Bittersweet inception of a story

Herb Score's passing saddens me on many fronts.

Mr. Score and his wife Nancy were two of the nicest people who ever walked this earth.

Mr. Score forever will be characterized as a Cleveland Indians' pitching legend and broadcasting icon.

Mr. Score's devout faith was true inspiration to all.


I did not want to see him pass, yet knew he was suffering and had been through very rough times over the last few years.


As an assignment editor, you always want to break the big story. When it revolves around this delicate subject matter, many bittersweet feelings cloud your vision and your thinking.


I'm not going to take full credit for this story. However, I must say I got the ball rolling and stayed on top of it from its inception to its tragic ending.


I had one heck of a source. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. My source has been keeping me in the loop on Mr. Score for years. However back on October 27th, my source called me with daunting information I really did not want to hear. Mr. Score was in Fairview Hospital not doing well. I received the call off the clock. I immediately called and emailed the appropriate people with the information. I had total faith in my source --110 percent sure of everything they were telling me.

The initial call made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and sent chills down my spine. This was the day before the Feast of St. Jude, Herb's favorite Saint. Herb prayed to St Jude the day he was struck in the eye with a baseball. He prayed asking St. Jude to spare his sight, and he did.

That initial information started the process. Dick Russ, who had done stories with Herb in the past, began writing .....and pulling file video. Dick contacted a few of his contacts who were able to get us a bit more video of Herb in action to augment our story. News Editor extraordinaire, Matt Hein, also began pulling video. Matt is a huge fan of Cleveland, baseball, the Indians and knew dates and times off the top of his head of video he wanted to include in a story, in preparation for that fateful day.

Every couple days, I was getting updates and would relay to the appropriate people.

I brought in my copy of Terry Cashman's song, 'The Ballad of Herb Score' which Matt used throughout our tribute piece...with permission from Mr. Terry Cashman himself.

Matt and Dick were almost done with a 'look back' piece when I got the news that Mr. Score returned home.

Dick Russ' writing, a masterpiece. Matt's editing brought tears to my eyes. Matt showed me the story which left me speechless. What a talent and great asset to Channel 3.

Finally, Tuesday morning I got the call I hoped I'd never get. Mr. Herb Score had passed away. Again, I immediately called the station and emailed the appropriate folks in the newsroom. I checked all other websites to see if the news had been broken anywhere else. When I checked, it had not. I was fairly confident we were the only ones with the info, at least with a little head start before the Cleveland Indians' put out their statements, and the funeral home sent out their releases and the Indians sent out famous audio calls of Mr. Score as play-by-play announcer...

We were able to air our Herb Score tribute story starting on our Noon News. You could tell the other stations were scrambling.

I posted a timely story on this work blog including the calling hours and funeral arrangements before other stations distributed the information.


Though this story is quite sad and close to my heart being a huge baseball fan, Cleveland Indians fan, and faith-filled person, this is what an assignment editor does.


The AE gets a story and does not let go until the very end. The AE follows through until there is nothing more to get.


Again, I'm saddened at Tuesday's news. But I am blessed and fortunate to have been able to contribute SO MUCH to and on this breaking news story....and allow my station to have the time to put together such a wonderfully moving tribute, very well deserved, to a true baseball legend and amazing human being!


There is no doubt in my mind Mr. Herb Score is perched atop the pitching mound once again, having the time of his life striking out the likes of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Mickey Mantle...

Cleveland Indians' baseball icon dead at 75

(photo Courtesy: wkyc and wkyc.com)


Whether you are a baseball fan or not, you've probably heard of and listened to Herb Score.

75-year-old Herb Score passed away today at his home in Rocky River after battling various illnesses and set backs over the last few years.

Mr. Score became a legendary pitcher with the Cleveland Indians from 1955 to 1959. But his ties to the Cleveland Indians' Organization did not end when he set aside his pitching glove. If you listened to the Tribe games on your local radio dial, you were serenaded by his vivid and one-of-a-kind play-by-play game announcing from 1963 to 1997.

He was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998.

In 2006, Score was inducted into the Cleveland Indians' Hall of Fame.


For those of you who do not follow the game of baseball, more than likely you have heard of his baseball injury which may have cut his baseball career short. On May 7 in 1957 Score was struck in the face by a ball hit by Gil McDougald of the New York Yankees. Score suffered numerous broken bones in his facial area. Score, a very religious man, prayed to his favorite Saint, St. Jude., while laying on the mound bleeding. Score regained his 20/20 vision and did name his daughter Judy after his favorite Saint. However, he was never quite the same after the accident and eventually retired.

Herb Score continued to be a positive force in the world of baseball, with the Cleveland Indians, in northeast Ohio, and with the local Catholic Community. He was very involved with his church, St. Christopher's, in Rocky River. A side note: my family would travel around to see the Indians' in various cities. Each Sunday morning, no matter which city we were in, we'd go to the local Catholic Church for Mass before attending the game. You'd always see Herb Score attending Sunday Mass giving praise to his God.



The Cleveland Indians and Busch Funeral Homes have released funeral arrangements.

Visitation will be Friday, November 14, 2008 from 1-3pm and then 6-9pm at Busch Funeral Home located at 21369 Center Ridge Road in Fairview Park, Ohio. The website for Busch Funeral Homes is http://www.buschfuneral.com.


The Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 10:30am at St. Christopher's Catholic Church located at 20141 Detroit Road, Rocky River, Ohio. Interment will be at Lakewood Park Cemetery located at 22025 Detroit Road, Rocky River, Ohio.


Memorial contributions may be made to
Cornerstone of Hope
5905 Brecksville Road
Independence, Ohio 44131

OR

Cleveland Indians Charities
c/o Cleveland Indians Community Outreach Dept
2401 Ontario Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44115


For a wonderful piece on Herb Score's career written by wkyc reporter and managing editor Dick Russ and edited by wkyc editor Matt Hein, please click onto the wkyc.com link.



A true legend...a class act...our heartfelt prayers go out to your wife Nancy, your children and family. You will be missed, Mr. Score.