NEW YORK, NY — Larry Brooks, a longtime hockey columnist at the New York Post, passed away at the age of 75 years old last Thursday after a brief battle with cancer.
In 1977, the New York Post hired Larry to be night editor, and he rewrote stories at a fast pace. Then, later that year, the New York Post needed a hockey writer and, as they say the rest is history. Larry started out covering the New York Islanders while they were just beginning their historic run of five consecutive Stanley Cup appearances, and then to the New York Rangers and the New York Yankees.
Then in 1982, John McMullen, owner of the new franchise, the New Jersey Devils, asked Larry to be their Vice President of Communications, where he also took on the radio commentary role with play by play broadcaster Larry Hirsch.
The Rangers and Madison Square Garden held a moment of silence in honor of Larry Brooks prior to their game on Sunday night vs. the Red Wings – Image Credit: NHL
Brooks went back to the New York Post in the 1993-94 season to cover the Rangers. That was a magical year for him and all of New York with the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup—the first time since 1940.
This classic sports writer, known as Brooksie, was not afraid and always asked questions, even the challenging ones. He never backed down.
From John Tortorella to the Dan Boyle incident—Larry was always present. So much so, the Hockey Hall of Fame presented Larry with the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award in 2018.
Larry Brooks with his media honouree plaque at the HHOF/NHL Media Awards Luncheon in 2018 – Image Credit: Dave Sandford /Hockey Hall of Fame
Mollie Walker, the current New York Rangers’ beat writer, who had the task of following Brooks, still remembers her first phone call to Larry, hoping he would pick his brain. On that call, he told her to read the NHL labor agreement cover-to-cover.
“I wasn’t being a hard-ass,” Brooks told the New York Post’s Mike Vaccaro. “But if you’re going to cover this game, you better know all of the game.” A week later Mollie called Brooks and said, “Ask me anything.”
He did, and she answered every question correctly. This was the start of sincere mentorship and a friendship between Mollie Walker and Larry Brooks.
Some attendees at Larry’s eulogy this past Sunday in Pleasantville, New York, included Jay Grossman, Brendan McIntyre, Katie Strang, Pat Leonard, Neil Best, Colin Stephenson, Bill Guerin, Lou Lamoriello, Allan Kreda, Henrik Lundqvist, Adam Graves, John Giannone, Budd Mishkin, Steve Cangialosi, Joel Sherman, Dave Maloney and Chris Drury.
Henrik Lundqvist shared a post on his Twitter account to pay tribute to Larry Brooks – Image Credit: @HLundqvist on Twitter/X
Having lifelong memories with Brooksie, Larry’s son Jayden and daughter-in-law Joanne, his nephew Steve Brooks, John Rosasco, Jennifer Royle, and former New York Post colleague Mark Everson, each spoke out during his eulogy.
Like all in the sports world, we mourn the loss of Larry Brooks and will miss him dearly. May he rest in peace.
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