Marty Warren with Hometown Radio's Joe Mathis before a football game. (Joe Mathis Photo)
I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of terrific folks during my nearly 50-year journalism career but none were better than Marty Warren. He was the rare sportswriter who truly loved high school and Little League sports more than college sports. I don’t think I ever asked Marty to cover a game in any sport for The Advocate-Messenger and had him say no.
He was as dependable as anyone I ever worked with and he never ever complained. He was beloved by coaches and athletes — and anyone else who knew him.
Marty lost his long and often difficult battle with cancer Wednesday at age 66. He had been writing sports stories for the Advocate since 1976 as he joined us my second year with the newspaper. There was a time he even worked in the newspaper circulation department.
Not only did Marty write about sports, but he worked as an umpire/official for the Danville-Boyle County Parks & Recreation for years. He later joined Hometown Radio as a color analyst and statistician.
“Sad to hear the passing of Marty Warren. Marty did Danville football stats & color commentary for many yrs on WHIR. I was privileged to be able to work alongside him for 6 yrs. He was the absolute best statistician I’ve seen. I’ll always cherish Fri nights in the booth w/ Marty,” Hometown Radio’s Joe Mathis posted on social media today.
“Marty could bring a Friday night HS football game in central KY come back to life w/ his stories on Saturday night & Sunday morning. We have lost a wonderful man and friend, but his impact will live on in the lives he touched,” Anderson County coach David Buchanan posted on Facebook.
I swear it feels like it was only a few months ago when I saw Marty and he was telling me he was cancer free. That made me so happy to know that a good guy so beloved by so many was doing better.
However, recently times have been much more difficult and Wednesday he finally took his last swing.
I’ll miss Marty and think about him any time I go to any type of local sporting event just like I always do my father. Marty and my dad got along great and were a lot better at not letting criticism bother them than I have ever been.
Marty was special and a lot of us are going to miss him forever.
4 Responses
What a great example for living a full life. Thanks be to God.
Marty Warren was a soft spoken giant of a man he helped so many along the way i will miss him greatly
Just heard about Marty’s passing and knew Larry would have great article on him. I worked with Marty for several years, providing photos for his sports stories, and he was one of those people that some communities are lucky enough to have: someone who loved local sports, recognized their importance to the community and wanted local athletes and coaches to receive the recognition and accolades they deserve. In fact, other than Larry’s late father, Bill, he probably loved covering local sports more than anyone else I knew in more than 30 years of working at newspapers. Here’s to Marty on a job well done and a life well lived. It was a privilege to know you and work with you.
Very well said Kent. Marty was special in so many ways.
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