Baker Roger

Roger Angell (1920-2022) was an American essayist and editor, widely recognized for his profound contributions to sports writing, particularly about baseball. He was a consistent contributor to The New Yorker, where he also served as the chief fiction editor for many years. His literary career spanned decades, during which he penned numerous works of fiction, non-fiction, and criticism. Angell's writing on baseball was so esteemed that he was often compared to legendary figures in sports journalism, with one commentator calling him "the Babe Ruth of baseball writers."

Born in Manhattan, Angell was the son of Katharine Sergeant Angell White, The New Yorker's first fiction editor, and was raised partly by his father, Ernest Angell, a prominent attorney. He was also the stepson of the renowned essayist E. B. White. After serving in the military during World War II, Angell began his professional writing career in 1948. He first contributed to The New Yorker in 1944 and became its fiction editor in the 1950s. His professional engagement with baseball began in 1962, and his subsequent collections of essays on the sport garnered significant acclaim, with some pieces being hailed as among the best ever written on the subject.

Roger Angell established himself as a significant literary figure through his extensive work with The New Yorker. He began contributing to the magazine in 1944 and later served as its chief fiction editor for many years, occupying the same office as his mother. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in discovering and nurturing numerous writers, including Ann Beattie, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Garrison Keillor. His editorial judgment and prose left a substantial mark on the magazine's nearly century-long history. Beyond his editorial duties, Angell was also a prolific writer of fiction, non-fiction, and criticism. He wrote an annual Christmas poem for The New Yorker and continued to contribute to the publication until 2020, demonstrating remarkable longevity in his career.

Angell's most enduring legacy lies in his deeply insightful and evocative writing about baseball. He began writing professionally about the sport in 1962, inspired by John Updike's celebrated essay on Ted Williams. His approach to baseball writing, characterized by grace, wit, and meticulous observation, elevated the genre. His collections, such as "The Summer Game," "Five Seasons," "Late Innings," and "Season Ticket," are considered seminal works. Critics lauded his ability to capture the essence of the game, with essays like "Gone for Good" and "The Web of the Game" being singled out as masterpieces of sports journalism. His work was recognized with the inaugural PEN/ESPN Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Sports Writing in 2011, solidifying his status as a preeminent voice in the field.

Roger Angell's personal life was marked by family and loss. He was married three times and had two daughters and a son. The death of his eldest daughter, Callie, by suicide in 2010, was a profound event that he later addressed in his writing, reflecting on the "oceanic force and mystery" of the experience. Angell passed away in May 2022 at the age of 101. His literary contributions were widely celebrated, earning him numerous awards, including the George Polk Award and the Kenyon Review Award. His influence extended beyond sports writing; writers like Michael Chabon and Ross Douthat cited Angell's work as a significant inspiration. His ability to transform the quotidian details of baseball into art cemented his reputation as a masterful storyteller and observer.

“the Babe Ruth of baseball writers”

“Longevity was actually quite low on his list of accomplishments”

“He did as much to distinguish The New Yorker as anyone in the magazine's nearly century-long history. His prose and his editorial judgment left an imprint that's hard to overstate.”

“John had already supplied my tone, while also seeming to invite me to try for a good sentence now and then, down the line.”

“may be the best piece that anyone has ever written on baseball or any other sport”