Longtime Morning Call sports columnist, editor dies
Mario Andretti: ‘He was the man. Paul ranks right at the top’ among journalists
Paul Reinhard, who was known for his newspaper coverage of IndyCar and NASCAR racing; the Parkettes and gymnastics; Mario Andretti; and Lafayette College football died Saturday night after receiving hospice care in recent weeks related to a heart issue.
It is with complete sorrow and sadness that I write of the passing of my former boss, colleague, mentor, friend and hero, Paul Reinhard.
He died Saturday night after receiving hospice care in recent weeks related to a heart issue.
Reinhard was a Morning Call sports department fixture for more than 60 years.
A 1958 graduate of Allentown High School and a 1962 Moravian College grad, he was a writer, sports editor, columnist and most recently a freelancer writing about IndyCar and NASCAR racing; the Parkettes and gymnastics; his dear friend Mario Andretti; and Lafayette College football, where he forged a tight bond with former Leopards coach Frank Tavani.
“This is incredibly sad,” Andretti said when told the news Saturday night. “We just talked twice in the past week. He was a dear friend and we were close for many years.
“He was the man. He was our anchor in terms of racing coverage. I got to know journalists from all over the world, and Paul ranks right at the top. He did his job, I did mine, but there was a personal touch there that went beyond our jobs. I think Paul knew my career and my history better than I did.”
One of Reinhard’s biggest stories in recent years was an October 2018 feature in which he provided a detailed account of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s quiet visit to the 1803 House in Emmaus and how Earnhardt’s great-grandfather was one of the founding fathers of the borough.
Almost no one knew the connection. Somehow, some way, Paul did.
This was vintage Reinhard. He was able to mix great information in an easy-to-follow manner and with a very human touch. It is no wonder that his piece was one of the most popular sports stories in 2018.
But to me, Reinhard was much more than a great writer. Put simply, he was one of the most important people in my life.
It was his coverage of high school sports in the 1960s and early ’70s that sparked my interest in becoming a sports writer.