dennis gerald smitherman
Dennis G Smitherman, former
Sports Editor of the Mobile Press for 39 years, died today at a local
hospital. Smitherman, who would have been 74 on Oct. 14, retired
as sports editor on March 23, 1986.
He is survived by his wife, the former Betty Jean Cole, two daughters, Sandra Smitherman Wood and Sheri Smitherman; and two granddaughters.
"His heart just gave out on him," Betty Smitherman said. "I didn't expect it to happen like this, but at least he is not suffering any more." She said her husband went in to the hospital Monday because he was having trouble breathing. "I thought they were just going to change his medication and they were going to keep him in ICU to make sure everything was OK. But, I got a call from the hospital at 20 till 5 this morning and I hurried over there and they were working on him, but there was nothing they could do. "They had even talked about putting a pacemaker in for his heart."
Smitherman joined the Mobile Press Register staff on June 5, 1947, after serving 39 months in World War II as a radar observer-bombardier with the rank of second lieutenant. He attended Spring Hill College.
Smitherman is a member of the McGill-Toolen Sports Hall of Fame, having been a member of the first all-state basketball team in 1939, and was made an honorary member of the Spring Hill College Hall of Fame in 1981. He has also been inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame.
He was a long-time board member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association, held a similar position with the Southern Association Baseball Writers Association when the league had a team in Mobile, and was a charter member of the selection committee for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Funeral arrangements for Smitherman were incomplete at press time. Roche-Belmany Mortuary is handling the arrangements.
He is survived by his wife, the former Betty Jean Cole, two daughters, Sandra Smitherman Wood and Sheri Smitherman; and two granddaughters.
"His heart just gave out on him," Betty Smitherman said. "I didn't expect it to happen like this, but at least he is not suffering any more." She said her husband went in to the hospital Monday because he was having trouble breathing. "I thought they were just going to change his medication and they were going to keep him in ICU to make sure everything was OK. But, I got a call from the hospital at 20 till 5 this morning and I hurried over there and they were working on him, but there was nothing they could do. "They had even talked about putting a pacemaker in for his heart."
Smitherman joined the Mobile Press Register staff on June 5, 1947, after serving 39 months in World War II as a radar observer-bombardier with the rank of second lieutenant. He attended Spring Hill College.
Smitherman is a member of the McGill-Toolen Sports Hall of Fame, having been a member of the first all-state basketball team in 1939, and was made an honorary member of the Spring Hill College Hall of Fame in 1981. He has also been inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame.
He was a long-time board member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association, held a similar position with the Southern Association Baseball Writers Association when the league had a team in Mobile, and was a charter member of the selection committee for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Funeral arrangements for Smitherman were incomplete at press time. Roche-Belmany Mortuary is handling the arrangements.