Samuel Saunders Greene (August 26, 1895 – September 5, 1963) was an American

sportswriter Sports journalism is a form of writing that reports on matters pertaining to sporting topics and competitions. Sports journalism started in the early 1800s when it was targeted to the social elite and transitioned into an integral part of the n ...

. He covered sports in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

for more than 40 years, first with the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...

'' (1922–1924) and then with ''

The Detroit News ''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival ''Detroit Free Press'' building. ''The News'' absorbed the '' Detroit Tribune'' on Februa ...

'' (1924–1963). He was the sports editor for ''The Detroit News'' from 1958 to 1963. He was the Detroit correspondent for ''

The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...

'' from 1924 to 1960.

Early years

Greene was born in

Stuart, Virginia Stuart is a town in Patrick County, Virginia, where it is the county seat. The population was 1,408 at the 2010 census. The town of Stuart was named after Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, of nearby Ararat, Virginia. History Incorporation (1753� ...

in 1895. His father, George Oliver Greene, was a Virginia native and a newspaper editor and publisher. His mother Emma (Martin) Greene was also a native Virginian. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Greene was living with his parents and three sisters (Lucy, Bernice and Marian) in

Staunton, Virginia Staunton ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities a ...

.Census entry for George O. Greene and family. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census atabase on-line Census Place: Staunton Ward 2, Staunton City, Virginia; Roll: T623_1740; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 110. By 1910, the family had moved to

Clifton Forge, Virginia Clifton Forge is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States which is part of the greater Roanoke Region. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as Jac ...

, and had grown to include six daughters and three sons. At Clifton Forge, Green's father owned and operated the ''Daily Review''. Greene worked on his father's newspaper as a boy, handling responsibilities that included delivering papers, sweeping floors, setting type, collecting bills, and proofreading.

Reporter in Virginia and Texas

Greene attended Randolph-Macon College in

Ashland, Virginia Ashland is a town in Hanover County, Virginia, United States, located north of Richmond along Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,225, up from 6,619 at the 2000 census. Ashland is named after the Lexi ...

. While attending college, Greene worked as a typesetter for the ''Hanover Progress'' in Ashland. When the United States entered

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

in 1917, Greene enlisted in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. After the war, Greene became a reporter for ''

The Roanoke Times ''The Roanoke Times'' is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Lee Enterprises. In addition to its headquarters in Roanoke, it maintains a bureau in Christiansburg, ...

''. He began covering sports while working in Roanoke. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Greene was living in Roanoke. He was married to Kittie (Karr) Greene, a Texas native, and his occupation was listed as a newspaper reporter. By June 1920, Greene had moved to

Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...

to become a sportswriter for ''

The Beaumont Enterprise ''The Beaumont Enterprise'' is a newspaper of Hearst Communications, headquartered in Beaumont, Texas. It has been in operation since 1880. In addition to BeaumontEnterprise.com and the daily newspaper, ''The Enterprise'' produces several weeklie ...

''. He spent three years in Beaumont and was appointed as the editor of the sports page. While in Beaumont, his baseball writing, covering the

Beaumont Exporters The Beaumont Exporters was the predominant name of a minor league baseball team located in Beaumont, Texas that played between 1920 and 1957 in the Texas League and the Big State League. Beaumont rejoined the Class AA Texas League (1983-1986) and ...

of the

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

, came to the attention of ''

''. He became the Beaumont correspondent for ''The Sporting News'' from 1920 to 1922.

Sports writer in Detroit

Greene moved to

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

in August 1922 as a sportswriter for the ''

''. He spent a year-and-a-half with the ''Free Press'' before moving to ''

''. He remained with the ''News'' for nearly 40 years. He also became the principal Detroit correspondent for ''The Sporting News'' from 1924 to 1960. Greene became known for his coverage of the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

, the

Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...

team, the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...

, and boxing. Respected as an expert in each of those sports, Greene was on the committee that chose the American League's Most Valuable Player, and his writing about the Tigers was "looked on by other baseball writers as the last word on the matter." He covered the Lions from their first season in the NFL and through their championship seasons in the 1950s. When the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...

was established in the early 1960s, Greene was one of a member of the board of selectors that chose the initial 17 inductees. He began covering the Michigan Wolverines in 1922, and was posthumously honored in 1971 as a charter inductee into the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

's Media Hall of Fame. His fellow sportswriters recalled him as "a gentlemanly patriarch" who "brought dignity and graciousness to the press boxes of major league sports and to his profession." Jack Dulmage of the ''

Windsor Star The ''Windsor Star'' is a daily newspaper based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Postmedia Network, it is published Tuesdays through Saturdays. History The paper began as the weekly ''Windsor Record'' in 1888, changing its name to the ''Bo ...

'' described him as follows: "He would observe the game with his hat at a rakish tilt, and clench a cigar in his teeth at an impertinent angle. He would move the cigar to laugh heartily at the quips of the day."

Joe Falls Joseph Francis Falls (May 2, 1928 – August 11, 2004) was an American journalist. He began his career in his native New York City. At the age of 17 in 1945, he took a job as a copyboy for the Associated Press. After an apprenticeship of eight years ...

, who succeeded Greene as the dean of Detroit baseball writers (and who was inducted into the writer's wing of the

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

) wrote in his autobiography that Greene was his mentor: "My longtime mentor, Sam Greene, of ''The Detroit News''. When I was 30, Sam was 60, and Sam taught me how to behave myself in my job by simply being nice to people, which Sam did in his every waking hour. He could also outwrite me." Greene also befriended many of the great sports figures of his time, counting among his friends

Ty Cobb Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the las ...

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...

Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. ...

, and

Tex Rickard George Lewis "Tex" Rickard (January 2, 1870 – January 6, 1929) was an American boxing promoter, founder of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL), and builder of the third incarnation of Madison Square Garden in New York City ...

. Greene developed a lung infection and underwent lung surgery in 1962. He returned to work shortly after the operation and continued to write until July 1963. His last column concerned the dedication of a plaque at Tiger Stadium honoring Ty Cobb. He died in September 1963. The

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

called him "one of America's best known sports chroniclers" and reported that he died "in his bedroom while preparing to listen to the radio report of the Detroit Tigers' game at Boston." The

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...

wrote: "The sports world lost one of its most beloved figures yesterday when Sam Greene died at the age of 68." The ''

Long Beach Press-Telegram The ''Press-Telegram'' is a paid daily newspaper published in Long Beach, California. Coverage area for the ''Press-Telegram'' includes Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Compton, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lynw ...

'' called him "Gentleman Sam" and reported: "Anybody who knew Sam Greene was grateful for the privilege. A great legion of sports-writer friends now mourn him." Greene's son Edgar "Doc" Greene was also a sportswriter for ''The Detroit News''. His son was appointed as the sports editor of ''The Detroit News'' in November 1963, two months after Greene's death.

Selected works by Greene

Texas League Develops Wealth Of Talent for Major Diamonds: Lone Star Belt Boasts Thirty-Odd Players in Big Time
(Greene's first by-line for ''Detroit Free Press''), ''

'', September 3, 1922
Michigan And Vanderbitt Play To Scoreless Tie In Commodores' Stadium
(

1922 Michigan Wolverines football team The 1922 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1922 Big Ten Conference football season. In Fielding H. Yost's 22nd season as head coach, Michigan compiled a record of 6–0–1 (4–0 in Big Ten Confere ...

), ''Detroit Free Press'', October 15, 1922
History Shows Tys Gallant Finishers: Return of Blue Will Give Detroit Full Strength Again
(Greene's first story from Detroit for ''The Sporting News''), ''

'', September 4, 1924, page 3
Ty Waits 20 Years For Greatest Feat: Five Home Runs in Two Days Sets Modern Batting Mark
(

), ''The Sporting News'', May 14, 1925, page 1
Some Kind Words for Tiger Fat Boy: Greene Thinks Fothergill Is an Underestimated Player
(

Bob Fothergill Robert Roy Fothergill (August 16, 1897 – March 20, 1938), often referred to by the nicknames "Fats" and "Fatty", and "the People's Choice", was an American baseball player. He played professional baseball, principally as a left fielder, for 1 ...

), ''The Sporting News'', November 26, 1925, page 1
Cobb Is Still Cobb, Detroiters Agree: Sam Greene Says Georgian Looks Better Physically Than in Five Years; Fine Honors Paid Veteran
(

), ''The Sporting News'', May 19, 1927, page 1
Detroit Owes Much of Fame To Star Back: Lloyd Brazil One of Best Ball Carriers in Nation; Has Good Memory
(

Lloyd Brazil Francis Lloyd Brazil (April 24, 1906 – April 3, 1965) was an American athlete, coach and athletic director at the University of Detroit for 38 years. He played halfback for the University of Detroit football team from 1927 to 1929 and was sele ...

), ''The Atlanta Constitution'', November 28, 1928
Joe Jackson Still Hopes For Pardon
(

Shoeless Joe Jackson Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American outfielder who played Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 1900s. Although his .356 career batting average is the fourth highest ...

), ''The Baltimore Sun'' (excerpts from Greene's article in ''The Detroit News'', December 28, 1933
Cochrane Cracks Training Whip To Get Tigers Into Fighting Trim: Puts Men on Rations, Also Orders Curfews
(

Mickey Cochrane Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane (April 6, 1903 – June 28, 1962), nicknamed "Black Mike", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detro ...

), ''The Sporting News'', March 8, 1934, page 1
Visiting the Major Parks -- Navin Field: Home of Tigers Was Battleground of N.L. Champs in 1887
( Tiger Stadium), ''The Sporting News'', March 22, 1934, page 6
Greenberg Slated for Clean-Up Post: Punch of Tiger First Sacker Puts Him Ahead of Goslin
(

Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (born Hyman Greenberg; January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", or "The Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major Leagu ...

), ''The Sporting News'', April 5, 1934, page 7
The Schoolboy! He's in a Class by Himself: Rowe Likes Plaudits, Plays to Fans and Puts Over Heroics
(

Schoolboy Rowe Lynwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe (January 11, 1910 – January 8, 1961) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers (1932–42) and Philadelphia Phillies (1943, 1946–49). He was a three-time A ...

), ''The Sporting News'', August 30, 1934, page 3
Greenberg's Punch Gains Clean-Up Job
(

Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...

), ''The Sporting News'', September 20, 1934, page 1
Tigers and Cardinals Paint Series With Color: Mickey Carries Out His Own Prophecies
(

1934 World Series The 1934 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1934 season. The 31st edition of the World Series, it matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers. The Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" won in seven gam ...

), ''The Sporting News'', October 4, 1934, page 1
Little Tom Bridges Tigers' Big Support: Right-Hander Scores Five Wins in May Without Defeat
(

Tommy Bridges Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges (December 28, 1906 – April 19, 1968) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946. During the 1930s, he used an outstanding cu ...

), ''The Sporting News'', June 6, 1935, page 2
Greenberg Modest About His Homers: Big First Sacker Remains One of Tigers' Best Team Players
(

), ''The Sporting News'', July 4, 1935, page 2
Tigertown on Toes for World's Series: Plans Completed by City for Big Home-Coming Celebration
(

1935 World Series The 1935 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1935 season. The 32nd edition of the World Series, it matched the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs. The Tigers won in six games for their first championship ...

), ''The Sporting News'', September 19, 1935, page 3
Briggs, Auto Magnate, Acquires Navin's Interest in Detroit Club
(

Walter Briggs, Sr. Walter Owen Briggs Sr. (February 27, 1877 – January 17, 1952) was an American entrepreneur and professional sports owner. He was part-owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball from to , and then sole owner from 1935 to his death in ...

), ''The Sporting News'', November 21, 1935, page 1
Vezina Great Goalie in His Time, But Jack Adams Rates Gardiner, Thompson and Roach Right Beside Them
(hockey's greatest goalies), ''The Sunday Sun'', February 1, 1936
Misfortune Dulls Claws of Tigers: Cochrane's Illness Climaxes Ill Luck
(Mickey Cochrane), ''The Sporting News'', June 11, 1936, page 1
Gehringer To Be Feted As Detroit Civic Hero
(

Charlie Gehringer Charles Leonard Gehringer (May 11, 1903 – January 21, 1993), nicknamed "the Mechanical Man", was an American professional baseball second baseman, coach, general manager, and team vice president, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for t ...

), ''The Sporting News'', October 7, 1937, page 1
Detroit Honks Sad Farewell To Goose
(

Goose Goslin Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin (October 16, 1900 – May 15, 1971) was an American professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until . Goslin ...

), ''The Sporting News'', October 14, 1937, page 5
Al Benton Proving Lion for Tigers Working by His Bullpen Work
(

Al Benton John Alton Benton (March 18, 1911 – April 14, 1968) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. The right-hand ...

), ''The Sporting News'', August 1, 1940, page 1
Baker Fires Salute To Bengals' Spirit in Upset Victory: 'I'm Proud of Them' Says Pilot of Biggest 'If' Champs
''The Sporting News'', October 3, 1940, page 1
Hurlers Fling Detroit Into Flag Frenzy: Overmire Aiding Aces Diz and Hal
( Overmire, Newhouser,

Trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...

), ''The Sporting News'', August 31, 1944, page 1
Detroit in Series Delerium as Tigers Near Flag: Seat Requests Turned Down by Thousands
(

1945 World Series The 1945 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1945 season. The 42nd edition of the World Series, it matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion Chicago Cubs. T ...

), September 27, 1945, page 2
Greenberg Hit in Celery Loop
(Hank Greenberg), ''The Sporting News'', October 18, 1945, page 5
Tops in Relieving: Marberry's Getting Traynor in 1925
(

Firpo Marberry Frederick "Firpo" Marberry (November 30, 1898 – June 30, 1976) was an American right-handed starting and relief pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1923 to 1936, most notably with the Washington Senators. The sport's first prominent relieve ...

), ''

Baseball Digest ''Baseball Digest'' is a baseball magazine resource, published in Orlando, Florida by Grandstand Publishing, LLC. It is the longest-running baseball magazine in the United States. History and profile It was created by Herbert F. Simons, a spor ...

'', November 1949, page 14
County Fair Games Started Gehringer to Fame: He By-Passed Farm Chores to Play Ball
(

), ''The Sporting News'', August 22, 1951, pages 2, 8
Hockey's Greatest Showman
(

Maurice Richard Joseph Henri Maurice "Rocket" Richard (; ; August 4, 1921 – May 27, 2000) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens. He was the first player in NHL hist ...

), ''The Montreal Gazette'', January 29, 1953
Ump Stories High on List of Yarn-Spinner Tighe
(

Jack Tighe John Thomas Tighe ( – ), pronounced "tie", was an American minor league baseball player and a coach, manager and scout for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. Biography Born in Kearny, New Jersey, Tighe joined the professional rank ...

), ''The Sporting News'', October 31, 1956, page 2 *"Negro Praised by Other Players" (

Ozzie Virgil, Sr. Osvaldo José Virgil Pichardo (born May 17, 1932) is a former professional baseball player and coach who was the first Dominican to play in Major League Baseball. He was a utilityman who played in MLB between 1956 and 1969 for the New York / S ...

), Detroit's first African-American player), ''

'', June 6, 1958
Narleski Fan Club Chorus Led by Dykes
(

Ray Narleski Raymond Edmond Narleski (November 25, 1928 – March 29, 2012) was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cleveland Indians (1954–58) and Detroit Tigers (1959). He batted and threw right-handed. His father, Bill Narleski, ...

), ''The Sporting News'', January 27, 1960, page 16
No Sleeping There Now
(

Joe Cronin Joseph Edward Cronin (October 12, 1906 – September 7, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, manager and executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop, most notably as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Cronin spe ...

), ''Baseball Digest'', September 1960, page 69
Hardwaremen to Tool Up Orioles
(

Billy Hitchcock William Clyde Hitchcock (July 31, 1916 – April 9, 2006) was an American professional baseball infielder, coach, manager and scout. In Major League Baseball (MLB), he was primarily a third baseman, second baseman and shortstop who appeared ...

), ''Baseball Digest'', February 1962, page 63

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greene, Sam 1895 births 1963 deaths Baseball writers Detroit Free Press people The Detroit News people Writers from Detroit People from Stuart, Virginia Sportswriters from Michigan Journalists from Virginia 20th-century American journalists American male journalists