Cigar-chomping inveterate White Sox fan and Sun-Times sports columnist Bill Gleason passed away today at the age of 87. Gleason’s profile on the groundbreaking Sportswriters On TV show in the 80s and 90s was typically obscured by the blue haze of his cigar smoke, his newsboy caps and his quasi-Carayesque eyeglasses. Along with Rick Telander, Bill Jauss and late Ben Bentley, Gleason held forth on all things athletic and midwestern, puncturing the air with his stogie even as he fouled it.
This 1991 clip of the Sportswriters show commemorating Comiskey Park in its last days is a fair remembrance of Bill, even if it is regrettably bracketed by the truly execrable music and singing of one Steve Dahl, a transplanted California DJ whose badly advised Disco Demolition promotion at Comiskey is discussed. So long, Bill.
For several years I have been trying to remember the name of the program and the individuals who appeared on it. It was a fantastic show. Gleason was extremely entertaing. May he rest in peace.
I always loved Gleason’s story of his father’s shock at finding out his daughter had become a Cubs’ fan: “I’d rather she woulda left da Church.”
RIP, Bill.