FERD BORSCH / 1929-2006
Writer covered baseball for decades
The veteran Advertiser sports reporter won several local awards
Longtime Honolulu Advertiser sportswriter Ferd Borsch died Sunday after a long illness. He was 77.
Borsch was the morning newspaper's baseball writer for 40 years. He covered more than 2,000 Hawaii Islander home games when the Pacific Coast League team played here from 1961 to 1987.
Before joining the Advertiser staff in 1961, Borsch already had an introduction to the PCL as the Portland Beavers beat writer while working for the Portland Oregonian and Portland Reporter. After the Islanders left here in 1987, Borsch covered a variety of sports at the University of Hawaii, including the baseball team.
He also covered preps and Hawaii Winter Baseball until he was forced to retire in 2001 for medical reasons. Borsch was widely known on the mainland. He served as president of the National Association of Baseball Writers in 1977 and received several local accolades, including the Chuck Leahey Award, given annually for local efforts in baseball.
For family and friends, Borsch will be remembered for his humor and love of baseball. He always said the game was interesting, no matter at what level it was played or how many people were in the stands.
"I feel fortunate to have covered the UH baseball team at the same time as Ferd," Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports Editor Paul Arnett said.
"He always saw the positive side in everything. I learned something about baseball each time I was around Ferd. We talked about his family at every UH game we covered. He loved them more than baseball, and that's saying something."
Borsch is survived by wife Patti; sons Timothy, Christopher and Brian; daughter Lisa; and brothers Bill of San Diego and Joe of Portland. Funeral services are pending.