- Date Of Birth: September 3, 1931
- Date Of Death: January 31, 2022
- State: Massachusetts
Garry P. Brown
(1931-2022)
Garry Brown, longtime sportswriter/columnist for the Springfield Republican and writer of the beloved weekly column “Hitting To All Fields” passed away at home on Monday, January 31.
Garry was born on September 3, 1931, the son of Jeremiah J. Brown, and the former Marguerite Mary Connell, and grew up in Indian Orchard.
After graduating from Springfield Technical High School in 1949, Garry attended American International College, where he put his early experience as a “reporter” to good use by joining the sports staff of the school paper, the “Yellow Jacket”, along with future colleagues such as Jerry Radding, Gene McCormick, and Gerry Finn.
While at AIC, Garry was offered a job on the Springfield Morning Union sports staff, where sports editor Dutch Robbins taught him to “keep it short and make it sparkle”. He had left AIC before graduating to pursue his new career, but returned following encouragement by sports department colleague Joseph Napolitan, and aided by the typing skills of his young wife, Mary, completed his degree while working full-time.
In addition to covering local sports, Garry was a Red Sox beat writer, covering the 1967 Impossible Dream team, as well as the 1975 and 1986 World Series teams, all of which lost the series in seven games. He finally had the chance to cover Red Sox World Championship titles in 2004 and 2007. He also spent a few seasons later in his career as a football writer on the Patriots beat. A hockey lover since the days of Eddie Shore and the Eastern States Coliseum rink rats, Garry enjoyed covering the Springfield American Hockey League teams. His final assignment as a reporter on deadline was covering the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Professional accolades and other recognition were plentiful in Garry’s career, and included placement in the Associated Press Best Sports Stories of 1983, the William F.
He leaves his wife of 69 years, and the love of his life, Mary (Bukowski) Brown, who he met as a student at AIC when they were assigned seats alphabetically next to each other, his daughter Melissa of Wilbraham, son Peter and daughter-in-law Meng-Shiou Shieh of Amherst, son Paul of West Springfield, and loving grandchildren Sonia, Conlan, Kanya, and Rayna. He is also mourned by his sad, furry friend, Cookie The Shih Tzu. Garry was predecease by his two brothers, Joseph Brown and Gerald “Jeb” Brown and his sister, Angele St. Pierre.
