1984 J. G. Taylor Spink Award Winner Joe McGuff

Joe McGuff joined the Kansas City Star in 1948 from the Tulsa World and began covering the Kansas City Blues of the American Association in 1951. Four years later, with the move of the Philadelphia Athletics to Kansas City, McGuff was transformed overnight into a major league reporter.

McGuff was named sports editor at the Star in 1966 and was Vice President and Editor from 1986 until he retired from the paper in 1992. He is a former president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, was named outstanding sportswriter in Missouri six times, and is a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

McGuff's writing style has been compared to a chef preparing a souffle with all the trimmings, but also serving the meat and potatoes. Balance and fairness were the hallmarks of his columns, and his ability to temper the truth with compassion made him a favorite in dugouts, locker rooms, playing fields, and press boxes around the country.