Willard M. Christine Jr. (August 5, 1938 – August 25, 2025) was an American sportswriter, author and publicist, dealing primarily with baseball and horse racing, who served briefly as sports editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and, for roughly the final half of his career, as a nationally syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
Early life and career Christine was born in Illinois on August 5, 1938, to Willard M. Christine and Bernice J. Walsh.Gauen, Pat (May 3, 2018). "Author seeks to link three Belleville murders". St. Louis Post-Gazette. p. A6. "Christine, a retired sportswriter living in California, figures he still needs a year of digging and writing before publication. [...] Christine, 79, was raised in East St. Louis and graduated from Assumption High School."Burns, Ken (June 7, 1974). "The Batting Cage". Pittsburgh Catholic."Obituaries: Bernice Dumstorff". The Belleville News-Democrat. April 11, 1991."Look Who's New on the Press Sports Team". The Pittsburgh Press. March 16, 1969. Pg. 6, sec. 4. He graduated from Assumption High School in 1956, and later from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.Holleman, Joe (June 10, 2017). "Joe's St. Louis: Bobby's Place downtown shuts down; Tune Tome". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. A2."Christine Gets New Post". The Belleville News-Democrat. February 21, 1973. p. 27. While attending SIUC, he also reported on sports for the Southern Illinoisan.Christine, Bill (December 22, 1957). "East St. Louis Tourney Folds; All Meets Not Successful". Southern Illinoisan. p. 10.
Christine died from acute myeloid leukemia in Hermosa Beach, California, on August 25, 2025, at the age of 87.
Works Books "Numero Uno" Roberto! (1973)Finoli, David; Ranier, David (2003). The Pittsburgh Pirates Encyclopedia. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 624. . Bill Hartack : the Bittersweet Life of a Hall of Fame Jockey (2016) They Left Their Hearts in San Francisco : The Lives of Songwriters George Cory and Douglass Cross (2017)
Selected articles "Bucs Deck Cards; Clemente's Catch Saves Veale's Win". The Pittsburgh Press. September 12, 1969. p .29 "The Sports Beat: Two Bits, Please; The Early Bird; Who's Chi Chi". The Pittsburgh Press. April 28, 1970. p. 41 "National League Gallery of Stars". Baseball 1972 Yearbook. March 1972. pp. 68–78 "Our Man in Florida Chalks One Up". The Pittsburgh Press. April 28, 1971. p. 29 "Don Wilson Was Something Special". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 21, 1975. p. 18; reprinted as "Don Wilson: The End Came Too Soon". Baseball Digest. April 1975. "As I See It". Sports Illustrated. March 29, 1976. p. 73 "An Official Scorer Who Has Lived to Tell About It". The New York Times. July 22, 1979. p. S2; reprinted as "Scorers Can't Please Everyone". Tallahassee Democrat. July 21, 1979. p. 46 "An Official Scorer Who Has Lived to Tell About It". The New York Times. July 22, 1979. p. S2; reprinted as "Scorers Can't Please Everyone". Tallahassee Democrat. July 21, 1979. p. 46* "Ride 'Em, Cowboy Jack, Right to Winner's Circle". Best Sports Stories 1983. St. Louis, MO: The Sporting News Publishing Company. 1983. pp. 147–151 "'Secretariat's' Loss: rival Angle Light". Los Angeles Times. October 3, 2010. p. 24
References
Further reading "College Awards to 9 AHS Seniors". The Messenger. June 8, 1956. p. 6
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