Milton Leon "Mickey" Herskowitz (born April 4, 1933 in Houston, Texas) is an American journalist and biographer. He has written more than 50 books and has published autobiographies with several athletes. He was a sportswriter and columnist for the Houston Post and the Houston Chronicle, and a former ghost writer for George W. Bush.
He was born to Herbert S. and Sarah Rheva Herskowitz. Herskowitz's father was born in Illinois, the son of immigrants from Czechoslovakia who relocated to El Paso, Texas in 1910. His mother was born in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1904,[1] but who later lived in Matamoras, Mexico before relocating to Texas. She met and married Herbert there in 1930.[2] He had an older sister named Phyllis Florence Herskowitz.[3] Herskowitz is of Jewish descent.[4]
Writing
After writing sports articles and a column for years, he attended the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, where he met television sportscaster Howard Cosell, who had just signed a contract for his biography. He asked Herskowitz to ghostwrite it for him.[5] After agreeing to write The Camera Never Blinks with Dan Rather, other projects were delayed because of the "pressure" to finish the Rather book.[5]
Herskowitz held many meetings with the then-Texas Governor George W. Bush in preparation for an upcoming project, and soon struck a deal with Bush in 1999 about a ghost-written autobiography, a book which was eventually titled A Charge to Keep. The contract that both parties signed ensured the proceeds would be split between the two. The publisher of the book was William Morrow and Company. Herskowitz was given unprecedented access to Bush and met him around 20 times to discuss the project. Work on the autobiography began in May 1999, and within two months Herskowitz had completed all chapters, and submitted ten. Herskowitz was replaced after Bush's handlers decided that the candidate's views and life experiences were not being cast in a sufficiently positive light.[6]
Herskowitz once said of his former employer: "He thought of himself as a superior, more modern politician than his father and [the elder Bush’s close adviser and friend] Jim Baker. He told me, ‘[My father] could have done anything [during the Gulf War]. He could have invaded Switzerland. If I had that political capital, I would have taken Iraq."[7]
Other
In response to Astroturf replacing the natural grass inside the Astrodome, Herskowitz commented, "Now Houston has the only ballpark in the major leagues with its own built-in, infield fly."[8]
In 1972, Herskowitz covered the tragedy at the Munich Olympics.[8] He was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, and was the 3rd annual recipient of the Jimmy Wynn "Toy Cannon Award" in 2006, for community service. [8]
He was known for his occasional series "Letters from Lefty" about a mythical southpaw pitcher for the lowly Houston Colt .45s. He was hapless, only getting through an inning by the miraculous fielding plays of his team or simply pure luck. Lefty's style of writing was self-effacing and his ability backed it up. The best of these columns were compiled into a book that was popular locally in Houston. Herskowitz covered the first game in 1962 played by the Colt .45s, who later became the Houston Astros.
References
^Province of New Brunswick, Birth Record for Sarah Riva Garson. Accessed May 30, 2017.
^Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society, comp. The Houston Jewish Herald-Voice Index to Vitals and Family Events, 1908-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
^"Dor to Door: Ronnie Arrow Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston" (PDF). Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society. Spring 2017.
^ abStowers, Carlton (April 1977). "Ghost Writers in the Sky". Texas Monthly. p. 76. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
^Baker, Russ (October 28, 2004). "Two Years Before 9/11, Candidate Bush was Already Talking Privately About Attacking Iraq, According to His Former Ghost Writer". Common Dreams. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
^"Profile: Mickey Herskowitz". Retrieved June 20, 2012.
^ abc"MICKEY HERSKOWITZ (Toy Cannon Award)". Retrieved June 20, 2012.
External links
Why George Went To War
February 06, 2023
mickey, herskowitz, milton, leon, mickey, herskowitz, born, april, 1933, houston, texas, american, journalist, biographer, written, more, than, books, published, autobiographies, with, several, athletes, sportswriter, columnist, houston, post, houston, chronic. Milton Leon Mickey Herskowitz born April 4 1933 in Houston Texas is an American journalist and biographer He has written more than 50 books and has published autobiographies with several athletes He was a sportswriter and columnist for the Houston Post and the Houston Chronicle and a former ghost writer for George W Bush Mickey HerskowitzHerskowitz in Houston in 2014Born 1933 04 04 April 4 1933 age 89 Houston Texas U S NationalityAmericanOccupationAuthor Contents 1 Early life 2 Writing 2 1 A Charge to Keep 3 Other 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditHe was born to Herbert S and Sarah Rheva Herskowitz Herskowitz s father was born in Illinois the son of immigrants from Czechoslovakia who relocated to El Paso Texas in 1910 His mother was born in Saint John New Brunswick in 1904 1 but who later lived in Matamoras Mexico before relocating to Texas She met and married Herbert there in 1930 2 He had an older sister named Phyllis Florence Herskowitz 3 Herskowitz is of Jewish descent 4 Writing EditAfter writing sports articles and a column for years he attended the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich Germany where he met television sportscaster Howard Cosell who had just signed a contract for his biography He asked Herskowitz to ghostwrite it for him 5 After agreeing to write The Camera Never Blinks with Dan Rather other projects were delayed because of the pressure to finish the Rather book 5 He has authored over 50 books many of them jointly written autobiographies of famous Americans in politics sports and media including Gene Autry Nolan Ryan Paul Bear Bryant George Allen Tom Kite John Connally and Prescott Bush and others ghostwritten autobiographies of celebrities in similar fields including Dan Rather Mickey Mantle Howard Cosell Bette Davis Shirley Jones Marty Ingels and Gene Tierney A Charge to Keep Edit Herskowitz held many meetings with the then Texas Governor George W Bush in preparation for an upcoming project and soon struck a deal with Bush in 1999 about a ghost written autobiography a book which was eventually titled A Charge to Keep The contract that both parties signed ensured the proceeds would be split between the two The publisher of the book was William Morrow and Company Herskowitz was given unprecedented access to Bush and met him around 20 times to discuss the project Work on the autobiography began in May 1999 and within two months Herskowitz had completed all chapters and submitted ten Herskowitz was replaced after Bush s handlers decided that the candidate s views and life experiences were not being cast in a sufficiently positive light 6 Herskowitz once said of his former employer He thought of himself as a superior more modern politician than his father and the elder Bush s close adviser and friend Jim Baker He told me My father could have done anything during the Gulf War He could have invaded Switzerland If I had that political capital I would have taken Iraq 7 Other EditIn response to Astroturf replacing the natural grass inside the Astrodome Herskowitz commented Now Houston has the only ballpark in the major leagues with its own built in infield fly 8 In 1972 Herskowitz covered the tragedy at the Munich Olympics 8 He was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 and was the 3rd annual recipient of the Jimmy Wynn Toy Cannon Award in 2006 for community service 8 He was known for his occasional series Letters from Lefty about a mythical southpaw pitcher for the lowly Houston Colt 45s He was hapless only getting through an inning by the miraculous fielding plays of his team or simply pure luck Lefty s style of writing was self effacing and his ability backed it up The best of these columns were compiled into a book that was popular locally in Houston Herskowitz covered the first game in 1962 played by the Colt 45s who later became the Houston Astros References Edit Province of New Brunswick Birth Record for Sarah Riva Garson Accessed May 30 2017 Ancestry com Texas Naturalization Records 1881 1992 database on line Provo UT USA Ancestry com Operations Inc 2012 Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society comp The Houston Jewish Herald Voice Index to Vitals and Family Events 1908 2007 database on line Provo UT USA Ancestry com Operations Inc 2008 Dor to Door Ronnie Arrow Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston PDF Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society Spring 2017 a b Stowers Carlton April 1977 Ghost Writers in the Sky Texas Monthly p 76 Retrieved October 18 2019 Baker Russ October 28 2004 Two Years Before 9 11 Candidate Bush was Already Talking Privately About Attacking Iraq According to His Former Ghost Writer Common Dreams Retrieved October 18 2019 Profile Mickey Herskowitz Retrieved June 20 2012 a b c MICKEY HERSKOWITZ Toy Cannon Award Retrieved June 20 2012 External links EditWhy George Went To War Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mickey Herskowitz amp oldid 1078229452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
