Jerry Izenberg

Syndicated daily sports columnist Jerry Izenberg got his start in journalism as editor-in-chief the student newspaper at Rutgers–Newark. He joined the Newark Star-Ledger in 1963. Since then, he has written several books, including The Greatest Game Ever Played, No Medal for Trying, and How Many Miles to Camelot?, as well as collections of his columns and essays. He has been named New Jersey Sportswriter of the Year multiple times and nominated for numerous Pulitzer Prizes. In 1991, he was inducted into the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. Izenberg also wrote and produced more than 30 television specials, including A Man Named Lombardi, for which he won an Emmy. He helped established the Athletic Hall of Fame at Rutgers–Newark, and was the first non-athlete named to the hall. He has been the guiding spirit of Project Pride, a volunteer athletic and academic foundation that serves 5,000 Newark youngsters annually. He became a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 2000, and later received the Red Smith Award—the highest honor given by the Associated Press Sports Editors. Izenberg is currently a columnist emeritus for The Star-Ledger.