To celebrate National Columnists' Day, which takes place each year on April 18 as a way to honor all newspaper columnists and their contributions to journalism, the Redskins remember the late great Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich.
Already honored at FedExField, with the press box dedicated in his name, Povich was an award-winning reporter and columnist for The Post for 75 years, from 1923 to 1998.
"He was an eyewitness to many of the most significant sporting events of the 20th century and well- known for his erudite writing and reporting that often examined questions of race, religion and gender," states his biography on the Povich Center’s website.
Povich covered sports throughout the evolution of news coverage from daily to 24/7 reporting, evolving with the demand of readers and new technology. At 20 years old, he became the youngest sports editor in the U.S. and his regular column "This Morning With Shirley Povich" ran from 1926 to 1974.
A few months after he passed in June, 1998, the Redskins honored Povich by naming the then Jack Kent Cooke Stadium press box after him.
Inside hangs a photo of Povich with a plaque that reads: "A Washington institution for 75 years. Sports Editor of the Washington Post. Writer of 'This Morning with Shirley Povich' from 1926-1974, columnist until the day he died, season seat holder and friend of the Washington Redskins."
[Photo credit: Povichcenter.org]
