Alumnus Rob Parker, ’86, a nationally known sports journalist, is accustomed to blazing trails. He was the first Black sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press in 1993 and the first Black general sports columnist at Newsday in New York in 1995. He has also written for The Detroit News; Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Penn.; the Daily News in New York; and The Cincinnati Enquirer. He has also worked extensively in radio and television. He currently co-hosts The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard on Fox Sports Radio.
In 2023, Parker was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.
And now, Parker wants to shine a spotlight on other Black sports journalists: he is bringing the Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame to the campus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The inaugural class will honor three of the nation’s most respected Black sportswriters in a special April 12 induction ceremony, supported by N.C. A&T’s student chapters of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Associated Press Sports Editors.
Inductees include William C. Rhoden, columnist for ESPN’s Andscape, former New York Times sports columnist, and NABJ Hall of Fame member; Claire Smith, the first woman in the writers’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame, known for her work at The Hartford Courant, The New York Times, and The Philadelphia Inquirer; and Mike Wilbon, a former columnist for The Washington Post and co-host of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption.
“We have had so many great Black sportswriters and editors who have contributed to this business big time and should be recognized,” said Parker. “The best thing is that the students at North Carolina A&T will get a chance to meet these living legends and be inspired by their journalism excellence.”
A journalism major at Southern, as well as a sports fan, Parker went on to work at a number of newspapers and was the first black sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press in 1993 and the first black sports columnist at Newsday in New York, as well as the first-ever on-air host hired at WDFN in Detroit.
Parker developed the idea for the Hall of Fame after delivering a baseball writing masterclass at A&T in the spring of 2023. Impressed by the students and the journalism program, he reached out to Department of Journalism and Mass Communications (JOMC) lecturer David Squires for assistance in making the idea a reality.
“This Hall of Fame will give long-deserved recognition to those who paved the way in the exploding sports media industry,” said Squires. “This will be an enriching experience for the students who participate.”
In addition to honoring the three inductees, the ceremony will also honor “The Original Six” pioneer sportswriters and editors – Bryan Burwell, Thom Greer, Sam Lacy, Wendell Smith, Larry Whiteside, and Ralph Wiley – in memoriam. “The Original Six made a lasting impact on the industry and will be honored for their contributions,” said Parker.
The Hall of Fame will be housed in JOMC’s Crosby Hall on the A&T campus.
“The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication welcomes this exciting initiative that will recognize the outstanding contributions of Black sportswriters and editors annually at N.C. A&T State University,” said Yahya R. Kamalipour, Ph.D., interim department chair.
Read more about Rob Parker’s establishment of the Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame
