Goodbye Sidney

Sidney Zion, a prolific journalist and author, died this past Sunday at 75. He was what bloggers would probably refer to as part of the "dying breed" type of journalist, who at various times wrote for the NY Times, the NY Post, the NY Daily News, and the New York Magazine among others.

He loved the NFL NY Giants and loved the racetrack. The NY Times, where I have read the best obituaries over the years, describes Sidney as:

"Rumpled and Runyonesque, a habitué of Gallagher’s, Elaine’s, Sardi’s and other celebrity watering holes, Mr. Zion was a loud, cigar-smoking storytelling die-hard New York Giants fan who railed against what he called fitness fascists, passionately defended Israel and counted horse-players, mobsters, actors and politicians among his friends."

He weaved his love of the racetrack into his columns. Check out this paragraph from a 2005 NY Daily News column on the NYC Mayoral Campaign (later won by Mike Bloomberg):

"The odds against Tom Ognibene winning City Hall are north of what Giacomo faced in the Kentucky Derby. But in the former Queens councilman's run against Mike Bloomberg for the Republican nomination, he's no Tom Who? He'd be rated in the Racing Form as "can't be dismissed."