George Kiseda

George Kiseda
(The Silver Quill)

• Born March 31, 1927 in Monessen, PA USA
• Died May 13, 2007 in San Juan Capistrano, CA USA

Biographical Information

George Kiseda was a sportswriter for the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Bulletin, New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Kiseda helped cause the move of a football game in 1957, writing a column about Army playing Tulane in the then-segregated Sugar Bowl. It was read on the floor of the US House of Representatives and Army relocated the contest. He later was let go by Parade Magazine for suggesting they put a black athlete on the cover.

When Danny Murtaugh debuted as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kiseda wrote: "Jayne Russell came to the ballpark here yesterday, but the biggest bust in Wrigley Field was still Danny Murtaugh's debut as manager of the Pirates."

In 1960, Kiseda gave his MVP vote to Forbes Field groundskeeper Eddie Dunn, for making the infield hard enough to help the 1960 Pirates' ground ball-oriented team. He was ejected from the Baseball Writers Association of America over the vote.

When Kiseda found Jack Baldschun doing arm-wrestling exercises with the Philadelphia Phillies trainer after pitching six straight games, he wrote "Jack Baldschun pitched Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and on the seventh day he wrestled."

Kiseda was known for his honesty and morality.

Kiseda died in 2007 after suffering from Lewy body disease.

Sources: obituaries by Gene Collier in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Mark Heisler for the Los Angeles Times