- Home
- Our Stories
- 1990 BBWAA Career Excellence Award Winner Phil Collier
1990 BBWAA Career Excellence Award Winner Phil Collier
Phil Collier began his newspaper career at the tender age of 13 as a sports statistician for the Baytown (Texas) Sun and as a semi-pro baseball stringer for the Houston Post.
Following military service during World War II and graduation from Texas Christian University (moonlighting for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram between classes), Collier joined the San Diego Union in 1953.
He was their Pacific Coast League correspondent for his first five years before being assigned to the Dodger games. From 1961 to 1969 he covered both the Dodgers and the Angels, attending 200 games a year and working seven days a week from late February through mid-October.
He covered the Padres when they debuted as a National League expansion team in 1969, and in 1987 he became the paper's national baseball writer.
During his career, Collier has enjoyed numerous scoops including Sandy Koufax's unexpected retirement from the game in 1966 and Leo Durocher's appointment as Cubs manager.
Other feathers in Collier's baseball cap include his presidency of the BBWAA, his serving as official scorer in Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego, and his role as correspondent for the Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, the Associated Press and Copley Press.
Collier passed away on Feb. 24, 2001.
More BBWAA Career Excellence Award Winners
Hall of Fame Awards
Related Stories
#PopUps: Meb's First Pitch
#CardCorner: 1980 Topps Bob Watson
GOLDEN ERA COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES RESULTS
Juan Marichal makes his final MLB start with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Pick a Pair: Hall of Fame Class of 2016 makes draft history
Life of Hank Aaron Celebrated through HOF Artifacts
Sun, Fun and Baseball: Hall of Fame Classic Thrills Fans at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field
01.01.2023
2017 Ford C. Frick Award Ballot Finalized
01.01.2023
Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. become first father/son combo to appear in the same lineup
01.01.2023
Hall of Fame’s BASE Race Returns to Doubleday Field May 23 as Part of Hall of Fame Classic Weekend
01.01.2023