The New York Daily News has named one of their own as their News Sportsman of the Year. Bill Gallo has worked for The Daily News sports department since 1960. He passed away this last May.
Daily News’ Filip Bondy writes:
It isn’t hard, really, to understand why so many people adored Bill Gallo and his cartoons around here. To a sports world increasingly massaged by numbers, wounded by cynicism and pounded by scandal, Gallo brought lightness and innocence to the same realm. He did this on a prolific, daily basis with illustrations that embodied a golden age of pure, incorruptible fun. Some cartoons were smart, others purposefully goofy. All are terribly missed. We were forever traveling back in time with Gallo, enjoying the trip.
Filip Bondy perfectly sums up why Bill Gallo was held in such high esteem. It is so fitting that The Daily News chose to honor his memory by naming him Daily News Sportsman of the Year!
He was truly a great man.
This is my favorite bit, pure Gallo:”He once offered some advice to his pal, boxing historian Bert Sugar: When you?re posing for a group awards photo, always reach across to another recipient and shake his hand. That way, they can?t edit you out of the photo.”
It was a genuine honor to have gotten to know him over the last few years.