I will forever see Art Stewart in Las Vegas, baseball winter meetings, cocktail waitresses rushing by, Sinatra crooning “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” over the loudspeaker (“Donna and I saw him at the Golden Nugget, front row!” he would say), sportswriters randomly moving around the casino like electric football pieces, dice rolling, blackjacks turning, bells ringing, coins jingling, glasses clinking, propositions being made, and a parade of baseball people wandering over to pay their respects to this little guy standing on his little piece of carpet.
The pandemic changed things. I used to read JoPo regularly. As I stated, the pandemic changed things. But, hopefully, normalcy will change things. And reading JoPo will change things. For the better.
I met Art in Surprise a few years ago. Incredibly generous with his time and talked to me without hesitation. Glad I took the chance to talk with him and get a picture. What a legend.
Just loved this so much. I admit I didn't know much about Art before this, but always knew the name from "Ball Four". Sounds like Joe's next countdown could be "Advice and Stories from Art Stewart".
I met Art once decades ago, back when Royals had their spring training in Florida. (Quick aside - the Royals have had great town names for spring training, between Baseball City and Surprise.) Anyway, the thing that surprised me is that I had always thought of him as larger than life, but he was a small man. I don't know how or why we ended up sitting next to him for that game, but it was among the most memorable afternoons of my life. RIP.
Art was interested in, and a significant collector of, books about baseball. He had (and still may) a wonderful and substantial collection which included many rare and out-of-print titles, some of which I was privileged to find for him. EVERYTHING you and others say about Art, his kindness, generosity, intellect, curiosity - is true. Didn't matter if you were a "baseball lifer", reporter, or an obscure bookseller. He may have been the sweetest adult male I've ever met. R.I.P.
Nobody writes a remembrance like Joe. I suffer a bit of a moral crisis here. I don’t ever want anyone to die but at the same time, selfishly, I want to know what Joe writes about them when they do.
These stories about your life in sports journalism are perhaps my favorite kinds of essays of the entire Expanded Posnanski Universe. They even edge out the baseball *player* stories, and the family/Springsteen/etc. stuff. Thank you so much.
The pandemic changed things. I used to read JoPo regularly. As I stated, the pandemic changed things. But, hopefully, normalcy will change things. And reading JoPo will change things. For the better.
Just the best, Joe. Thank you for sharing. “Meant to be.”
I met Art in Surprise a few years ago. Incredibly generous with his time and talked to me without hesitation. Glad I took the chance to talk with him and get a picture. What a legend.
Just loved this so much. I admit I didn't know much about Art before this, but always knew the name from "Ball Four". Sounds like Joe's next countdown could be "Advice and Stories from Art Stewart".
I met Art once decades ago, back when Royals had their spring training in Florida. (Quick aside - the Royals have had great town names for spring training, between Baseball City and Surprise.) Anyway, the thing that surprised me is that I had always thought of him as larger than life, but he was a small man. I don't know how or why we ended up sitting next to him for that game, but it was among the most memorable afternoons of my life. RIP.
Art was interested in, and a significant collector of, books about baseball. He had (and still may) a wonderful and substantial collection which included many rare and out-of-print titles, some of which I was privileged to find for him. EVERYTHING you and others say about Art, his kindness, generosity, intellect, curiosity - is true. Didn't matter if you were a "baseball lifer", reporter, or an obscure bookseller. He may have been the sweetest adult male I've ever met. R.I.P.
Just incredible.
Well said joe
Nobody writes a remembrance like Joe. I suffer a bit of a moral crisis here. I don’t ever want anyone to die but at the same time, selfishly, I want to know what Joe writes about them when they do.
These stories about your life in sports journalism are perhaps my favorite kinds of essays of the entire Expanded Posnanski Universe. They even edge out the baseball *player* stories, and the family/Springsteen/etc. stuff. Thank you so much.
Wow. Great writing and sentiments.
Beautiful, Joe.
Lovely tribute
Thanks again, Joe. You are truly the best.