He worked for him at the late, great National and got to know him. Deford was good IMO, although a bit too highbrow for my taste.

https://www.si.com/si-vault/2017/05/...low_twitter_si

Couple MU references that you old-timers, myself included, will enjoy.

(My heart, however, forever belongs to two less-cited stories: first, his paean to Boston sports, "Who Are The Hub Men?", in the July 13, 1970 issue; and second, to his vivid profile of Al McGuire, "Welcome To His World," from Nov. 29, 1976. Of course, it was a Kirkpatrick story in 1971—"Curious Cat And His Curious Warriors," from Jan. 25, 1971—that made me choose Marquette as my college. ) After all that, it didn’t matter much that our first actual encounter was as short as it was.

https://www.si.com/vault/1976/11/29/...e-to-his-world

https://www.si.com/vault/1971/01/25/...rious-warriors