire the trophy if he wanted to."
— George F. Will 4/17/90
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"Congratulations on receiving the Nobel Prize for Sports Commentary. You certainly are deserving of his honor, and I should know."
— Gene Autry 4/18/90
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"If I wrote you a congratulatory letter every time I think you deserve one you'd be hearing from me every day. Re: The Pulitzer Prize — applause, applause, applause!"
— Steve Allen 4/18/90
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"Day after day, your ability to intellectually, humorously and realistically examine the world of sports through your microscopic eyes, has proved to be as important to me (and countless readers) as my orange juice, coffee and cereal."
— Monty Hall, 4/19/90
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"For a man that gives so much pleasure to others, this is a well-deserved recognition."
— Kirk Douglas 4/20/90
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"The Pulitzer Prize awarded you is long overdue and the coverage in today's Sports Section afforded all your readers endless satisfaction and joy."
— Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg 4/13/90
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"Thank God you and Red (Smith) turned out to be long-lived and avoided early retirement. For whatever it's worth, I think you and Red are the two greatest talents of my era. No one else comes close."
— Joe McGuff, Editor and Vice-President, The Kansas City Star 4/20/90
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"Red Smith and Jim Murray. Those two winners alone keep the Pulitzer at the front of the pack."
— Tom Brokaw, NBC News 4-16-90
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"Congratulations on your Pulitzer. It certainly is overdue. I am very proud of you. Nobody deserves one more. It's a great day for Jim Murray and for all of us associated with the Times."
— Tom Johnson (former Editor, Los Angeles Times) 4-12-90
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"The Pulitzer Committee has finally recognized what everyone who has read your columns has known for years!"
— Joe Tanenbaum, Gulfstream Park Racing Association, Inc. 4-19-90
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"For all of us who are your fans, you won this prize years ago and many times, but it is nice to see ‘them’ make it official."
— Jack Whitaker/ABC Sports
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"Judge Crater is found. Roy Riegels ran the right way. Jim Murray has won the Pulitzer Prize."
— Tom Callahan, Washington Post 4-15-90
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"I always said you'd be a success one day. I am pleased and proud to have served with you. Did you get the prize for your funniest lines — your expense accounts?"
— Bill Shirley, former Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times 4/12/90
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"It gave me great pleasure to read of your winning it (the Pulitzer), as it was a great pleasure just to be in the same industry with you and best of all, on the same sports page with you."
— Al Cartwright, International Association of Sports Museums and Halls of Fame
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"Without question, your award was a popular one, not only at the Los Angeles Times, but throughout the country."
— Robert F. Erburu, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Times Mirror Co. 5/24/90
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And then Jim Murray wrote . . .
"I'm perfectly astonished at getting a Pulitzer Prize. Joseph Pulitzer and Horace Greeley must be spinning in their graves. I always thought you had to bring down a government to win this. All I ever did was quote Tommy Lasorda accurately."
"One of the nicest things about the Pulitzer was the elation of my friends. Frankly, that was my Pulitzer and I'm grateful to the Pulitzer Committee for making it possible to hear from so many old pals and to share the honor with them."
"This is going to make it a little easier on the guy who writes my obit!"
Jim Murray Memorial Foundation | P.O. Box 995 | La Quinta | CA | 92247
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