H. G. Salsinger

Harry George "H.G." Salsinger (April 10, 1885^[1] – November 1958) was sports editor of The Detroit News for 49 years.

Salsinger was born in Ohio. In 1907, he started writing for The Cincinnati Post.^[2]

In 1909, Salsinger began working at The Detroit News as sports editor, a position he held until his death in 1958.^[3] He covered 50 World Series, two Olympic Games, and many other sports including football, golf, tennis, and boxing.^[3] Salsinger was also a president of both the Baseball Writers Association of America,^[4] and the Football Writers Association of America.^[5] Salsinger retired in January 1958 and died 10 months later at Henry Ford Hospital following a long illness.^[6][7]

Salsinger was married to Gladys E. Salsinger. They had a son, Harry G. Salsinger, Jr., born in approximately 1920. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Salsinger lived with his wife and son at 244 Pingree Avenue in Detroit.^[8]

In 1968, the Baseball Writers Association of American posthumously awarded Salsinger the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for his baseball writing.^[9] He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.^[10][11]

Selected works

• When 'Babe' Ruth Was Beaten by John McGraw, Baseball Magazine, November 1922 (reprinted in Literary Digest, December 2, 1922)
• The day Johnny Bassler stole home, 1923 (reprinted in Baseball Digest, October 1955)
• Cobb dominated baseball with his keen mind and a will to succeed, The Detroit News, November 2, 1924 (reprinted in "They Earned Their Stripes", pp. 33–37)
• Lustrous Lenglen (Suzanne Lenglen), The Dearborn Independent, February 5, 1927, p. 7
• Chilled Drama: Streaks on Ice (speed skating), The Dearborn Independent, February 1927, p. 7
• New Idols for the Gallery: The Slashing Game (ice hockey), The Dearborn Independent, February 26, 1927, p. 7
• Courage and Endurance -- Matters of Stomach Not of Heart, The Dearborn Independent, March 5, 1927, p. 12
• The Weiser Typhoon - Old Barney (Walter Johnson), The Dearborn Independent, April 9, 1927, p. 14
• The Gate God Ruth (Babe Ruth), The Dearborn Independent, April 23, 1927, p. 7
• He Made a Man's Game out of Tennis (Bill Tilden), The Dearborn Independent, May 29, 1927, p. 7
• The Weiser Typhoon - Old Barney (Walter Johnson), The Dearborn Independent, April 9, 1927, p. 14
• Playing for Community (on Hank Greenberg's decision to play on Rosh Hashanah), The Detroit News, September 11, 1934
• Rogell gets it going with defense (Billy Rogell), The Detroit News, September 11, 1935 (reprinted in "They Earned Their Stripes", pp. 114–115)
• Cochrane owned Detroit in 1935 (Mickey Cochrane), The Detroit News, August 7, 1938 (reprinted in "They Earned Their Stripes", pp. 116–117)
• Mullin was a brainiac on the mound (George Mullin), The Detroit News, January 10, 1944 (reprinted in "They Earned Their Stripes", pp. 174–175)
• Goslin brought attitude then a title (Goose Goslin), The Detroit News (reprinted in "They Earned Their Stripes", pp. 156–157)
• Trick Schedule Tunes Out Radio, Baseball Digest, July 1945
• Speed Doesn't Count at Night, Baseball Digest, May 1947
• It's Howt-a-man (Art Houtteman), Baseball Digest, February 1948
• Groth Good, But He Still Must Grow-eth (Johnny Groth), Baseball Digest, January 1949
• The All-Time Tigers, Baseball Digest, February 1949
• Mr. Consistency Enters the Hall (Charlie Gehringer, Baseball Digest, July 1949
• Speaking Up for Speaker (Tris Speaker, Baseball Digest, August 1949
• Synonymitis (1950 Epidemic), Baseball Digest, July 1950
• American League's All-Timers, Baseball Digest, August 1950
• Trout Was Always Loose (Dizzy Trout, Baseball Digest, November 1950
• Heilmann was a magician at bat (Harry Heilmann), The Detroit News, July 10, 1951 (reprinted in "They Earned Their Stripes", pp. 112–113)
• Minor Whiz, Major Wheeze (Ox Eckhardt, Baseball Digest, July 1951
• Eight-Inning Winner (Hooks Dauss, Baseball Digest, August 1951
• Greatest Pitcher? Waddell! (Rube Waddell, Baseball Digest, September 1951
• It's a National League Year, Baseball Digest, September 1951
• Bobo and His Short Story (Bobo Newsom), Baseball Digest, October 1952
• Perfect Average System Unlikely, Baseball Digest, February 1953
• Diamond Odds Against Grid Stars, Baseball Digest, April 1953
• The Passing of a Symbol (Connie Mack), Baseball Digest, April 1956
• Dugout Dictionary, Baseball Digest, January 1957
• What a Scout Looks for in a Boy, Baseball Digest, June 1957

References