Ralph Wiley facts for kids

Ralph Heygood Wiley Jr. (born April 12, 1952 – died June 13, 2004) was a talented American sports writer. He wrote for famous magazines like Sports Illustrated and websites like ESPN's Page 2. Ralph was known for his unique writing style. He also wrote about important topics like race in America.

Ralph Wiley's Early Life

Ralph was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He went to Knoxville College from 1972 to 1975. While there, he played college football.

After an injury, he started his first writing job. He worked at the Knoxville Spectrum newspaper. He was also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Ralph Wiley's Career

After college, Ralph got a job at the Oakland Tribune. He quickly moved up in his career. He started as a "copy boy," helping with newspaper pages. Then he became a "beat writer," covering specific sports teams. Finally, he became a regular columnist, writing his own opinions.

In 1980, he created the famous phrase "Billy Ball." This phrase described the unique coaching style of Billy Martin. In 1982, Sports Illustrated hired him. He wrote 28 cover stories for them over nine years. Most of his stories were about boxing, football, and baseball.

Books and Other Writings

Ralph Wiley also wrote several books. These included Serenity, A Boxing Memoir and Why Black People Tend To Shout. He also wrote By Any Means Necessary: The Trials and Tribulations of Making Malcolm X with Spike Lee.

He wrote articles for other popular magazines too. These included GQ, Premiere, and National Geographic. He wrote over 240 columns for ESPN's Page 2 website every week. You might have also seen him on TV. He appeared on ESPN's The Sports Reporters and SportsCenter.

Ralph Wiley's Writing Style

Ralph Wiley was famous for his essays about race in America. He had a special way of writing. He could mix everyday language with more literary words. His writing was clever, smart, and sometimes very strong.

When he wrote for ESPN's Page 2, he often used a unique approach. He would write some articles in the third person. He also created a fictional character. He would have conversations with this character in his stories. This made his sports writing feel like a mix of journalism and fiction.

Ralph Wiley's Death

Ralph Wiley passed away on June 13, 2004. He was 52 years old. He died from a heart attack. This happened while he was watching a basketball game.

He left behind his companion, Susan Peacock. He also had a mother, Dorothy Brown. He had a son, Colen C. "Cole" Wiley, and a daughter, Magdalena Valdiviez-Wiley. He also had a half-brother, Samuel Graham.