SHS grad Stewart to do book tour in Valley Former L.a. times columnist to visit Strathmore High
Longtime Los Angeles Times sports columnist Larry Stewart, a 1964 Strathmore High graduate, who recently published his memoirs, will be visiting his high school alma mater on Monday. He will be speaking to students from 1:45-2:30 p.m.
His book is titled “My Up-close View” and is available on Amazon in hardcover and paperback formats as well as an e-book.
Stewart began his long sportswriting career as a freshman at Strathmore High, serving as the school’s sports correspondent for the Fresno Bee and also writing byline stories for the long-ago defunct Strathmore Sentinel, a weekly supplement to the Lindsay Gazette. By his senior year in high school, Stewart was also writing byline stories for the Porterville Recorder and Visalia Times-delta. Stewart did a summer internship at the Recorder in 1965.
During his visit to the San Joaquin Valley to promote his new book, Stewart is scheduled for three speaking engagements in Visalia and one at his college alma mater, Fresno State.
Stewart worked parttime for the Bee during his college years. His work as the Strathmore correspondent led to his being hired by the Bee, and that led to everything else.
After college, Stewart spent a year and a half at the Times-delta before venturing south and joining the sports staff at the old L.A. Herald Examiner. For four years, 1974-78, he served as
that newspaper’s assistant sports editor. He was hired by the L.A. Times in 1978 and spent more than 30 years at that newspaper.
Stewart was best known for the column he wrote on sports broadcasters and the business of sports broadcasting for both L.A. newspapers for nearly 35 years. Thus, the book title: “My Up-close View.”
The book’s foreword is by CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz, a close friend of Stewart. The book’s final chapter takes an in-depth look at Strathmore High football and its state championship in 2017.
Stewart will have
books available for purchase while at Strathmore High ($25 for paperback with color photos; $15 for paperback with black and white photos, and $40 for limited edition hardcover books).
Stewart will also be making several appearances in Visalia next week as part of a book tour through the Central Valley.
Stewart’s book is filled with anecdotes about the sports figures he got to know along the way, plus autobiographical material about his journey from growing up in rural Tulare County to rubbing elbows with many of the biggest names in sports.
Stewart, born at Kaweah-delta Hospital, worked for the L.A. Herald Examiner for 8½ years prior to going to the Times. Stewart, now semi-retired, is still writing as a freelancer for the Southern California News Group, which consists of 11 L.a-area papers.
Before heading south to L.A. in 1969, Stewart served as farm editor, sports reporter, general news reporter and eventually assistant editor of the Times-delta over a period of 1½ years. Stewart went to work for the Times-delta after graduating from Fresno State in 1968.
His book tour itinerary in Visalia includes the Sunset Rotary on Monday, May 9 at 4:45 p.m., the Downtown Rotary Wednesday, May 11, at noon and the Breakfast Rotary Thursday, May 12 at 6:30 a.m.
During his talks, Stewart will provide insight into many of the people he got to know. Broadcasters Stewart writes about in his book include Vin Scully, Chick Hearn, the L.A. Kings’ Bob Miller, Dick Enberg, Curt Gowdy, Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, John Madden, Keith Jackson, Al Michaels and many more. He also writes about his relationships with people such as Charles Barkley, Terry Donahue, Terry Bradshaw, Don Klosterman, Reggie Jackson, Jim Brown, Barry Bonds, and Visalia’s Michael Young, who’s a close friend.
Stewart has spoken in the area in years past and has always been well received. His book has gotten tremendous responses, including one in a letter Stewart received from 94-year-old Vin Scully.
Stewart’s talks are guaranteed to interest not only sports fans but also people in general who appreciate success stories like the ones author Horatio Alger made famous in the 19th century.
Stewart will also have his books on hand for purchase at his appearances in Visalia. Stewart will sign all books and take special requests for the hardcover books, which are in a special limited edition.
Here’s the link for purchasing the book, which is also available as an e-book, but without photos: https://www.amazon.com/my-up-close-viewpersonal-columnist/dp/B09LGNBLJR