A tribute to Shelby’s beloved sports writer, Chuck Ridenour
I was asked to write a tribute to Chuck, and I initially declined.
How can I write a tribute to a man that has meant so much to Shelby athletics, and not mess it up? How can I write a tribute to the GOAT, to the master of his craft, to the four-color pen wizard and not omit things? I can’t.
I can only tell you how much Shelby athletics and the Shelby community is going to miss Chuck. I can only tell you how much I’m going to miss seeing Chuck on the sidelines with his camera draped around his neck and his notebook in hand. I can only tell you how much Chuck is going to miss writing about Shelby sports.
As his nephew, Jordan wrote on Twitter,
“The dedication to his craft and 40+ years of service to the Shelby community.
The love and support he had for his family. But best of all, the ability to light up any room he walked into with his personality. He was truly one of a kind.
Rest easy, Uncle Chuck.”
Yes, Chuck, rest easy. Rest easy knowing that you set a bar that no one will ever achieve. Rest easy knowing that because if you, grandparents, parents,
aunts/uncles, everyone, ripped open that Saturday morning/ Tuesday morning or whatever days Daily Globe looking for your article about what their favorite
Shelby team did last night.
Whether it be football, basketball, baseball, golf, or all the other sports Shelby participated, you were there. You had it, you covered it, you photographed it, you wrote it. You were “the guy.” You never missed a beat. You spoiled us. You covered it.
I remember getting a text on a random Tuesday night, after Tanner played a JV baseball game, asking if I could text coach Craig reminding him that he needed to make sure that box score was submitted so you could put that score in the paper the next day. That’s what Chuck was about, Shelby sports, getting it in the paper the next day and getting it right.
Chuck not only had an impact on Shelby readers, but also local sports writers.
“This one hurts. Chuck was a friend and a fellow scribe. He was a pleasure to work besides, and truly a good man was lost. We are definitely going to miss Chuckles on the sidelines going forward. Thoughts are with those who knew and loved him best,” another local writer posted. “Every single ounce of my prayers and thoughts are with the family of Chuck Ridenour. I’m so sorry for your loss. The sports journalism world, and the world in general, is never going to be the same. Rest easy my friend.”
I’m not as profound with written words as these fellow colleagues of Chuck, but this shows the respect and brotherhood Chuck earned. I was blessed to know Chuck for 35 years. I worked for Chuck at the Daily Globe during my high school days and then a few years afterwards, covering football and basketball games. I don’t know that I met a nicer, more humble person than
Chuck. He was always reading to crack a joke and then vent if the Whippets lost.
I knew Chuck for 35 years and never knew the guy bowled a 300 game. You’d
think in the thousands of conversations he’d brag about that one. But normally our conversations would go more towards his family, steam engines or his disdain for a past NOL rival school. Chuck knew every hot spot eatery, I think in the state of Ohio.
Chuck drove 2.5 hours to Cambridge to cover our Little League all-star team a few years ago. I was in shock Chuck would drive that far to cover one game. He told me afterwards, “Heck, I had to go, there’s a great pizza place on the way home.” I’m going to miss those jokes, that smile and our conversations.
Chuck was more than just a Shelby icon writing/photographing sports. He was a humble guy who never forgot a name. I remember him taking pictures for my 7u team and he walks up and starts calling the boys by name. I’m thinking, “How does Chuck know who these boys are?” I asked him after
pictures and he said, “I took pictures of these boys at camps and the Y.” He jokingly said, “I know everyone, I don’t forget names”. Chuck took pride in remembering youngsters’ names and got even more joy about later covering them in high school.
A bond grew between players and Chuck. Chuck was one of the first
people to text me to ask how my son was doing after he injured his knee during football. Most of the varsity boys taped their wrists with “CR” etched on them to pay tribute to Chuck. Boys baseball/basketball/ girls basketball teams all came together to