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John Steadman (1927 â 2001), the son of a Baltimore Fire Department Deputy Chief, became a sportswriter for The Baltimore News Post, the Baltimore Evening Sun, and then the Baltimore Sun and culminated his career by being inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame. He wrote exclusively about the Baltimore Colts and Ravens, their player heroes (Unitas, Donovan, Moore, Berry, etc.) as well as the coaches, general managers, and owners.
Over his 50 year career, Steadman, became the âIronmanâ of sports writing by attending 719 Baltimore Football games in a row (1947 to December 10, 2000). He also attended Super Bowls I - XXXIV (34 total), a record matched by only seven other sports writers.
Steadman attended Blessed Sacrament School on Old York Road, then graduated from Baltimore City College high school. He caught well enough on their baseball team to pursue a minor league baseball career. He left baseball when sports writing became more to his liking. The Baltimore News-Post hired him in 1945 and it was Steadman who broke the story that Baltimore would regain an NFL franchise. In addition to writing, Steadman announced Colts games as a color commentator for 6 years. At one point, he was broadcasting radio commentaries five times a week on top of writing six columns a week.
Former Baltimore Sun columnist, Michael Olesker remembers Steadman this way, âHe was the humblest of men. When complimented on a nice column, heâd mutter a self-effacing, âgood days and bad.â When elected to the Sportswriters Hall of Fame, he said, âIt was an off-year. Thatâs why they picked me.ââ
Steadman wrote seven books, including, "The Greatest Football Game Ever Played: When the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants Faced Sudden Death" (1988).
He was named Maryland Sportswriter of the Year eight times and after his death, Steadman was awarded America's most prestigious sports writing honor, the Red Smith Award, by the Associated Press Sports Editors.
GENRE: SPORTS WRITING
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