Sportswriter: He taught life lessons and character

Re: “The lessons from life in a press box,” (TNT, 5/20).

When I started reading Dave Boling’s final column, I was incredulous. I did not want it to be true. Over the years, I have saved many of his articles. I cut them out, copy them, send them to my children and send them to other deserving people.

His writing goes beyond the surface to the heart of the individual. It shows us who that person really is and what he stands for.

My favorite article is the one he wrote on Dan Fitzgerald, former Gonzaga basketball coach. He was a man who was much maligned and misunderstood. Boling gave us such a clear picture of this wonderful man.

How fitting that in his final column, he mentions two athletes (Jason Vitullo and Curt Warner) who embodied great courage, dedication and determination in their individual lives. These are the same qualities we see reflected in Boling’s writing.

Thank you, Dave Boling, for showing us with such grace, humility and intelligence that sports is much more about learning life lessons than just winning.

This story was originally published May 27, 2017 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Sportswriter: He taught life lessons and character."