Dan Daniel (sportswriter) - 1930s

1930s

From 1930 through the 1960s, Daniel was a frequent contributor to Baseball Magazine and SPORT Magazine, along with other sporting publications of the day. His patriotic articles during World War II earned him wide praise. He was one of the first writers to identify the potential of both Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, extolling their virtues before either had swung a major league bat.

In 1930, Daniel was elected president of the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. That year, New York Mayor Jimmy Walker made Daniel sports chairman of his Committee for Relief of the Unemployed. The committee organized the first college basketball games in Madison Square Garden and raised the equivalent of 5 million dollars between 1930 and 1933. Walker presented a citation to Daniel at a testimonial dinner held in his honor, the first time a private citizen had been so-honored by the city.

Also in 1930, Daniel helped convince Babe Ruth to sign his record US$80,000 contract with the New York Yankees. Ruth had been holding out for more money and had threatened to boycott spring training in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Daniel helped Ruth come to the decision to sign by reminding him that many of his fans were out of work and selling apples on street corners back home in New York City.

Later in 1930, Daniel published Babe Ruth, Idol of the American Boy. This early biography of The Babe was developed from material Daniel had published in a series of feature stories in the New York Telegram. It included a forward to boys from The Babe admonishing them to “do everything in moderation”!