Frank Finch

Frank S. Finch

• Born July 18, 1911 in Santa Monica, CA USA
• Died August 7, 1992 in Arcadia, CA USA

Biographical Information

Frank Finch covered both the Rams and the Dodgers for the Los Angeles Times from their arrival in Los Angeles - the Rams in 1946 and the Dodgers in 1958. Before major league baseball came West, Finch covered the Pacific Coast League activities of the Los Angeles Angels and the Hollywood Stars.

He also wrote a book, "The First 20 Years of the L.A. Dodgers."

The younger brother of actress Gloria Stuart, Finch (who took his surname from their widowed mother's second husband) contracted polio as a child, causing his right leg to atrophy, which would, from that point forward, force Finch to wear a metal brace attached to his shoe. The resulting limp was pronounced, to be sure, but it didn't faze the future LA Times mainstay.

After retiring from the Times in 1976 at 65, Finch worked for 14 years for a deposition firm until he became ill. A resident of Temple City for his final 44 years, Finch was known for the vacation trips he took alone, riding buses and trains around the country. In May 1991, after learning that he had leukemia, Finch embarked on a 2,500-mile automobile trip through the western United States.

Further Reading

• John Scheibe: "Finch was Fearless," WEST COAST FEED: Fresh Insight and Perspective on Sports and Media (Saturday, March 26, 2011)

Related Sites

• baseball-fever.com - Meet the Sports Writers: Page 23, #574