When Linda Hamilton came to the Deseret News in 1977, female sportswriters were about as common as having the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. A few years earlier, Hamilton had been the first ever in the state of Washington and people tell her she was likely the first here in Utah, too.
Women who write sports stories aren't nearly so rare these days as they once were, but they still face challenges unique to the field.Since the three dominant sports in the land - football, basketball and baseball - are almost exclusively played by men, one might think Hamilton has run into the well-traveled problem of women reporters' right of access to locker rooms following ball games.
Not necessarily so, Hamilton said.
"Very few times have I had any kind of a problem. Especially here (in Utah)," she said. Nowadays, a lot of college and pro teams are making the switch from locker room interviews to question-and-answer sessions often held in rooms designed for that purpose. That alone seems to solve most conflicts.
"Most of the time I try to talk to the coach ahead of time to set up something or catch the players outside (the locker room)," Hamilton said.
If all else fails, there's always the old standby warning: "Lady in the locker room!" yelled by a coach or assistant, giving players just enough time to get decent.
Players and coaches Hamilton has interviewed - and there are plenty of them - haven't seemed to care much what her sex is.
"I've gotten along quite well," Hamilton said. Those who haven't talked to a woman sportswriter before might exhibit a little surprise at first but then just act like "normal people" after she starts firing questions.
Having covered just about every sport you can name (college football, college and pro basketball, pro hockey, figure skating, rodeo) while at the Deseret News, players and coaches whom she interviews no doubt recognize a seasoned pro when they see one.
Hamilton is known around the department as a tireless worker who often digs up the information no one else seems to be able to get.
A good example involves the Grizzlies hockey team's negotiations with West Valley City about building a new arena. Hamilton had learned that Grizzlies owner Dave Elmore was coming to Salt Lake City. She had him spotted as soon as he touched down on Utah soil.
"I knew he was coming to town, went out to the airport and there he was," she said.
On another visit to Salt Lake City, Elmore had just walked into his hotel room when the phone rang and Hamilton was on the other line. "He was surprised. He said, `The West Valley people don't even know I'm here yet; how did you find me?' "
How did she know?
"I'm not giving away my trade secrets," Hamilton said.