Michael Blackman

Michael L. Blackman, died September 23rd after being in poor health for a number of years. Blackman was the son of Arthur and Francis Blackman, born in Houston October 7, 1943.

Mike was a stellar athlete at Anson High School. Coach Roy Langerhans said “Mike could go up for a jump shot and hang in the air longer than any kid I have ever seen.”

After graduating from Anson High School in 1962, Blackman received a degree in journalism from Baylor University in 1967 and his master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 1974.

Blackman’s career in journalism spanned decades and several major publications around the country including the Cincinnati Post, The New York Times, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he was the foreign desk editor and a deputy sports editor. In 1986 he was promoted to the prestigious position of editor to the Inquirer’s Sunday Magazine, but an offer to lead the Ft. Worth Star Telegram brought him back to Texas. Many say he transformed the publication into a top-rated news organization.

“Mike Blackman was a West Texas small town boy from Anson who had big city talents as an editor, a reporter and a writer that will ensure he stands among the ‘Best of the Best’ journalists of his time,” said Richard Connor, publisher of the Business Press and former president and publisher of the Star-Telegram.

Blackman was vice president and executive editor for the Star-Telegram for eight years, editor for two years, and editorial director for three years. After retirement in 1999 he also worked as senior writer/editor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He held the Fred Hartman Distinguished Chair in the Baylor journalism department at the end of his career and also taught journalism at Sam Houston State University. His short story, “Golden Shadows Old West Museum, was adapted to a stage play by Larry L. King, who wrote the Broadway hit, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”. In 2017, Blackman was among the Press Club of Dallas honorees for Legends in Journalism.

Despite his successes, Mike Blackman described himself as “Just a boy from West Texas lucky enough to work with some of the best journalists in the business.”

As the news of his passing spread on social media, tributes came in from former students and colleagues including former Star-Telegram sportswriter Jim Reeves who said on Facebook that besides being “the smartest person in the room on most occasions, Mike also had a big heart and a gentleness in dealing with people that he couldn’t hide, even when he might want to. I admired him greatly.”

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Pomeroy Blackman and their son Sawyer Blackman, a student at Texas Tech in Lubbock.

He is also survived by his children with Vickie (Bradshaw) Blackman Walker, son, Jay Blackman and wife Emily and children Audrey, Juliette and Madeleine of Houston, and tdaughters, Molly Blackman of Austin and Emily Blackman of Los Alamos, California as well as an extensive network of friends.