Legendary Philadelphia Sports Columnist Stan Hochman Passes Away At 86

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An influential voice in Philadelphia sports for more than half a century has been silenced. Longtime Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stan Hochman has died. He was 86.

Stan Hochman wrote about the defeats and triumphs in Philadelphia sports for nearly 56 years. He started at the Daily News in 1959 covering the Phillies, appearing on WCAU radio and on Channel 6 in the sixties.

In recent years, Hochman made several appearances on Comcast Sportsnet in Philadelphia and also contributed to the 94 WIP airwaves as a host for some time, most recently serving as the "Grand Imperial Poobah," on the WIP Morning Show as he shared his vast wisdom about Philadelphia sports with the listening audience.

Daily News Sports Editor Rich Hofmann says Hochman was multimedia before it was a word:

"In the history of sports journalism in Philadelphia, Stan Hochman ranks at the very top."

Hofmann says Hochman's next-barstool style was unique:

"You could take 20 columns written by 20 people and take the bylines off of them, and you could read Stan's and know it immediately. The voice was so distinctive."

Listen to Mike DeNardo's full interview with Rich Hofmann in this CBS Philly podcast (trt: 6:41)...

Last year, Hochman was one of the leading media voices in an unsuccessful bid to have Dick Allen enshrined at Cooperstown. Hochman himself was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports and Jewish Sports Halls of Fame.

Hochman is survived by his wife, Gloria and daughter, Anndee -- both authors. Hofmann says Stan would joke that he was the worst writer in his family.

KYW Newsradio's Mike DeNardo contributed to this story.

In:
• Philadelphia Daily News