Jack Berry (journalist)

He was influential in lifting the ban on female reporters in the locker room at The Masters, and instrumental in admitting public players who met the minimum golf handicap into the Michigan Women's Amateur Championship.

[2][3] His love for sports began at a young age, since his father Clair worked as the traveling secretary of the Detroit Tigers from 1940 to 1951.

[3][4][5] He continued to report on hockey, golf, baseball and college sports, in addition to skiing and Michigan State Spartans football.

[3] He felt that the Free Press "had the best staff and one of the best sports sections in the country in the 1960s", and that the victory by the Tigers in game seven of the 1968 World Series was a career highlight.

[2] He covered the attempt by Jack Nicklaus to win the Grand Slam of golf at the 1972 Open Championship in Scotland.

[2] His other work included the undefeated season by the Miami Dolphins in 1972 and Super Bowl VII in 1973, the horse racing Triple Crown by Secretariat in 1973, and the 1980 Winter Olympics which included both the Miracle on Ice and the five gold medals won by Eric Heiden in speed skating.

[2][3] Berry noted his most memorable golf championship as a journalist was the 1986 Masters Tournament won by Jack Nicklaus.

[3] While reporting on golf, Berry preferred to leave the media tent and get among the crowd to "hear the cheers and groans".

[3] During the 1990s, he was instrumental in admitting public players who met the minimum golf handicap requirement into the Michigan Women's Amateur Championship.

[10] After retiring from The Detroit News in 1993, Berry became a freelancer and wrote columns for PGA Magazine, Chicagoland Golf and the Michigan Golfer.

[3] He nearly died after being infected with acute viral myocarditis at the 1986 Tournament Players Championship, but recovered and competed in the 1988 New York City Marathon.