Chicago sportswriting legend Bill Jauss, a multimedia journalist before there was such a term, died Wednesday. He was 81.
Jauss retired in 2005 after 50 years in sportswriting — 37 with the Tribune Company. He gained fame nationally as a panelist on "The Sportswriters on TV" show. A forerunner of "The Sports Reporters" and so many other sports-talk shows, "The Sportswriters" featured Jauss and cigar-smoking regulars Ben Bentley, Bill Gleason and Rick Telander sitting around a card table debating sports.
The program evolved from a WGN Radio show by the same name and was syndicated from 1985 to 2000.
In May, Jauss received a Ring Lardner award in May for his contributions to newspapers.
According to the Chicago Tribune, a memorial service is set for 4 p.m. Monday at Presbyterian Church of Wilmette, 600 Ninth Street in Chicago.
Here's some links to some Bill Jauss tributes:
From the Chicago Tribune: "Tribune's Jauss remembered as 'complete sportswriter'"
From the Sun-Times: "Legendary Chicago sportswriter Bill Jauss dies at 81"
From Chicago Sports Media Watch: "Legendary Chicago Tribune writer, former Northwestern player Bill Jauss passes away"
From DailyHerald.com: "Remembering sports-writing legend Bill Jauss"
