John James Mooney, sports editor for The Salt Lake Tribune and a sportswriting institution in Utah for over 50 years, died July 26, 2000. He was 84.
Mr. Mooney became sports editor at the Tribune in 1948, having previously worked briefly at the Chicago Tribune and for about a decade on the sports desk at the now-defunct Salt Lake Telegram. From 1939, he covered virtually all the major --- and countless minor -- sporting events in Utah.
His Tribune column was informative and sometimes whimsical --- he had an Irishman's knack for irritating his readers nearly as often as he satisfied them. His invariable response to a disgruntled subscriber was: "I call 'em as I see 'em." He never forgot the old-time sports figures he had known and occasionally reminded readers of what can happen to a boxer, pitcher or quarterback past his prime. Life in the world of sports, he was fond of pointing out, is frequently unfair. In 1986, Mr. Mooney won first place honors for his column from the Utah-Idaho-Spokane Associated Press Association.
He is the only sports writer ever inducted into the Utah Hall of Fame, 1978, and was seven times voted Sportswriter of the Year for the State of Utah. He was only the second newspaperman ever voted honorary membership in the American Football Coaches Association, in 1986. He had been a member of the National Honors Court which picks college Hall of Fame members and voted annually for the Lombardi award winner. He served as President of the National Football Writer's Association of America in 1969 --- football's centennial year.
In 1987 Mr. Mooney was honored by the Utah Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as Sports Person of the Year at their annual Dinner of Champions. Earlier that year he had been presented the first annual Bry Sorensen Award for his contribution to sports and medicine in the state of Utah.
Mr. Mooney was a recipient of the Jake Ward Memorial Award in 1972, given annually by the nation's college sports information directors. In making the award, Wyoming University's publicist Bill Young said, "He has brought honor and distinction to the writing craft and his paper. He has been a clear, unwavering voice in the professional world for college athletics."
Mr. Mooney has also received the Bert McGrane Award, given to a football writer each year for long service and the University of Utah Meritorious Service Award to Journalism. He also served as president of the National Intercollegiate Boxing Writer's
Association.
The press area in Rice Eccles Stadium was named the John Mooney Working Press Area in 1989.
Then-Sheriff Pete Hayward, in presenting a 1985 award to Mr. Mooney from the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office during a meeting of the International Footprinter's Association said: "When nobody else was there, John Mooney stayed at boxing events, often from 7 p.m. to 2 and 3 a.m., getting winners' names for the newspaper. His efforts greatly aided fund-raising efforts for many sports programs."
Very active in the Hibernian Society of Utah, Mr. Mooney served as Grand Marshal of the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in Salt Lake City. He was named Hibernian of the Year in 1994, and also served as president of the society.
Mr. Mooney gave generously to various charities, among them the United Way, St. Ann Catholic parish and the St. Vincent de Paul Center, where he also worked for several years in the soup kitchen.
A former member of BPO Elks #85, he was named Citizen of the Year, a national award, by the Elk's Grand Lodge in 1983. He was also Post State Deputy, Third Degree Knights of Columbus and Faithful Navigator of 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the University of Utah Crimson Club and served on the board of directors of Old Time Athletes. He was the only writer honored by Holiday Bowl and Western Athletic Conference. He received the Ambassador Athletic Club blanket for his contribution to Utah athletics.
Born Jan. 2, 1916, at Waverly, Iowa, to Leo E. and Edith McCann Mooney, he swam, played football, basketball, baseball and ran track in high school before attending the University of Iowa, where he competed in various sports, including boxing, but decided he was not a good college athlete. He instead concentrated on journalism, becoming sports editor and editor of the Daily Iowan student newspaper. He was voted Man of the Year as a senior and elected Senior Class President. He married Betty Boiler Sept. 1, 1937 at Iowa City, Iowa. She died July 5, 1985.
He is survived by his daughters: Mrs. Robert (Sharon) Tilley, Ely, Nev., and Joanne (Norman Allred), Salt Lake City; sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Parsons, Shell Rock, Iowa; Mrs. William (Mary Kay) Hansen, Cheyenne, Wyo.; brothers, Joseph, Frankfort, Ken., James (Winnie), Cedar Rapids, Iowa; four grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
"When you get what you want
in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say...
You may fool the whole world
down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward
will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the Man in the Glass."
--Dale Winbrow
"He strove never to cheat the
Man in the Glass."
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, July 31, 10 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church, 450 E. 2100 So. Recitation of the Rosary will be Sun. 7 p.m., also at the Church, where friends may visit Sunday, 6-7 p.m. Committal Service Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 4th Ave and "T" Street. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the fund for the St. Joseph grotto at St. Ann Church, mailed to the St. Ann Men's Club, 2119 So. 400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84115.