- 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

1956 Hall of Fame Game
Nolan Ryan’s Hall of Fame Plaque to Make Historic Journey to Texas

Character and Courage and Cooperstown
Curtain Rises on Hall of Fame Weekend as Ozzie Smith and Friends Return to PLAY Ball

Fast feet, Cool shoes

Class of 2016 Welcomed to Cooperstown by Huge Induction Ceremony Crowd
Hall of Fame Legends Boggs, Gossage, Fingers, Marichal, Niekro and Smith Headed to Cooperstown for Classic Weekend, May 26-28
01.01.2023
Ten Named to Today’s Game Era Ballot for National Baseball Hall of Fame Consideration
01.01.2023
Today’s Game Era Committee Ballot to Be Considered Dec. 4 at Baseball’s Winter Meetings
01.01.2023