Episode 99: Ryan Basen, author, “Death of a Childhood: A Memoir"
The Orioles were on fire in the summer of 1989, and their season was the backdrop of the new memoir by Ryan Basen
⚾ Episode 99 of “Sports Writers Inc.” features Ryan Basen, author of “Death of a Childhood: A Memoir of 1989 and the ‘Why Not?’ Baltimore Orioles”.
Ryan and I talk about how to turn sports memories into meaningful stories — the kind that say something about growing up, identity, and change. It’s a conversation about writing beyond game stories, about finding meaning and context in moments that seem purely nostalgic.
If you’re studying journalism or trying to find your voice as a sports writer, this episode offers a conversation about how personal experience can deepen reporting — and how reflection can become great writing.
— JD, sportswriting sportswriter
What JD’s writing:
I’m back on the Hockey East beat for USCHO.com so please check out my story on goalies:
“Hockey East is filled with a bunch of new faces between the pipes. Great piece here by John Doyle looking at some of them” — Jimmy Connelly, NESN and ESPN
I used to write for USCHO, gosh, like a dozen years ago now. I covered the DIII beat. :) It was fun, but like most sports writing gigs, I wish the pay would have been better. :/