Pictured L-R: Art Wilson, his sister Deborah Wills, and brother, Ed Wilson

Local Sports:

Dear Art Wilson,

Thank you so much for all that you did to help, support and to encourage sportswriters along the way.

It didn’t matter if we were ‘staff writers’ or nameless ‘stringers,’ you treated us with respect and you did everything you could to make sure our pieces looked as polished as possible once it reached the print version of the newspaper.

And that was far from an easy task.

Thank you for supporting local high school and college sports, horse racing, and your courageous and amazing best friend, Ray Nelson.

It was with a sinking heart that I awoke to read three text messages about your unexpected passing today at age 71.

Art Wilson served in many capacities at the SGV Tribune since the 1970’s, including the Assistant Sports Editor for Doug Spoon.

But it wasn’t just the Tribune.

At that time, Doug and Art were responsible for overseeing the Whittier Daily News, Pasadena Star News and the Tribune.

In August of 2001, my father saw an ad in the paper that said writers were needed for local high school football season.

At the time, I drove for DHL that began early mornings, so it didn’t seem like a good fit.

But I went to the Tribune and took a writing test.

Art told me that “if we want you to write for us, we’ll let you know in a few weeks,” and I left the West Covina office not giving it much thought.

Two days later, I had a voicemail with his familiar voice saying they would like me to string for them during football season.

It was because of my own immaturity that I caused more than my share of drama for Art and Doug, and as the years went by, it’s always haunted me that I caused them so much grief.

But Art would put me in my place and then build me back up.

If you could have seen that newsroom on Friday nights, you wouldn’t believe the chaos, and it had nothing to do with anything other than 20-plus stringers filing stories at the same time.

Back then, you’d drive to the game that was assigned earlier in the week.

I got to spend every Friday night on the sidelines of a football field taking stats and getting quotes after the games.

The next stop was the Tribune office, where Art told us how many inches to write.

Once that was finished, you’d type up the box score (scores per quarter, scoring plays) that very few take the time to post anymore, and then we’d wait sometimes 90 minutes or more for the desk members to edit our submission, and to ask any questions they might have about the story.

In 2001, there were 26 or so schools within the Tribune’s coverage zone, and Doug and Art both did their best to make sure all 26 had at least a six-inch story inside so that at any donut shop in the SGV, someone could put their quarter into the newspaper rack early on Saturday morning’s and read the local sports stories with their coffee and donuts.

As the years went by, I got to know Art well, and we agreed on many things.

He loved his family, country and our military.

Art often times talked about how much he missed his own father, and he counseled me on the limited time we have with our parents.

He knew I didn’t always get along with my own father, and he implored me to make things right before I regretted it.

I took his advice and one of the last things I told my dad before cancer took him in September of 2012 was “I love you, bud.”

He was in his office taking care of bills, and upon hearing that, my dad broke down crying and said, “I really needed to hear that.”

Art Wilson is the reason I made things right.

He also loved horse racing, UCLA, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Texas Rangers, Frank Howard and his lifelong best friend, Ray Nelson.

Ray was an amazing man who lived to the age of 60, in spite of his paralysis from an early age.

Ray lived with Art, good-naturedly talked trash with Art and they worked together at the Tribune.

Wilson had a van with a wheelchair ramp, and he’d cut up Ray’s food for him and other tasks that go along with being a caretaker.

Art never considered it anything but an honor to help take care of his buddy.

Ray Nelson died 11 years ago in a hospital room surrounded by his family, loved ones and of course, Art Wilson.

In recent years, Art suffered from a number of medical maladies that required treatments, including dialysis.

But his love of country and family and Frank Howard continued to his dying day.

Frank Howard was an MLB player from 1958-1973, including time with the Dodgers.

Howard was best known for his monstrous home runs, and he would finish his career with 382.

Art would talk incessantly about Howard on Facebook, almost as often as his love of the TV show ‘The Rifleman.”

In fact, his email was HondoHR33, and then the Internet provider’s address that he used.

It got me thinking.

For many years, I wanted to pay Art back for all that he did for me, including how many times he had to hear about an inappropriate action on my behalf.

I contacted a colleague and friend, JP Hornstra, who was a writer for SCNG and covered the Dodgers, and someone who now works for Dodgers Nation.

“JP, Art has meant so much to so many people and he’s struggling with his health. Is there any way you can talk to someone about contacting Frank Howard, and telling him what a loyal fan and person Art is, and maybe give him a quick call to cheer him up?”

Thankfully and graciously, JP did his part, and a couple years ago, Art’s hero, Frank Howard called him, and they spoke on the phone for over 90 minutes.

Art described it as the thrill of a lifetime, and he said it brought him back to his childhood days talking about and to Howard.

He told me that he would never forget that gesture, and I told Art that it was the least that I could do for him.

No one did more for my career than Art Wilson, Louis Brewster (Daily Bulletin) and Joe Haakenson (LB Press-Telegram), and sadly, only one of them is still living.

I was at the Arizona Diamondbacks first game ever with Melanie Lidle (Cory’s widow) back on March 31 of 1998, and as much as I wanted to see the Diamondbacks win the 2023 World Series, I was excited that Art got to see his beloved Rangers win their first World Series title this past November.

Of all the things that made Art Wilson a great man, what I appreciated most was the number of times he’d check in with me and inquire about my brother’s (Sergeant Major Brad Baiotto the USMC) safety during Brad’s six combined combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I wanted to share one amusing anecdote about Art.

He always spoke glowingly about the trainers, jockeys and even the horses he wrote about.

I jokingly said, “Art, you know horse racing is fixed, right?

He looked at me, smiled, and said, “aren’t you the guy who watches professional wrestling?”

Although I hadn’t seen him in more than 15 years, we still kept in touch.

In fact, just over a week ago he gave me his super bowl prediction for a story I was writing.

If there was ever proof needed to believe in ‘karma’ towards the end of one’s life, this was it.

After a lifetime of helping others, Art Wilson died 109 days after his Rangers won the World Series, and 111 days after the death of his hero, Frank Howard.

God bless you, Arthur Raymond Wilson.