Goodbye, Dan Foster
posted by LW, Saturday, May 23, 2009
Opportunities to know icons and institutions don't come around often. And no one disputes that status for Dan Foster, who passed away Friday morning at age 80.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the Foster family. And also to The Greenville News, where for decades Foster was as synonymous with the newspaper as the masthead.
He was known by everyone who met him as a jokester, a man to whom nobody was a stranger. His smiling face, pictured beside his daily column, was an accurate depiction of his personality – easygoing, friendly, always keeping things in perspective despite the pressures of deadlines and the inevitable critics of anyone who expresses an opinion on sports.
He possessed a keen analytical mind and was known among his colleagues for asking the questions that drove the story lines of coverage. Though he spent a career in sports, he was a broadly skilled newsman with superior judgment and a swift and expansive memory that he used to counsel editors and reporters throughout the newsroom.
And there were less public dimensions to his life, a soft and serious side that reached out to the underprivileged and never forgot a friend.
A glimpse of that was provided Friday after the newspaper published its first story on its Web site reporting his death. An anonymous man posted a comment.
“I met Mr. Foster about seven years ago when myself and my family was in a homeless program and we (lived) in his church for a week. I got to talk to him and we talked about sports and life and he gave me great encouragement and gave me and my wife $50 to help us.
“I would like him to know today we both have good jobs and are homeowners. I will never forget the kindness he showed to us.”
Greenville native Jesse Jackson called Foster “a pivotal force in my life.” He said that Foster played a key role in his leaving Greenville to play football at the University of Illinois.
“At that time, even though I grew up on University Ridge, I could not apply to Furman or Clemson or the University of South Carolina. He thought that was not fair,” he said. Today, Jackson said, “I see the University of South Carolina playing Clemson, Tigers and Gamecocks. I see jersey color and not skin color. Dan Foster helped create that in South Carolina.”
The America we take for granted, Jackson said, “Dan Foster helped create, and I’m eternally grateful to him.”
Strong stuff.
Shifting gears to baseball, though I'm not sure how many Clemson fans want to read about baseball right now.
The Tigers' hopes of playing host to a regional -- thought to have been cemented by their late-season hot streak -- now could be in peril thanks to Clemson's ugliest showing in Durham since the football team's 2004 loss to the Blue Devils.
Here's The State's account of yesterday's pasting at the hands of Duke.
Having entered the weekend with an outside chance of earning one of eight national seeds for the NCAA tournament, the Tigers (39-19) may be in jeopardy of not hosting a regional next weekend.
If they are unable to upset top-seeded North Carolina in their 4 p.m. pool play finale today at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, it will be the Tigers’ first three-game, losing streak.
The timing of Clemson’s slump couldn’t be worse, especially with Virginia bolstering its hosting candidacy with a potential run to the title game.
But at a minimum, the Tigers have experienced their worst fears following the five-game layoff leading into the tournament.
Here's the Independent-Mail's take on the proceedings in Durham.
My favorite college football writer, Chris Dufresne of the L.A. Times, has 10 games to look forward to this fall.
Clemson-Coastal Carolina didn't make the list, in case you were wondering.
Here's a good line from Dufresne:
9: (Sept 12) UCLA at Tennessee. Possible pre-game conversation between coaches:
Rick Neuheisel: "What did you think of that test they make you take on the NCAA rules before you can become a head coach?"
Lane Kiffin: "Test? They make you take a test?"
And another:
7: (Oct. 17) Texas/Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl. Texas won the game last year, Oklahoma claimed the Big 12 title, so now the Longhorns are looking to kick the Sooners' asterisk.
Doug Roberson of the AJC wonders if Jonathan Dwyer is a Heisman candidate.
Heather Dinich of ESPN.com pits Dabo Swinney vs. Frank Spaziani and determined who has a better chance of a winning record this season.
The winner: Dat Boy.
Back to the ACC Tournament: Gene Sapakoff explores the possibility of it landing in Charleston.
Doesn't look like the tournament has been a smashing success in Durham.
The Sporting News has a profile of Houston Nutt. Who knew he likes Andy Griffith and Kool and the Gang?
LW
For questions or comments on this blog entry, please visit The West Zone message board.
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Never introduced myself to Dan Foster, and now I'm regretting that fact..
Opportunities to know icons and institutions don't come around often. And no one disputes that status for Dan Foster, who passed away Friday morning at age 80.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the Foster family. And also to The Greenville News, where for decades Foster was as synonymous with the newspaper as the masthead.
He was known by everyone who met him as a jokester, a man to whom nobody was a stranger. His smiling face, pictured beside his daily column, was an accurate depiction of his personality – easygoing, friendly, always keeping things in perspective despite the pressures of deadlines and the inevitable critics of anyone who expresses an opinion on sports.
He possessed a keen analytical mind and was known among his colleagues for asking the questions that drove the story lines of coverage. Though he spent a career in sports, he was a broadly skilled newsman with superior judgment and a swift and expansive memory that he used to counsel editors and reporters throughout the newsroom.
And there were less public dimensions to his life, a soft and serious side that reached out to the underprivileged and never forgot a friend.
A glimpse of that was provided Friday after the newspaper published its first story on its Web site reporting his death. An anonymous man posted a comment.
“I met Mr. Foster about seven years ago when myself and my family was in a homeless program and we (lived) in his church for a week. I got to talk to him and we talked about sports and life and he gave me great encouragement and gave me and my wife $50 to help us.
“I would like him to know today we both have good jobs and are homeowners. I will never forget the kindness he showed to us.”
Greenville native Jesse Jackson called Foster “a pivotal force in my life.” He said that Foster played a key role in his leaving Greenville to play football at the University of Illinois.
“At that time, even though I grew up on University Ridge, I could not apply to Furman or Clemson or the University of South Carolina. He thought that was not fair,” he said. Today, Jackson said, “I see the University of South Carolina playing Clemson, Tigers and Gamecocks. I see jersey color and not skin color. Dan Foster helped create that in South Carolina.”
The America we take for granted, Jackson said, “Dan Foster helped create, and I’m eternally grateful to him.”
Strong stuff.
Shifting gears to baseball, though I'm not sure how many Clemson fans want to read about baseball right now.
The Tigers' hopes of playing host to a regional -- thought to have been cemented by their late-season hot streak -- now could be in peril thanks to Clemson's ugliest showing in Durham since the football team's 2004 loss to the Blue Devils.
Here's The State's account of yesterday's pasting at the hands of Duke.
Having entered the weekend with an outside chance of earning one of eight national seeds for the NCAA tournament, the Tigers (39-19) may be in jeopardy of not hosting a regional next weekend.
If they are unable to upset top-seeded North Carolina in their 4 p.m. pool play finale today at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, it will be the Tigers’ first three-game, losing streak.
The timing of Clemson’s slump couldn’t be worse, especially with Virginia bolstering its hosting candidacy with a potential run to the title game.
But at a minimum, the Tigers have experienced their worst fears following the five-game layoff leading into the tournament.
Here's the Independent-Mail's take on the proceedings in Durham.
My favorite college football writer, Chris Dufresne of the L.A. Times, has 10 games to look forward to this fall.
Clemson-Coastal Carolina didn't make the list, in case you were wondering.
Here's a good line from Dufresne:
9: (Sept 12) UCLA at Tennessee. Possible pre-game conversation between coaches:
Rick Neuheisel: "What did you think of that test they make you take on the NCAA rules before you can become a head coach?"
Lane Kiffin: "Test? They make you take a test?"
And another:
7: (Oct. 17) Texas/Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl. Texas won the game last year, Oklahoma claimed the Big 12 title, so now the Longhorns are looking to kick the Sooners' asterisk.
Doug Roberson of the AJC wonders if Jonathan Dwyer is a Heisman candidate.
Heather Dinich of ESPN.com pits Dabo Swinney vs. Frank Spaziani and determined who has a better chance of a winning record this season.
The winner: Dat Boy.
Back to the ACC Tournament: Gene Sapakoff explores the possibility of it landing in Charleston.
Doesn't look like the tournament has been a smashing success in Durham.
The Sporting News has a profile of Houston Nutt. Who knew he likes Andy Griffith and Kool and the Gang?
LW
For questions or comments on this blog entry, please visit The West Zone message board.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Donnie Patterson. Donnie Patterson is the founder of Patterson Tax Service, located in Easley, S.C. He has been active in tax preparation since 1970, and offers a full range of tax and bookkeeping services.
Larry Williams. Larry has covered the daily beat at Clemson since 2004. Williams, who worked for the Charleston Post & Courier from 2004-08, joined Tigerillustrated.com in November of 2008. He may be reached by email at ldubya08(at)gmail.com. Replace (at) with @.