The Princeton Varsity Club was pleased to welcome Frank Deford ’61 back to campus on Tuesday, April 24th as part of the Jake McCandless ’51 PVC Speaker Series. Deford presented his lecture, “Sports: The Hype and the Hoopla” at Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.
Author and commentator, Frank Deford is among the most versatile of American writers.Β Β His work has appeared in virtually every medium.Β The author of fifteen books, his newest,Β The Enitled,Β a novel about celebrity, sex and baseball, will be published in May.
On radio, Deford may be heard as a commentator every Wednesday on Morning Edition on National Public Radio and, on television, he is a regular correspondent on the HBO show, RealSports With Bryant Gumbel.Β Β In magazines, he is Senior Contributing Writer at Sports Illustrated.
Moreover, two of Defordβs books — the novel,Β Everybodyβs All-American,andΒ Alex: The Life Of A Child,Β his memoir about his daughter who died of cystic fibrosis — have been made into movies.Β Β Another of his books,Casey On The Loose,Β is being turned into a Broadway musical.Β Β Cathy Schulman, producer of 2005βs Best Picture,Β Crash,Β is producing Defordβs next film, a comedy,Β The Sister-in-Law.Β Β
As a journalist, Deford has been elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters.Β Β Six times Deford was voted by his peers as U.S. Sportswriter of The Year.Β Β TheΒ American Journalism ReviewΒ has likewise cited him as the nationβs finest sportswriter, and twice he was voted Magazine Writer of The Year by theΒ WashingtonΒ Journalism Review.
Deford has also been presented with the National Magazine Award for profiles, a Christopher Award, and journalism Honor Awards from the University of Missouri and Northeastern University, and he has received many honorary degrees.Β Β The Sporting NewsΒ has described Deford as βthe most influential sports voice among members of the print media,β and the magazineΒ GQΒ Β has called him, simply, βthe worldβs greatest sportswriter.βΒ Β In broadcast, Deford has won both an Emmy and a George Foster Peabody Award.Β Β ESPN presented a television biography of Defordβs life and work,Β You Write Better Than You Play.Β Β A popular lecturer, Deford has spoken at more than a hundred colleges, as well as at forums, conventions and on cruise ships around the world.
For sixteen years, Deford served as national chairman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and he remains chairmanemeritus.Β Β He resides inΒ Westport,Β ConnecticutΒ with his wife, Carol.Β Β They have two grown children — a son, Christian, and a daughter, Scarlet.Β Β A native ofΒ Baltimore, Deford is a graduate ofΒ PrincetonΒ University, where he has taught in American Studies.
The Jake McCandless β51 PVCΒ Speaker Series began in 2004 with a lecture fromΒ NCAA President Myles Brand.Β The series was endowed in the name of J. L. “Jake” McCandless β51, who coachedΒ PrincetonΒ to the 1969 Ivy League football championship during the Tigersβ centennial year of football.
For more information on theΒ Jake McCandless ’51 PVCΒ Speaker Series and to view excerpts from past lectures, pleaseΒ click here.