Denny Boyd
Wasserman’s successor as saloon writer was Denny Boyd, whose effortless way with words recalled his hero, Jack Scott.
Denny started off in the Sun sports section. He made stars of local businessmen such as Murray ( The Pez) Pezim and Nelson Skalbania, wrote lovely paeans to new potatoes, and composed great eulogies to people, even if he didn’t like them. Denny’s column on Erwin Swangard is a perfect example.
“[ Swangard] was a holy terror to work for, demanding, often unreasonable, occasionally mean,” he wrote. “He used to plow through the newsroom like a ship of the line, battle ensigns flying, all guns brought to bear, Captain Swangard at the helm and people would shake. He got so mad at me one day that he forgot my name and, in front of everyone, called me ‘ Sonny.’ Sonny! For God’s sakes, I was the father of five ... Yet, when I was going through a personal crisis, he couldn’t have been kinder, making money and time and tolerance available. Daddy Swangard, taking care of one of his kids.”