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Forum: Current Events Topic: Don Riley and his stories were a joy started by: the breeze Posted by the breeze on Jan. 04 2016,1:15 pm
Don Riley and his stories were a joy By Patrick Reusse January 2, 2016 — 5:41pm Arno Goethel was the executive sports editor of the St. Paul newspapers. He decided to do some public relations work with his staff by hosting a party in the basement of his home. There were alcoholic beverages provided in great supply. There was some strategy in this, since Goethel had a staff divided between a group of veterans and a younger generation that might not be treating the more-experienced sports writers with a proper level of respect. Don Riley was the long-time sports columnist for the morning Pioneer Press. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Riley sold more newspapers with his ''Eye Opener'' column than anyone in the history of Ridder-owned newspapers in St. Paul. The Eye worked days and I worked nights. He covered the underbelly of sports ... with a tremendous fondness for boxing. I was the Twins' beat writer for five years and pretty much stuck to the other pro teams and the Gophers during the offseason. Riley and I might have been at the same event 25 times in the first seven, eight years that I worked in St. Paul (starting in September 1968). We drank in different locations -- him at Gallivans's and bars owned by the Landrevilles or Montpetits, me at Luigi's -- so we didn't cross paths all that much in my early years in St. Paul. < http://www.startribune.com/don-ril...4008581 > |