Charlie Leerhsen, executive editor at Sports Illustrated and author of the soon-to-be published Simon and Schuster production Crazy Good: The Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America, is the winner of Harness Tracks of America's 2008 award for contributions to publicity, publishing and promotion of harness racing.
Leerhsen, one of the finest writers plying the trade in America today, is author of three previous non-racing books, on Donald Trump, former NBC president Brandon Tartikoff and test pilot Chuck Yeager. His book on Dan Patch arrives after more than two years of intensive research criss-crossing the country in what he called "solving a mystery," filling in thousands of blanks on the story of the wonder horse that captivated America at the start of the 20th century, when trains, cigars, washing machines, and children--a host of them--were named for him. Leerhsen interviewed countless dozens of people, and injected his book with much of the drama and conflict of a story he calls "better than Seabiscuit." He notes that Seabiscuit was not born cripple, unable to stand and nurse, as Dan Patch was; never pulled the local grocery's delivery wagon; never drew 110,000 people to see him race against the clock.
Leerhsen was first hired to work for the U.S. Trotting Association by Stan Bergstein, then vice president of publicity and public relations. He worked at USTA from 1976 until 1981, when he left to become a senior writer for Newsweek. He left that magazine in 1992 to become entertainment editor, and then assistant manager editor, of People for six years, after which he was named editor of the weekly US, joining Sports Illustrated as executive editor six years ago.
Leerhsen will receive his aptly named Dan Patch award at the joint meeting of Harness Tracks of America and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations at the Renaissance Vinoy hotel in St. Petersburg, Fla, Tuesday night, Feb. 19. (HTA)
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