Wilton S. Farnsworth

Wilton Simpson "Bill" Farnsworth (June 7, 1885 – July 10, 1945) was an American sports writer, editor, and boxing promoter. He worked for William Randolph Hearst's newspapers from 1904 to 1937. He was the sports editor of Hearst's New York Evening Journal (evening) or New York American (morning) from 1914 to 1937. He also worked for shorter stints on Hearst's Boston American (1904-1907) and Atlanta Georgian (1912-1914). From 1937 to 1944, he was a boxing promoter in partnership with Mike Jacobs.

Wilton S. Farnsworth
BornJune 7, 1885
Millbury, Massachusetts
DiedJuly 10, 1945(1945-07-10) (aged 60)
New York, New York
NationalityAmerican
OccupationSportswriter, editor, and boxing promoter

Early years

Farnsworth was born in 1885 in Millbury, Massachusetts.[1] At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Farnsworth was living with his parents, Wilton Grafton Farnsworth and Annie (Simpson) Farnsworth in Millbury. His father's occupation was listed as a "landlord."[2]

Reporting and editorial career

Farnsworth began his career as a journalist working for the Evening Gazette in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1904, he was hired by the Boston American, a newly formed newspaper that was part of William Randolph Hearst's chain of newspapers.[3]

In 1907, Farnwsworth moved to New York to work for Hearst's New York Evening Journal .[3] In October 1908, Farnsworth established himself when he exposed a plot to bribe umpire Bill Klem in connection with a playoff game between the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. He spent three months covering the story.[4]

In 1912, Farnsworth was transferred to Atlanta as the sports editor of the Atlanta Georgian after it was acquired by Hearst.[5] He returned to New York in 1914 as the sports editor of Hearst's morning newspaper, the New York American. He also covered the New York Yankees after returning from Atlanta to New York.[4] By the early 1920s, Farnsworth had moved from the American back to Hearst's evening newspaper, The New York Evening Journal, as sports editor. In 1922, Farnsworth hired Ford Frick as a baseball writer.[4]

Farnsworth later returned to the New York Evening Journal, serving as its sports editor for many years, and continued to hold that position after Hearst's morning and evening papers merged to become the New York Journal-American. Farnsworth continued to write during his time as an editor, and his column was published under the title "Sidewalks of New York."[6]

Farnsworth was a friend of New York Yankees' owner Jacob Ruppert and once negotiated a contract renewal with Babe Ruth on behalf of the Yankees.[7]

Boxing promoter

Starting in 1923, Farnsworth teamed with Damon Runyon in promoting boxing bouts which raised more than $1 million for Hearst's Free Milk Fund for Babies.[8][9] When Madison Square Garden refused to give a larger cut of the gate to the Milk Fund, Farnsworth wrote articles criticizing the refusal and negotiated leases with the city's baseball stadiums to host future fights.[10]

In 1937, Farnsworth teamed up with boxing promoter Mike Jacobs and Damon Runyon to establish the Twentieth Century Sporting Club, a boxing promotion organization formed to compete with Madison Square Garden. Farnsworth served as the vice president and general manager of the organization.[6]

Family and death

Farnsworth was married to Millicent de Freytas of Brookline, Massachusetts.[5][11] At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Farnsworth was living in Manhattan with his wife Millicent and their two children, Marjorie and Wilton. His occupation was listed as the editor of a newspaper.[12] In a draft registration card completed in September 1918, Farnsworth indicated that he was employed by W.R. Hearst as an editor in New York.[13] At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Farnsworth was living in Queens with his wife and two children. His occupation was again listed as a newspaper editor.[14]

Farnsworth suffered a stroke while attending a boxing match at Madison Square Garden on November 10, 1944.[15] He remained hospitalized at St. Clare's Hospital in New York where he died in July 1945.[16] A requiem mass was held for Farnsworth at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Manhattan. The honorary pallbearers as his funeral included his longtime friend Damon Runyon, New York Mayor Jimmy Walker, boxing promoter Mike Jacobs, Pulitzer Prize winner Max Kase, boxing historian Nat Fleischer, and humorist Bugs Baer.[4]

His son Wilton M. Farnsworth was also a sportswriter for the New York Journal-American.[17]

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References
  1. Draft registration card for Wilton Simpson Farnsworth dated 1942, born June 7, 1885, at Millbury, Massachusetts, employed by Twentieth Century Sporting Club. Ancestry.com. U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; State Headquarters: New York.
  2. Census entry for Wilton G. Farnsworth and family. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Millbury, Worcester, Massachusetts; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 1657.
  3. "Bill Farnsworth Dead in New York". Dunkirk Evening Observer (Dunkirk, New York). July 11, 1945.
  4. Fred Lieb (July 19, 1945). "Necrology: William Simpson (Bill) Farnsworth". The Sporting News.
  5. "W.S. Farnsworth, Ex-Sports Editor: American and Journal Chief for 23 Years Dies -- Boxing Promoter and Writer, 60" (PDF). The New York Times. July 11, 1945.
  6. "'Bill' Farnsworth Heads Jacobs' Club". The Calgary Daily Herald. August 13, 1937.
  7. Jordan Sprechman, Bill Shannon (1998). This Day in New York Sports. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 192. ISBN 1-57167-254-0.
  8. "Farnsworth Joins Jacobs: Sports Editor Becomes Official of Twentieth Century Club" (PDF). The New York Times. August 13, 1937.
  9. Bert Sugar (2003). Bert Sugar on Boxing. Globe Pequot. p. 108. ISBN 1-59228-048-X.
  10. "Milk Fund Leases Baseball Parks" (PDF). The New York Times. February 16, 1935.
  11. "Mrs. W.S. Farnsworth" (PDF). The New York Times. July 31, 1964.
  12. Census entry for Wilton S. Farnsworth and family. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1026; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0680; Image: 225; FHL Number: 1375039.
  13. Draft registration card for Wilton Farnsworth dated September 10, 1918, born June 7, 1885. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Registration Location: Queens County, New York; Roll: 1818488; Draft Board: 185.
  14. Census entry for Wilton Farnsworth and family. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Queens Assembly District 4, Queens, New York; Roll: T625_1233; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 234; Image: 274.
  15. "In the Press Box". The Sporting News. January 18, 1945.
  16. "Bill Farnsworth Dies". The Pittsburgh Press (UP story). July 11, 1945.
  17. "Wilton M. Farnsworth" (PDF). The New York Times. August 25, 1961.
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