242:
77:
382:, lake. Muskie landed the prize-winning fish, headlined in the next day's Bangor newspaper. As Muskie recalled, his fishing trip with Leavitt made a deeper impression than most of his electoral efforts. "Muskie throughout the rest of his career would say, 'You know, I fought for Dickey-Lincoln , and I prevented them from closing
272:, went on to become a public TV sensation. Within a year it was broadcast nationally. The Outdoor Writers of America later rated it the nation's best outdoor-oriented program. The show's success launched the local Maine sportswriter into the national consciousness: Leavitt was featured as a guest several times on the ABC show
267:
asked the sportswriter to host a new show. Leavitt's early broadcasts on Maine's TV airwaves were marked by the times. The balding, avuncular
Leavitt closed each show with the homily, "Remember, the family that plays together stays together." And the show's trademark music jingle is still the subject
409:
named the Bud
Leavitt Wildlife Management Area, 6,500 acres (26 km) of upland forest 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Bangor, in honor of the sportswriter, a longtime advocate for conservation and public lands. In 2000, six years after Leavitt's death, the Maine Press Association posthumously
377:
tested the limits of political muscle when he brushed against
Leavitt's following. It was arranged for Muskie to go ice-fishing with Leavitt—or as Muskie adviser Clyde MacDonald Jr. put it, "possibly the greatest political event that could be arranged at that time." MacDonald lived next to columnist
188:
quoted at length from sportswriter
Leavitt's essay on fishing in Maine. "He wrote when the fog shuts out the land, it is like a pussy-footing cat laying down a paw", wrote the magazine, paraphrasing Leavitt's prose. Even Leavitt's admirers concede the columnist and sportswriter wasn't known for his
225:
debuted that year as one of the first local programs on the air in Maine. For the next 20 years
Leavitt appeared every Saturday night to talk about the pressing issues of a Maine outdoorsman: how to remove a fishhook; the death of a favorite dog; snoeshowing and moose hunting and salmon fishing.
142:
manager at
Penobscot Chemical Fiber Company, and his wife Elise. Following graduation from Old Town High School, Leavitt went to work in the plant where his father was manager of the union – and quit the next day. "He didn't like getting all covered with dirt and sweat anywhere but on the
759:
360:. Once, on a bird hunting drive in northern Maine with his friends Curt Gowdy and Brooks Robinson, Leavitt got lost. He stopped at a local home where he saw several men talking in the driveway. After inquiring after directions, Leavitt gestured at his car. Did the local
126:– or, rather, they trout-fish with him." An early conservationist and son of a paper mill union leader, Leavitt urged the state of Maine to acquire lands for public use; one such preserve is today named for the sportswriter and television personality.
198:, who wrote about their jaunts in his newspaper. During this time, Leavitt began to make himself indispensable to the Bangor newspaper, where the owners noted that his presence on the sports pages came to embody for many readers the newspaper itself.
113:
recognized statewide. In addition to his writing, Leavitt hosted one of Maine's earliest television shows, which was devoted to fishing, hunting and the out-of-doors. Leavitt's stature within the state was such that columnist
326:, where he met Williams, then a first-year rookie already making a name for himself as a slugger. Overhearing that the cub sportswriter was from Maine, Williams asked about the fishing up north. A lifelong friendship ensued.
355:
Leavitt's stature as a writer on some of Maine's favorite topics, and his weekly television presence made him one of the state's celebrities – in the days when the words "Maine" and "celebrity" were
162:, with which he associated as sportswriter, sports editor and outdoor columnist for the next 48 years. Leavitt's retirement from his Maine newspaper duties was considered noteworthy enough that Maine
301:
sports columnist Larry
Mahoney. The comparison was apt. Leavitt was not known for his eloquent turns-of-phrase, but for his directness and lack of artifice—what some might call his "Maine-ness".
674:
397:, on December 26, 1994. His wife Barbara had predeceased him, dying five years prior in 1989. During his career, Leavitt wrote 13,104 columns for Maine newspapers, and a book called, simply,
189:
adept turns of phrase. Some observers attributed his popularity in Maine to his no-nonsense, somewhat gruff style, in which he delivered the facts without embroidery.
146:
Following his one-day career in the industrial world, Leavitt went looking for other employment. He landed his first newspaper job at age 17 when he began writing for
737:
626:
456:
209:
until
November 30, 1994, – six years after Leavitt had retired as the paper's sports editor, and only weeks before the columnist's death from cancer.
600:
852:
974:
857:
685:
885:
205:
for the newspaper in addition to his sportswriter duties. The column, in which
Leavitt discussed hunting and fishing and life in Maine, ran in the
503:
949:
423:
Bud
Leavitt and Senator William S. Cohen, Bangor: The Twentieth Century, Vol. II, Images of America, Richard R. Shaw, Arcadia Publishing, 1997
895:
An "American Sportsman" remembrance: All-star third baseman Brooks Robinson brings his A-game to the upland woods of Maine, Curt Gowdy, ESPN
315:
Leavitt's friendship with baseball player Ted Williams spanned decades, and the two were frequent fishing buddies. Leavitt had been sent to
979:
268:
of Mainers posting to internet message boards, recalling Saturday night with beans and biscuits, watching Bud Leavitt. That show, called
773:
989:
329:"One journalist with whom Williams had a genuine friendship was the late Bud Leavitt, former sports editor and outdoor writer for the
172:
During his tenure as sports editor and outdoor columnist, Leavitt also occasionally filed stories to national publications, including
894:
649:
959:
802:
Nature's Keepers: The Remarkable Story of how the Nature Conservancy Became the Largest Environmental Organization in the World
880:
810:
720:
304:
Thanks to his notoriety, Leavitt kept a running correspondence with people that he might never have met. His friendship with
934:
919:
312:, for instance, lasted decades, and the pair's letters about angling are among the papers collected in Corning's archives.
745:
249:
That Leavitt's newspaper permitted him to appear on a competing news outlet startled no one. "They had to have him", said
944:
929:
924:
401:. Leavitt's essay most often collected in outdoor writing anthologies is "Hunting for Grouse and Woodcock" from his book
581:
954:
994:
562:
429:
264:
853:
Bud Leavitt Wildlife Management Area, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, State of Maine, Maine.gov
984:
634:
343:. Most of their fishing up north was for salmon, and Williams fished with Leavitt near the writer's home along the
464:
608:
178:
magazine. High school graduate Leavitt's prose on sporting topics even turned up occasionally in the highbrow
969:
155:
532:
868:
939:
779:
511:
393:
Leavitt died on December 20, 1994, and his funeral mass was held in Bangor, not far from his home in
226:
There was little that Bud Leavitt wouldn't fish for. When the salmon runs on the rivers of Maine and
158:
as a civilian employee. Following the War, in 1946 Leavitt took a job as general sportswriter at the
858:
Charley Miller on the Bud Leavitt Program, Windows on Maine, University of Maine Library, umaine.edu
964:
123:
874:
Fishing with the Presidents: An Anecdotal History, Bill Mares, Published by Stackpole Books, 1999
785:
221:
went on the air, and asked Leavitt to anchor a show on the themes he wrote about in his column.
192:
Leavitt also frequently hunted and fished with his friend Nelson Bryant, outdoor columnist for
873:
800:
710:
422:
383:
371:
163:
914:
909:
504:"George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives | Press release list"
8:
413:
Leavitt is interred, alongside his wife Barbara, at Lakeview Cemetery in Hampden, Maine.
309:
274:
202:
194:
166:
110:
367:"No, we don't", answered one man, "but we sure know who you are. You're Bud Leavitt!"
876:
806:
716:
425:
361:
231:
105:
378:
Leavitt, whom the Muskie aide inveigled to accompany Muskie on a fishing trip to an
379:
335:
305:
826:
256:
Mike Dowd of the demand for the popular columnist. "He had to have it. So became
847:
344:
294:
286:
263:
Leavitt's last show on local Maine television was taped in 1973, but in 1978 the
253:
174:
135:
39:
478:
406:
394:
323:
180:
115:
862:
281:
Sometimes Leavitt was joined on his Maine TV show by friends like broadcaster
217:
Leavitt hosted one of the first outdoor shows on national television. In 1953
903:
374:
227:
339:. "Leavitt fished often with Williams in the lakes and streams of Maine and
290:
151:
119:
319:
245:
New Brunswick's Miramichi River. Favorite fishing destination of Leavitt.
139:
364:
know either of the two men in his automobile, Leavitt asked the group.
282:
257:
357:
563:"On Your Own:Outdoors: Stalking A Tasty, Elusive Tree-Loving Prey"
241:
76:
235:
218:
340:
316:
437:, Bud Leavitt, Bangor Publishing Company, Bangor, Maine, 1977
100:
864:
Nissen Canadian bread commercial, Ted Williams, Bud Leavitt
848:
Moose Lottery, Augusta, Maine, 1982, Maine Memory Network
230:
tapered off, Leavitt often took to the rips off Maine's
212:
350:
278:, and was a frequent guest on national radio programs.
537:
magazine correspondents: second series (MS Am 2090.1)"
143:
athletic field", said Leavitt's cousin Alden Leavitt.
118:
wrote of the Maine sportswriter that he "fishes with
386:, but the thing that people talk about is that fish.
103:
newspaperman who was executive sports editor of the
129:
708:
901:
778:Fogler Library: Special Collections Department,
620:
618:
138:, on January 13, 1917, to Ralph W. Leavitt Sr.,
738:"Boatload of Talent Extended to Another Sport"
201:In 1948 Leavitt began writing a daily outdoor
682:Albany Institute of History & Art Library
615:
234:, where he cast a fly to schools of 25-pound
99:(January 13, 1917 – December 20, 1994) was a
735:
648:Gowdy, Curt; Smith, Pat (30 August 2001).
647:
975:20th-century American non-fiction writers
774:"Guide to the Ralph 'Bud' Leavitt Papers"
579:
184:magazine. In its issue of June 25, 1979,
827:"MPA Inducts Hall of Fame Class of 2006"
798:
457:"5,760 Casts A Day: Now That's Plugging"
410:inducted Leavitt into its Hall of Fame.
240:
75:
736:Chamberlain, Tony (December 21, 2008).
709:Williams, Ted; Underwood, John (1988).
675:"Erastus Corning 2nd Papers, 1942-1983"
624:
582:"Every Day History | Business: Profile"
471:
902:
560:
454:
950:American non-fiction outdoors writers
598:
479:"Inductee Biographies. Ralph Leavitt"
293:. "He was to outdoor journalism what
213:The columnist and the television host
890:, Bangor, Maine, bangordailynews.com
712:My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life
641:
541:Houghton Library, Harvard University
351:Recognition in Maine and later years
561:Bryant, Nelson (October 16, 1989).
13:
980:20th-century American male writers
782:, University of Maine, Orono Maine
455:Blount, Roy Jr. (April 26, 1976).
14:
1006:
990:American male non-fiction writers
841:
265:Maine Public Broadcasting Network
134:Ralph W. Leavitt Jr. was born in
580:Woelflein, Mike (January 2007).
130:Early life and career beginnings
960:American television journalists
819:
792:
766:
762:. Bates College. 5 August 2020.
752:
729:
702:
667:
260:before the term was invented."
601:"A case for the 'Boston Blue'"
592:
573:
554:
525:
496:
448:
1:
599:Levin, Dan (March 16, 1970).
533:"Collection: Dispatches from
441:
333:", wrote Tony Chamberlain of
169:issued a statement about it.
84:office, where Leavitt worked.
297:was to art", wrote longtime
150:in 1934. At the outbreak of
7:
935:People from Old Town, Maine
920:Deaths from cancer in Maine
405:. Following his death, the
322:in 1939 to write about the
148:The Bangor Daily Commercial
10:
1011:
945:American newspaper editors
930:Writers from Bangor, Maine
925:People from Hampden, Maine
955:American conservationists
780:Raymond H. Fogler Library
483:Maine Sports Hall of Fame
66:
58:
46:
25:
18:
995:Sportswriters from Maine
627:"Maine's Happy Wanderer"
605:Sports Illustrated Vault
461:Sports Illustrated Vault
416:
219:Maine's first TV station
985:American nature writers
831:Maine Press Association
799:Birchard, Bill (2005).
760:"Muskie Oral Histories"
70:Journalist, broadcaster
715:. Simon and Schuster.
435:Twelve Months in Maine
403:Twelve Months in Maine
399:Twelve Months in Maine
285:, or baseball players
246:
85:
650:"Oriole vs. woodcock"
625:Wheeler, Hal (2007).
244:
154:, Leavitt joined the
79:
223:The Bud Leavitt Show
970:American columnists
310:Erastus Corning 2nd
567:The New York Times
275:American Sportsman
247:
195:The New York Times
167:George J. Mitchell
86:
888:Bangor Daily News
881:978-0-8117-2768-6
812:978-0-7879-7158-8
722:978-0-671-63423-0
331:Bangor Daily News
299:Bangor Daily News
251:Bangor Daily News
232:Petit Manan Light
207:Bangor Daily News
160:Bangor Daily News
111:outdoor columnist
109:, and a longtime
106:Bangor Daily News
82:Bangor Daily News
74:
73:
50:December 20, 1994
1002:
940:American hunters
865:
835:
834:
823:
817:
816:
796:
790:
789:
784:. Archived from
770:
764:
763:
756:
750:
749:
744:. Archived from
742:The Boston Globe
733:
727:
726:
706:
700:
699:
697:
696:
690:
684:. Archived from
679:
671:
665:
664:
662:
660:
645:
639:
638:
633:. Archived from
622:
613:
612:
607:. Archived from
596:
590:
589:
577:
571:
570:
558:
552:
551:
549:
547:
529:
523:
522:
520:
519:
510:. Archived from
500:
494:
493:
491:
489:
475:
469:
468:
463:. Archived from
452:
389:
380:Ellsworth, Maine
336:The Boston Globe
306:Albany, New York
270:Woods and Waters
53:
36:January 13, 1917
35:
33:
16:
15:
1010:
1009:
1005:
1004:
1003:
1001:
1000:
999:
965:Angling writers
900:
899:
886:Gowdy and Bud,
863:
844:
839:
838:
825:
824:
820:
813:
805:. J. W. Wiley.
797:
793:
772:
771:
767:
758:
757:
753:
734:
730:
723:
707:
703:
694:
692:
688:
677:
673:
672:
668:
658:
656:
646:
642:
623:
616:
597:
593:
578:
574:
559:
555:
545:
543:
531:
530:
526:
517:
515:
508:Bowdoin College
502:
501:
497:
487:
485:
477:
476:
472:
453:
449:
444:
419:
387:
353:
345:Penobscot River
295:Norman Rockwell
287:Brooks Robinson
254:managing editor
215:
136:Old Town, Maine
132:
51:
42:
40:Old Town, Maine
37:
31:
29:
21:
20:Bud Leavitt Jr.
12:
11:
5:
1008:
998:
997:
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
898:
897:
892:
883:
871:
860:
855:
850:
843:
842:External links
840:
837:
836:
818:
811:
791:
788:on 2008-10-15.
765:
751:
748:on 2007-08-07.
728:
721:
701:
666:
640:
637:on 2007-06-26.
614:
611:on 2010-06-18.
591:
572:
553:
524:
495:
470:
467:on 2014-04-19.
446:
445:
443:
440:
439:
438:
432:
418:
415:
407:State of Maine
395:Hampden, Maine
352:
349:
324:Boston Red Sox
214:
211:
186:The New Yorker
181:The New Yorker
156:Army Air Corps
131:
128:
116:Roy Blount Jr.
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
54:(aged 77)
48:
44:
43:
38:
27:
23:
22:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1007:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
907:
905:
896:
893:
891:
889:
884:
882:
878:
875:
872:
870:
866:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
845:
832:
828:
822:
814:
808:
804:
803:
795:
787:
783:
781:
775:
769:
761:
755:
747:
743:
739:
732:
724:
718:
714:
713:
705:
691:on 2010-12-05
687:
683:
676:
670:
655:
651:
644:
636:
632:
628:
621:
619:
610:
606:
602:
595:
587:
583:
576:
568:
564:
557:
542:
538:
536:
528:
514:on 2008-10-04
513:
509:
505:
499:
484:
480:
474:
466:
462:
458:
451:
447:
436:
433:
431:
430:0-7385-3703-9
427:
424:
421:
420:
414:
411:
408:
404:
400:
396:
391:
385:
381:
376:
375:Edmund Muskie
373:
368:
365:
363:
359:
348:
346:
342:
338:
337:
332:
327:
325:
321:
318:
313:
311:
307:
302:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
279:
277:
276:
271:
266:
261:
259:
255:
252:
243:
239:
237:
233:
229:
228:New Brunswick
224:
220:
210:
208:
204:
199:
197:
196:
190:
187:
183:
182:
177:
176:
170:
168:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
144:
141:
137:
127:
125:
121:
117:
112:
108:
107:
102:
98:
94:
90:
83:
78:
69:
67:Occupation(s)
65:
61:
57:
49:
45:
41:
28:
24:
17:
887:
830:
821:
801:
794:
786:the original
777:
768:
754:
746:the original
741:
731:
711:
704:
693:. Retrieved
686:the original
681:
669:
657:. Retrieved
653:
643:
635:the original
631:Bangor Metro
630:
609:the original
604:
594:
586:Bangor Metro
585:
575:
566:
556:
544:. Retrieved
540:
534:
527:
516:. Retrieved
512:the original
507:
498:
486:. Retrieved
482:
473:
465:the original
460:
450:
434:
412:
402:
398:
392:
369:
366:
354:
334:
330:
328:
314:
303:
298:
291:Ted Williams
280:
273:
269:
262:
250:
248:
222:
216:
206:
200:
193:
191:
185:
179:
173:
171:
159:
152:World War II
147:
145:
133:
120:Ted Williams
104:
96:
92:
88:
87:
81:
52:(1994-12-20)
915:1994 deaths
910:1917 births
659:23 December
546:23 December
488:23 December
370:Even Maine
320:Fenway Park
97:Leavitt Jr.
59:Nationality
904:Categories
695:2008-12-22
518:2008-12-16
442:References
283:Curt Gowdy
258:multimedia
32:1917-01-13
358:oxymorons
124:Red Smith
654:ESPN.com
317:Boston's
89:Ralph W.
62:American
869:YouTube
372:Senator
362:Mainers
236:pollock
164:Senator
879:
809:
719:
428:
384:Loring
341:Canada
308:mayor
203:column
689:(PDF)
678:(PDF)
417:Works
140:union
101:Maine
877:ISBN
807:ISBN
717:ISBN
661:2019
548:2019
535:Time
490:2019
426:ISBN
175:Time
122:and
80:The
47:Died
26:Born
867:on
347:."
289:or
93:Bud
906::
829:.
776:.
740:.
680:.
652:.
629:.
617:^
603:.
584:.
565:.
539:.
506:.
481:.
459:.
390:"
238:.
95:"
833:.
815:.
725:.
698:.
663:.
588:.
569:.
550:.
521:.
492:.
388:'
91:"
34:)
30:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
