Darrell Christian, former AP editor-in-chief and sports editor, has died at age 75

Christian died of Parkinson's illness at Elegant Senior Dwelling in Encino, Calif., in accordance with his spouse, Lissa Morrow Christian. He was recognized with Parkinson's illness round 2015, his spouse stated.

“Darrell was the very best story editor I've ever seen, with an unerring intuition for management and replica form and 0 tolerance for something however the very best,” stated Mike Silverman, AP managing editor from 2000 to 2007 and managing editor till 2009 . “I used to be very lucky to have been his deputy for a number of years when he was editor-in-chief, and far of what I later delivered to the work I owed to him.”

As an editor identified for his candor and rigor, Christian modernized AP sports activities protection throughout his seven years on the helm, emphasizing breaking information and in-depth protection of points resembling sports activities enterprise, lecturers and highschool security requirements. This protection earned him a promotion to managing editor below William E. Ahearn, then govt editor.

“Sports activities is simply an extension of laborious information with somewhat little bit of a distinct taste,” Christian instructed the Nationwide Press Membership in 2007.

Born on December 26, 1948, Christian was a local of Henderson, Kentucky. He started his newspaper profession as a sports activities author and sports activities editor on the Henderson Gleaner in 1964, spent two summers within the AP bureau in Charleston, West Virginia, and earned a bachelor's diploma in 1969 from the College of Kentucky. After serving within the Navy from 1969-1972, Christian joined the AP in Indianapolis in 1972. He turned information editor in 1975, moved to the Washington bureau in 1980, and have become deputy sports activities editor in New York the next yr.

Promoted to sports activities editor in 1985, Christian coordinated protection of the 1988 and 1992 Winter and Summer time Olympics and oversaw the addition of choose approaches to sport tales in any respect main sporting occasions—one thing he delivered to the newspaper's characteristic tales as managing editor.

“When Jackie Robinson got here alongside, sports activities began to develop a social consciousness,” Christian stated on the Nationwide Press Membership. “It actually exploded within the Nineteen Seventies and early Nineteen Eighties with tv protection that introduced sporting occasions into the lounge and the unfold of cash in sports activities, free company, the place you abruptly created an entire technology of instantaneous millionaires. And what occurred between the strains was not sufficient. This created a public want for all the things you might presumably need to find out about these athletes.”

Christian, who was known as “DLC” on the AP, was identified for his sharp, terse criticisms despatched to reporters, left in mailboxes in blue envelopes within the pre-digital period. The “blue notes” had been feared among the many employees.

Christian stated the primary story he coated as sports activities editor was Ben Johnson, who examined constructive for a banned steroid on the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, inflicting him to work 48 straight hours. Among the many main tales he oversaw as editor-in-chief was the OJ Simpson saga, which he dealt with with confidence.

“It actually was the circus of the century and it was one wild journey to make it every single day,” Christian stated.

Christian succeeded Martin C. Thompson as editor-in-chief in 1992 and chaired the Pulitzer Prize investigative panel in 1995 and 1996.

“Darrell was a aggressive, old-school journalist who valued inventive tales delivered shortly to readers,” stated Kathleen Carroll, AP govt editor from 2002 to 2016. These values ​​infused each choice he made to guide state, nationwide and sports activities protection: Make it attention-grabbing, write cleanly, and get it out the door. His rugged attractiveness and humorousness barely masked his deep dedication to quick, correct and attention-grabbing tales and the individuals who wrote them.”

After six years as managing editor, Christian was succeeded by Jonathan P. Wolman as director of MegaSports, AP's multimedia sports activities service for newspaper and broadcast members and industrial on-line companies and web sites.

“Darrell mixed previous enhancing abilities with a want to remain on the leading edge and innovate to assist preserve AP aggressive on the very starting of Web information,” stated Michael Giarrusso, AP newsgathering-global beats consultant, who labored below Christian. “He was simply as comfy enhancing a lead function in a narrative as he was assembly with tech startups that wished entry to AP information or pictures.”

Christian turned enterprise editor in 2000 and in 2003 was named to the newly created place of director of sports activities information, combining AP Digital's MegaSports service with AP's Sports activities Agate information service.

“Behind the old-school reporter's gruff exterior was an editor who proved to be a mentor to the following technology of journalists,” stated Brian Orefice, information division supervisor and now vp of product at Stats Carry out, a rebranded digital firm. “His skilled credentials had been unquestionable and his recommendation invaluable.”

Christian turned an editor in 2006, then created the AP's Prime Tales Desk in 2008 and ran it till his retirement, when he moved to California.

“Darrell by no means stopped doing what he liked, enhancing and illustrating,” stated AP golf author Doug Ferguson. “His emphasis was on particulars doing the work of adjectives. And he had this superb capability to know what the story was and how one can get there. He made us higher.”

Dwelling at dwelling in Encino, Christian nonetheless hit the health club and performed golf and softball earlier than getting into Encino Medical Heart on Could 24. A number of weeks later, he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility, and in June he moved to a senior dwelling facility. 25.

Christian's first marriage resulted in divorce. He met Lissa Morrow whereas supervising AP protection of the 1984 Tremendous Bowl in Tampa, Florida, the place she coated the radio station. Along with his spouse, he’s survived by a brother, Scott, and a niece, Erika Whitman.