Larry Fitzgerald Sr., veteran sports journalist, dies at 71

Larry Fitzgerald Sr., a pioneering sports journalist and the father of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., has died at the age of 71. His passing was announced by his family this week.

The family stated that Fitzgerald Sr. died peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. They expressed gratitude for the support received and asked for privacy as they mourn. His son, Larry Fitzgerald Jr., paid tribute on social media, describing his father as a man of strength, love, and encouragement who was the rock of their family. He credited his father with teaching him and his brother the values of perseverance, hard work, and unwavering commitment.

Fitzgerald Sr. was a fixture in Minnesota sports media for nearly five decades. A Chicago native who played college football at Indiana State University and other schools, he began his journalism career on radio in Minneapolis in 1978. He later served as a sports editor and columnist for the Black-owned Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder for over 45 years.

He gained national prominence in 2009 when he covered his son playing for the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, an event noted as a unique father-son moment in sports...