By the time Ali fought Holmes he was far from being in his prime. Many believe that he was already in the grip of Parkinson's, so the fight should have not been held, but he trained and dieted so that when he pulled up his trunks, he looked damned good.
Simply fascinating...thank you for giving us the insight.
1
I enjoyed another look behind the scene. The time and effort dedicated to Mr. Ali's obituary is another fitting tribute to the man and his impact in the 20th century. I would have preferred a more respectful tone regarding his death. References to movie comedy and the phrase "...Ali had died, and we were off to the races." were a little tone deaf and unnecessary to communicate the tension in organizing a revision to the Saturday edition. The obituary text and the related pieces demonstrate the sincerity of the Times staff. The work is itself is serious, especially regarding a well-known person's death. The jocular exchanges would have better been left on the cutting room floor.
A gallant effort by all and a superb obituary by Robert Lipsyte. How did NBC scoop The New York Times? And why did 1 hour 7 minutes expire before the presses rolled? Is there a quicker way to set the plates in advance with a hold for orders to release them? Unfortunately, the 200,000 NYC regional papers did not include mid-Long Island, where the first edition was home-delivered. All this teamwork recalls the three-man effort at The Philadelphia Daily News to produce a 16-page section on the second Ali-Frazier fight on Jan. 28, 1974, when hot type and recalcitrant printers were the norm.
This narration gives a real appreciation for the teamwork and many areas of skill and expertise needed to prepare for, post and print an important story, such as the life and death of Muhammad Ali. The work on this story began 52 years earlier, when Robert Lipsyte had started working on the obituary. This story shows why newspapers are so important and make such a contribution to the public knowledge and understanding of events and issues. The story of Muhammad Ali is a sports story and so much more than a sports story. The New York Times devoted important resources and dedication to covering this story.
Reading Lew Serviss' account of how the Times had to scramble to cover Ali's death in its print editions makes one appreciate the myriad challenges involved. But it still does not explain or excuse the fact that his death did not appear above the fold on page 1 of last Sunday's Times. A monumental error in judgment. Any figure the NYT deems a "Titan of the 20th Century," as the Times bannered online all day Saturday, unquestionably, emphatically belongs at the top of p. 1. No doubt it would have required a herculean effort to reformat the front page, but from Mr. Serviss' account, the Times was fully capable of going that extra mile. A huge disappointment, and a major flaw in otherwise exemplary coverage.
2
It is actually even worse when it is one of their (press) own. Tim Russert is a stand out example of over the top coverage.
1
RIP Mr. Ali. God Bless your soul. You did much more for the world than the 37 knockout wins.
This is a very great read. It is so inspiring. Its great that you got the news through at the very last minute, even for the part amount of print runs. Congratulations Times.
This is a very great read. It is so inspiring. Its great that you got the news through at the very last minute, even for the part amount of print runs. Congratulations Times.
Provides a "behind the scene" look at what goes into providing the timely, multi media content of the greatest newspaper in the world.
Bravo! Fantastic coverage. Thanks!
As a former business-side employee of The Miami Herald (from back before the web!), thanks for this blow-by-blow of what happens behind the scenes these days when there's a big story about to break. No more just worrying about "getting the paper out" - now there's also the web and social media and all the complexities of a technological revolution that has transformed the news business into something far beyond the days of veloxes and paste-up.
At the end of the day, though, there's still something about watching the presses turn - it brings the First Amendment to life in an almost visceral way, at least in my experience. We were lucky to have the presses in the building in Miami, and I'd sneak down there every so often (risking inadvertently getting ink on my clothes) and watch the early edition being run, just to remind myself of what it was all about.
Congratulations and thanks to all of you for an incredibly complex job extraordinarily well done.
At the end of the day, though, there's still something about watching the presses turn - it brings the First Amendment to life in an almost visceral way, at least in my experience. We were lucky to have the presses in the building in Miami, and I'd sneak down there every so often (risking inadvertently getting ink on my clothes) and watch the early edition being run, just to remind myself of what it was all about.
Congratulations and thanks to all of you for an incredibly complex job extraordinarily well done.
1
An amazing feat by the unsung heroes of the New York Times sports desk. Great job.
And the Old Gray Lady keeps doing her thing.
Great writing pulled together with sometimes herculean effort on truly crazy timelines. Every. Single. Day.
Great writing pulled together with sometimes herculean effort on truly crazy timelines. Every. Single. Day.
1
Ali would have LOVED knowing that he "shook em up" over at The Times, even after death. Oh he would have loved it! "I'm so bad I make medicine sick!"
1
This was an exciting behind-the-scenes look at how the NYT coordinated the Ali coverage. Also, the piece was just plain interesting and fun. Well done, Mr. Serviss.
My mother was an editor, who started her career in the composing room of a hot-metal newspaper in the mid-1950s.
By the time she passed, she had been a senior editor at three of the dailies in Washington, DC, and was at the core of the Post's transition from typewriters and copy paper to keyboards and terminals.
I went downtown to meet her for supper at Dirty Annie's one night (pre-transition) while she was working. She was late. Her excuse? "That goddam Harry Truman up and died on deadline." Much like this story, she tore a hot-metal paper apart and put it back together with the news of Truman's passing. And was 45 minutes late for supper. We ate quickly, and the galleys were ready for her review shortly after we got back
In the news obit, her editor-in chief said, "[She] was one of the last of the old-time newspapermen, and I use that term deliberately . . . She knew how to make all the pieces come together, and she was the coolest head in the newsroom when the pressure was the greatest. [T]his newspaper, and the newspaper trade is poorer tonight."
I know she would have opposed your editorial positions, but she would admire the work of your editors, compositors and pressmen on this occasion.
By the time she passed, she had been a senior editor at three of the dailies in Washington, DC, and was at the core of the Post's transition from typewriters and copy paper to keyboards and terminals.
I went downtown to meet her for supper at Dirty Annie's one night (pre-transition) while she was working. She was late. Her excuse? "That goddam Harry Truman up and died on deadline." Much like this story, she tore a hot-metal paper apart and put it back together with the news of Truman's passing. And was 45 minutes late for supper. We ate quickly, and the galleys were ready for her review shortly after we got back
In the news obit, her editor-in chief said, "[She] was one of the last of the old-time newspapermen, and I use that term deliberately . . . She knew how to make all the pieces come together, and she was the coolest head in the newsroom when the pressure was the greatest. [T]his newspaper, and the newspaper trade is poorer tonight."
I know she would have opposed your editorial positions, but she would admire the work of your editors, compositors and pressmen on this occasion.
1
Print layout is so much more complicated than digital. And I'm glad you still do it.
4
Your labor was a fitting memorial to an outstanding human being.
Thanks for the great job the New York Times did on Ali's death. I was sad but very grateful for all the articles, pictures and the video. Your team did an outstanding job and it was a fitting tribute to the the Greatest. He would have been proud. Even more so, the comments that so many people wrote of their personal interactions with him were so moving. God really did come for him. Thank you NYT for the background details of the obit. Outstanding journalism. Great job by all.
1
If ever there were a perfect description for, "I want sausage, but I don't want to know how its made," this is it.
Thanks for the ghoulish, grave-robbing take on the life of Ali. Body wasn't even cold, and he's being processed like a slab of cheese in a Kraft factory.
I get it. You do this with everyone who dies of note. Fine. You even do a great job! So great, in fact, I spent all weekend crying while I read every word you produced.
Doesn't mean I want to know how you produced it.
Thanks for the ghoulish, grave-robbing take on the life of Ali. Body wasn't even cold, and he's being processed like a slab of cheese in a Kraft factory.
I get it. You do this with everyone who dies of note. Fine. You even do a great job! So great, in fact, I spent all weekend crying while I read every word you produced.
Doesn't mean I want to know how you produced it.
Seriously?
1
To borrow a sports term, the play by play is fascinating.
I live in Rockland county, not all that far, as the Times truck travels, from College Point Queens. I just looked at my Saturday edition which, yes, I don't expect as early as my weekday edition. Not a word about Ali....not a word, even that he is ill.
Understand that I am not complaining. Just very interesting to see how all of this happens.
I live in Rockland county, not all that far, as the Times truck travels, from College Point Queens. I just looked at my Saturday edition which, yes, I don't expect as early as my weekday edition. Not a word about Ali....not a word, even that he is ill.
Understand that I am not complaining. Just very interesting to see how all of this happens.
Meanwhile, those reading the Times on the web or their phones had the whole story hours earlier.
If nothing else, this article shows how even the best technology still has to cope with moving dead trees around. May the newsroom be writing the obituary of the print plant in the not too distant future.
If nothing else, this article shows how even the best technology still has to cope with moving dead trees around. May the newsroom be writing the obituary of the print plant in the not too distant future.
As a newspaper junkie...this was fascinating!
I'm old school and the pre-planning that went into getting those plates and updated pages ready was really a stroke of genius!
Here in San Diego, we get a first national edition which seems like it goes to bed at 6:30 Pacific and, I think, is printed at the LA Times or in Gardena(?) I won a late NY edition on eBay, and will treasure it forever.
Great planning by all NY Times staffers from newsroom to pressroom to the streets!
I'm old school and the pre-planning that went into getting those plates and updated pages ready was really a stroke of genius!
Here in San Diego, we get a first national edition which seems like it goes to bed at 6:30 Pacific and, I think, is printed at the LA Times or in Gardena(?) I won a late NY edition on eBay, and will treasure it forever.
Great planning by all NY Times staffers from newsroom to pressroom to the streets!
I follow the news, all news, from many countries and states, and in my opinion the Times was the star of this important, if inevitable story. You only get one shot at this, and you have to get it right.
Not only the obituary itself, but the ancillary opinion pieces, so varied, the photos, so well curated, and, I must add, the readers’ comment sections, which must have been a burden for your moderators, were all stellar.
Congratulations on a job well done.
Not only the obituary itself, but the ancillary opinion pieces, so varied, the photos, so well curated, and, I must add, the readers’ comment sections, which must have been a burden for your moderators, were all stellar.
Congratulations on a job well done.
4
Procedural accounts like this are always fascinating to me but this line was rather much: "...to accomplish a feat with all the drama and suspense of an epic boxing match".