Monday, July 24, 2006

Former Carthage Press sports editor calls it quits


Tucson Citizen sports columnist Corky Simpson, who got his start in journalism at The Carthage Press in the 1960s, announced last week he will retire in December.
Corky called it leaving the toy department in someone else's hands, explaining succinctly:

"What a job, the toy department!
You get to pontificate on home runs, touchdowns and overtime victories ... managers and coaches getting hired and fired ... trades and tirades and twisted ankles as if they really were important.
You get to work with colleagues and competitors who actually believe all this stuff is important, too."

By the end of the column, however, Corky did a slight about-face:

"The numbers don't really count. It's the individual in his or her arena, dealing neither with competition nor composition ... but himself, or herself. To be the best.
That's what has inspired me the most over the years. Watching young people reach down inside themselves for just a little magic to overcome a challenge.
Did I say toy department?
Shoot, this is the real world, folks. And I've enjoyed every inning."

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