news-record.com

As Christmas is almost here, there will be much happiness – but there will also be sadness as many of us remember loved ones who have died and cannot share the joy of Christmas with us.

My remarkable brother, Gene Warren, died Dec. 1 from a brain blastoma (cancer) only two weeks after he was diagnosed.

Gene was an award-winning sports writer for the Greensboro Daily News (now News & Record) from 1955 to 1968.

The five-member sports staff consisted of the great sports editor, Smith Barrier, and writers Irwin Smallwood, Moses Crutchfield, Tom Northington and Gene. Tom Einstein also joined the sports staff in the 1960s.

“I realize that as a young person, I was blessed by having, in my opinion, the best, the most enjoyable job in the world,” Gene once told me.

While working for the Daily News, he enjoyed covering Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournaments.

“Friends of mine would come down to the press row, where I had the best seat in the house,” Gene said. They would say, “Just think, you’re getting paid for this — the best job in the world.” He agreed.

At age 26, he had an article on the cover of The Sporting News magazine.

His sports writing journeys took him over the United States, and he loved covering the exciting events.

He interviewed some of the greats, such as Ted Williams, Vince Lombardi, Johnny Unitas, Frank McGuire, Sonny Jurgensen, Roman Gabriel and Dean Smith.

At Madison Square Garden in New York, he watched Muhammad Ali work out, and he covered the World Series and NCAA basketball playoffs.

While covering the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ camp in 1960, he had the pleasure of interviewing Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, at Montreat.

Later, he became director of public information at UNC-Pembroke. He was chosen the National NAIA Sports Information Director of the Year and won two national first-place writing awards from the National Collegiate Baseball Association, plus a number of state awards, one of which was presented to him in Chapel Hill by then-Gov. Terry Sanford.

His newspaper career began in our hometown of Wilmington, when, as a shy boy of 12, he helped his older brother, Pat, deliver newspapers to 215 customers — the largest route in Wilmington. His salary was 15 cents a day Monday through Friday and a quarter on Sunday for a total of $1 a week.

Pat was an avid sports fan, and his enthusiasm for sports inspired Gene.

Emulating Pat, Gene started checking the paper for the football rankings and listening to football games and the World Series on the radio.

Gene assisted Pat until 1942, when Pat served in the Navy during World War II. He kept the route until 1945 and faithfully delivered the papers rain, sleet or snow with no assistance.

Gene learned to keep score in softball at Wilmington’s Robert Strange Park near our home. The Star News team hired him as its official scorekeeper.

Gene supplied the scorekeeping information as Roy Cook typed sports articles for the paper.

“Watching Roy’s fingers fly across the keys was intriguing to me,” Gene said.

Later, Cook became the public address announcer at the Wilmington Pirate baseball games at Legion Stadium and hired Gene to keep the score as he announced the games.

In the fall of 1945, when Gene was a junior in high school, Leon Brogden — later be inducted into the N.C. Sports Hall of fame — became athletic director and football, basketball and baseball coach at New Hanover High School.

“Wilmington was excited about having this great coach,” Gene said.

One day, before taking his paper route, Gene noticed Brogden had chosen his starting team for the season’s football opener, and they were wearing blue jerseys. Everyone else wore white or gray.

Sensing a story, Gene rode his bike to Cook’s house and informed him, thinking Cook might want to write about the change in uniforms.

“When I went to Roy’s house to inform him,” Gene said, “he looked at me and said, 'Why don’t you ride down to the paper and write the story yourself? You can type now, can’t you?’

“Yes, but I don’t know anything about writing stories,” Gene replied.

“Well, there’s no time like now to start,” Cook replied.

When Gene arrived at the Star News, the city editor was waiting for him.

Painstakingly and uneasily, Gene wrote his first article for the newspaper.

Looking over the story, the city editor said, “Good story, Gene,” then wrote, “By Gene Warren” across the top of the story.

“A byline!” Gene said, “I couldn’t believe it.”

That night Gene said he couldn’t sleep with the realization that the next morning, his story would be in the newspaper and seen by everyone in town. Our mother was so proud of him, as were we all.

Soon, Gene was tagged at New Hanover High School with the name “Scoop.”

At 17, Gene was hired to be on the sports staff of the Star News.

Sports writing opened untold doors for Gene and provided him with great memories.

I’ll always remember Gene not only as a talented writer, but one of the most encouraging people I’ve ever known. In person or through letters, he always conveyed uplifting words to me and shared my joys, as well as my sorrows.

He looked for the best in others and had the ability to make people, including me, feel special.

Before coming to Greensboro to work for the Daily News, Gene served in Army Special Forces during the Korean War.

During his years here, he and his family were members of Lawndale Baptist Church. He served as a deacon and also taught Sunday School at Lawndale.

Soft spoken, loving and supportive, Gene was a good man — a man of his word and a man who lived his faith.

Gene and I especially enjoyed exchanging family stories, which usually brought laughter about our growing-up years.

Now, as the youngest — and last — of our original family of six, I will greatly miss Gene and the strong family bonds we shared.

One of the greatest gifts a person can give another is the gift of love. Over a lifetime, Gene freely gave this gift to me. I thank God for his life which touched so many people. He will be greatly missed.

Contact Peggy Longmire at 288-9040 or rlongmire@ triad.rr.com