Dick Heller, longtime Washington Times sports columnist, dead at 76
A Northwest Washington native, Heller began working for newspapers when he was in high school, covering high school sports for The Washington Daily News. He also worked for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Alexandria Gazette before joining The Washington Star, where he covered University of Maryland athletics until the newspaper closed in 1981…
…Following a stint at The Miami Herald, Heller joined The Washington Times in 1986, and he became a columnist in the early 1990s. He remained with the newspaper until it folded its sports section in December 2009, then contributed bi-weekly columns for a time after the section returned in March 2011.
Heller covered the Washington Senators in the 1960s and was featured in a documentary or two about the D.C. baseball. My favorite columns of his were about the end of Griffith Stadium and his anti-Texas Rangers ones, though the alternative turned out to be a bit unpalatable as well.
I read and linked to many Heller columns over the years, some of which you can find here.
WHAT HIS COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING
Can only repeat what others have shared in remembering Dick Heller. It was a joy and a privilege to work alongside for nearly 17 years.
— Steve Repsher (@SteveRep44) March 21, 2014
Dick Heller came back to DC to work at TWT after a stint at The Miami Herald. He always joked about his choice of "Moon Over Miami"
— Steve Repsher (@SteveRep44) March 21, 2014
.@TNPMuseum editor Dick Heller writes on a wacky tripleheader between Yankees, Dodgers & Giants in 1944: http://t.co/9YKS6hjYlb #SABR
— sabr (@sabr) November 25, 2013
Raising a glass tonight in memory of late Dick Heller, longtime DC newspaperman who died today. Privileged to work w him for nearly a decade
— Eric Fisher (@EricFisherSBJ) March 20, 2014
Goodbye to my dear friend, mentor and colleague Dick Heller, who died today. Times copy editor made me so much better. Yelling really works.
— Rick Snider (@Snide_Remarks) March 21, 2014
Terribly saddened to learn of Dick Heller's passing today. Will always remember how thrilled he was to cover baseball's return to DC.
— Mark Zuckerman (@ZuckermanCSN) March 20, 2014
WELP, NOBODY’S PERFECT
Longtime Washington Times columnist Dick Heller – greatly responsible for the Junkies success – has passed away. http://t.co/D0vuysF74d
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067thefandc) March 21, 2014
I will probably add to this post as more tributes and obituaries come in. There are some kind words for Heller on the Washington D.C. Baseball History Facebook group.