The local golf and sports community has lost a powerful voice -Jerry Ratcliff, former Sports Editor for the Charlottesville Daily Progress. I say former because the Daily Progress in their infinite wisdom has decided that after three and a half decades of loyal service and splendid columns that they part ways with Jerry Ratcliff.
Jerry was new on board when I first began writing outdoors columns for the Progress back in 1975. He was a long time friend and supporter of my outdoor columns. He was spot-on in his professional sports opinions, but never in-your-face. He loved writing about the local golf scene, making local amateurs and players feel like tournament professionals on the PGA Tour. He gave up many a Saturday and Sunday to cover local golf events and tournaments.
So the Daily Progress, in effect, canned Jerry without even allowing him the benefit to bid farewell to all his friends and followers, They did the same to me, but I was just a free lance guy. Jerry was a dedicated employee for some 35 years.
To replace Jerry they now have a writer who is easily the worst sports reporter I have ever read, and I have been reading sports columns in the paper for over 60 years. You have to endure three or four paragraphs of drivel to find out who won the game, how and why.
Newspapers are suffering these days, partly because of technology and social media, but largely due to the fact that they don’t seem to understand that content is vital to a publication. When there is nothing much to read, people stop reading.
The sports page of the Daily Progress has lots of coverage on exciting things like UVA women’s softball, swimming and tennis that appeal to – what – 25 readers? But you have to search far and wide to see who won the Masters. Jerry at least gave golfers a reason to subscribe to the paper, but now he’s gone. We golfers and sports enthusiasts wish him well, but will miss his insight and his columns.