The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 44

Matt Zabitka: An era ends www.delawareonline.com C4 THE NEWS JOURNAL FRIDAY, DEC. 13, 2002 "Al Caitwright Evening Journal sports editor called me out of the blue. He said he wanted to beef up coverage of sports in Delaware. the last Saturday of September I covered a high school football game for the Chester pap. The next day I went to work in Wilmington." How Zabitka came to work for what were then the Morning News and Evening Journal in 1962 The Quotable Zabitka "Whenever I called him, wherever he was, he would always take the time to speak with me." Zabitka on his favorite Delaware athlete, Randy White, the former McKean High football player who became an All-Pro with the Dallas Cowboys and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame "When I was on the U.S.S.

Randolph, I had two pages of news about crew members snuck into the daily newsletter. I got called in and threatened with a court martial. Then they found out that the captain liked it, and they had me do it every day." On his World War II days in the U.S. Navy "I was on the flight deck and I heard the motor coming. Next thing I knew, we were running to escape shrapnel, which was flying everywhere.

Afterward, you say 'Thank God I'm then you start wondering about when you're going home." On being aboard the U.S.S. Randolph when it was hit by a Japanese suicide pilot, killing 25 crewmen Zabitka: Sportswriter retires after 40 years fa I- i I i X. -v News Journal file Matt Zabitka at work with pen and pad in the 1 980s. "He was always a people person," former News Journal sports editor Al Cartwright said. FROM PAGE C1 him in the Pro FootbaU HaU of Fame, or Judy Johnson, the first Delawarean enshrined in base-baU's Hall of Fame.

Both were the subjects of countless Zabitka pieces. Most would just revel in the importance accorded them by a Zabitka article. "I was a little, pudgy kid about 6 years old, boxing at Delaware Park, when Matt first wrote about me," said Dave Tiberi, 36, who later lost a controversial middleweight title fight that was, naturaUy, chronicled by Zabitka. "I always got a kick out of Matt because, when he asked you questions, he always got right to the point. He knew exactly what he wanted to ask.

He has always been there for the local individual or team, And he has always been fair. I think he's the consummate reporter." Sometimes, the tables were turned, leaving the author as touched as the subject. "I got a letter a few years back from C. J. Hoffman, whose athletic career 1 had chronicled whUe he was at Caravel Academy," said Zabitka, who lives in the Brandywine Hundred development of Afton.

"He was going off to Susquehanna University. In his letter, he said, 'I hope I can play as weU as you That meant a lot to me." Sports niustrated senior writer Gary Smith began his career working in The News Journal sports department as a Dickinson High student more than 30 years ago. Smith, 49, said being around Zabitka left a lasting impression. "Matt has never gone through the motions on local stuff, which a lot of reporters might start doing after a year on the job," said Smith, who lives in Charleston, S.C. "Here's now in, like, his 98th year, still laughing and cackling and engaging the person he's talking to.

If you're a local coach or athlete, you're fortunate to have someone who cares so much. "His longevity is directly tied to his enthusiasm and his passion, which has always been a bottomless weU." Ardent from the start A native of Chester, Zabitka's journalism career began when he was just 13. On Thursdays during his walks to Chester High, he would notice copies of the Progressive Weekly sitting on doorsteps. An athlete and sports fan, Zabitka was stunned to not find any sports news when he opened the publication. So he put pencU to paper, writing a series of snippets about local athletes.

He headlined it "Sports of aU Sorts" and, unsolicited, dropped it off at the paper's office. "I picked up the paper the next Thursday and there it was!" Zabitka said, stUl astounded aU these years and stories later. "I was shocked." The paper hired him to write the column weekly, for $5 per story Zabitka ran out and bought a used typewriter for $30. After graduation from high school, Zabitka worked as a laborer at the Sun Shipyard and Drydock Co. before he was drafted and joined the Navy during World War n.

Serving in the medical office aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Randolph in the Pacific Ocean, he survived a Japanese Kamikaze attack and later helped write a book about the ship's history. He returned home to Chester, and worked for several weekly papers before landing on the sports staff at the Chester Times now the Delaware County Daily Times in 1952. He made $80 a week. Ten years later, Zabitka was hired at what were then the News Journal papers the Morning News and Evening Journal by Evening Journal sports editor Al Cartwright.

"He was always a people person, and that's what I wanted to establish in the sports department," Cartwright said Thursday "Obviously, he was a hard worker. "I'm sad he's retiring. I was hoping he'd break Noah's record." Larry Shenk worked in The News Journal sports department in 1963 before leaving to become the Philadelphia PhUlies' public relations director, a job he stiU holds. He remembers sitting at a desk across from Zabitka on Friday nights, gathering information over the phone for high school footbaU stories. He was amazed that, even then, it seemed like Zabitka knew everybody "In those days, we typed on paper that was then glued together end to end," remembered Shenk, who lives in Chalfonte.

"If you stood on the top of a desk, Mart's stories would reach from the ceiling to the floor." In recent years, Zabitka has written nearly every sports story for The News Journal's six weekly Crossroads supplements, which emphasize community news. He was still churning them out this week. In addition to that voluminous task, he has written a weekly People column for the sports section. His career even warranted a book. "Matt Zabitka: Sports.

60 Years of Headlines and Deadlines" was co-written by Delawareans Ed Okonowicz and Jerry Rhodes earlier this year and published by Okonowicz's Myst and Lace, Inc. "Once I got started, I couldn't stop," said Zabitka, pleasantly hooked on his writing habit. "My enthusiasm has never waned." Zabitka hasn't discriminated, writing stories about athletes of aU ages at aU competitive levels, from the 6-year-old karate champ to the 90-year-old runner, from Little Leaguers to Hall of Famers. He has been particularly adept at foUow-ing the careers of Delaware high school athletes after they have gone off to coUege. An everlasting impression Henry MUligan was the subject of Zabitka stories as an A.I.

du Pont High and Princeton University wrestler. Later, Zabitka Mowed MUli-gan's rise to becoming one of the country's premier heavyweight boxers. G3 i News Journal file Matt Zabitka strikes his most popular newsroom pose: conducting an Interview on the phone. Ad from Dec. 9,1969 "Matt Zabitka is the reason I'm in the Delaware Sports HaU of Fame," said MUligan, now 44.

"Everybody likes to see their accomplishments recognized, and Matt did that for me and a lot of others. Matt always had his fingers on the pulse of the community." Zabitka covered Lt. Gov. John Carney, a 1974 St. Mark's High graduate, as a St.

Mark's High and Dartmouth CoUege athlete, and later as a footbaU and lacrosse coach. "Sports in Delaware are about teams and wins and losses, but they're also about people," Carney said. "That's what has made Matt special. He followed the people, beyond high school, beyond coUege. It's great to have someone like that." Since becoming The News Journal's executive editor three years ago, Deborah Henley has frequently been reminded of Zabitka's influence.

"When I meet readers," she said, "invariably they ask me how 'Zee' is doing. I get more questions about Matt Zabitka than anyone else. It seems that he has written about most of our judges, teachers and business leaders. And they aU remember the stories he wrote about them when they were high school athletes. Many wUl teU you that they stiU have the newspaper clippings." Impressionable News Journal staffers of aU ages have long admired Zabitka's diligence, dedication, longevity, wit and sunny disposition, which could melt most cynicism.

Plopping his briefcase down on his desk, aligning his pens and pencils, pulling out his files and beginning to work the phones has been a daUy ritual at The News Journal's New Castle office. Mention a sports-related name, and it will likely inspire a Zabitka tale. "What impresses me most about Matt, on a daUy basis, is his pure joy and love of what he's doing," said Ron Fritz, The News Journal's sports editor since July 1999. "I can't imagine what it'U be like not having him here every day What FU miss most is hearing Mart's stories. Even though I've heard some 10 or 20 times, I stiU laugh at each one." Zabitka looks forward to spending more time with his wife of 58 years, Helen, and partaking in their favorites pastimes traveling, dining out and playing casino games.

He pledges to keep writing, on a freelance basis. "How am I going to stop?" he wondered. He won't. His Delaware People column will continue to appear twice a month in The News Journal's Crossroads sports sections. That falls under the heading of "good news." Instead of "Staff reporter," Zabitka's credit line will read "Special to The News Journal." That, precisely, is what he has been aU along.

Reach Kevin Tresolinl at 324-2807 or ktresalinidelawareonline.com. MATT ZABITKA 1 1 Letter from a Zabitka reader Aug. 22, 2002 Dear Matt: It seems to me every Monday People column and Thursday Crossroads that I owe you a huge "Thank you!" for the incredible job you do. Since I've already procrastinated long enough, here goes. Thank you for the coverage you give to the individual athletes, coaches and administrators of all ages in this community.

As the father of two young athletes gymnast Jamie and soccer player Jessica you've covered over the years, I can tell you that you've helped make several months of my life a pure, prideful joy. If you were paid according to the happiness you give every father and mother of an athlete you are writing about, you'd be an extremely wealthy man. I assume you love your job, and derive satisfaction from each positive piece you write. Rest assured, the people out here reading your work are excited to learn about someone new every week. And the people related to the subject of your articles, oh boy! The feeling is awesome.

On behalf of my entire family, thank you. Keep up the good work. Very truly yours, James A Natalie, Jr. hrn in" I' mm 3 reports and comments on news of special interest to sports fans in z)t ftrum Journal Gel the word? Wt do ymt will.