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James Patrick Murray (December 29, 1919 in Hartford, Connecticut - August 16, 1998 in Los Angeles, California) was an American sportswriter at the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1961 to 1998. Many of his achievements include winning the NSSA's Sportswriter of the Year award an astounding 14 times (12 of those consecutively). In 1990, he won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his 1989 columns,〔(1990 Pulitzer Prizes )〕 and the Baseball Hall of Fame awarded him the J. G. Taylor Spink Award in 1987. Cited as an influence by countless sports journalists, Murray was a fixture at the ''Los Angeles Times'' for over 30 years. After he won the Pulitzer in 1990, Murray modestly said he thought the prize winner should have had "to bring down a government or expose major graft or give advice to prime ministers. Correctly quoting Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda shouldn't merit a Pulitzer Prize."〔(Murray's New York Times' Obituary )〕 He was offered $1 million to join ''The National Sports Daily'', but declined.〔(The Greatest Paper That Ever Died )〕 ==Career== Prior to his tenure with the ''Los Angeles Times'', Murray was a writer and columnist for ''Sports Illustrated'' from 1953–1961 and ''Time'' magazine from 1948-1955. He was also a reporter for the ''Los Angeles Examiner'' from 1944–1948, the ''New Haven (CT) Register'' and ''The Hartford Times''. A native of Hartford, Connecticut, Murray graduated from that city's Trinity College in 1943.〔(Jim Murray biography at espn.com )〕 Murray was noted for his great, albeit occasionally caustic, sense of humor and ability to turn a phrase, including the following: he wrote of the Indianapolis 500 automobile race, "Gentlemen, start your coffins"; that baseball player Rickey Henderson "has a strike zone the size of Hitler's heart"; and that UCLA basketball coach John Wooden was "so square he was divisible by four".〔(Jim Murray King of the Sports Page by Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated April 21, 1986 )〕 Although eventually afflicted with blindness, Murray continued covering and writing about sports as long as he was able. He wrote a column from the Del Mar racetrack for the L.A. Times on the day before he died. The Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, created in 1999 by Murray's widow, Linda McCoy-Murray, raises money for journalism scholarships for college journalists. Currently 31 universities participate annually in a national essay competition in which the winners receive $5,000.00 scholarships.〔(Jim Murray Foundation Home Page )〕 He was inducted in the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1978. In 1982, Murray was honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, who awarded him the Red Smith Award, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor. For his contribution to sports in Los Angeles, he was honored with a Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum "Court of Honor" plaque by the Coliseum commissioners. A testimonial dinner in Beverly Hills was held for Murray after he won his Pulitzer Prize in 1990, at which the guests included many show-business and sports luminaries, as well as Nancy and Ronald Reagan. Murray's funeral in 1998 was attended by a variety of notable sports figures including Marcus Allen, Elgin Baylor, Al Davis, Rafer Johnson, Chris McCarron, Peter O'Malley, Luc Robitaille, Bill Russell, Donald Sterling, Danny Sullivan and Mike Tyson. A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated posthumously to Murray in 2008.〔(Palm Springs Walk of Stars: By Date Dedicated )〕 Jim Murray is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jim Murray (sportswriter)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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