Sid Hartman nears 70 years as Minneapolis sports writer

On Saturday, the Star Tribune will pay tribute to columnist Sid Hartman with a full-page advertisement to celebrate 70 years as a Minneapolis sportswriter. It's a mind-boggling number, so you are excused if you did a double-take.

As part of the research done in advance of this momentous occasion, the Star Tribune dug up what appears to be one of Sid's earliest job reviews, labeled as a "staff interview program.'' This is a real document, and the best way we could think of to mark this occasion is to share a few snippets from that review to illustrate how little has changed in 70 years.

"Just let me dig up news and get it into print is all I'm thinking about. I like my job. It's fun."

That's a quote attributed to Sid during his interview with his supervisor, former sports editor Charles Johnson, and noted under "indications of interest in personal advancement." Those of us who have only been here about 15 years can't vouch for the entirety of his career, but it seems as though that general sentiment has remained constant.

It was true in his 20s, long before the Vikings or the Internet existed. It's true now, when Sid storms into the office indicating he has a "hot scoop" and asks for help in publishing it online. Did you know Sid even has a Twitter account with roughly 11,000 followers? (@SidHartman).

Doesn't like desk work.

Indeed, Sid was sports editor at the Minneapolis Tribune for a while. But seeing how he operates, it's hard to imagine him sitting in the office, doling out assignments and reading stories. That's too far-removed from the action and no way to perfect one of the briskest walking paces known to humanity.

He knows more people in sports locally and nationally than anyone on the staff.

If he already knew a lot of people 70 years ago, consider how many close, personal friends — also known as sources — Sid has accumulated in the past seven decades. He presented legendary Vikings coach Bud Grant when he went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame 20 years ago. Bobby Knight, Lou Holtz and the late George Steinbrenner are also near the top of a very long list.

The best news hound I have ever had in any sports department and probably the best digger in the business. … On the search for news at all hours. … Hope he never gets discouraged.

That remains true to this day. Sid remains relentless in his pursuit of news while still being electrified by big stories, and one would hope that if he stayed in the business for this long he did not, in fact, get discouraged.

It's hard to fathom 70 years at any job, but it's easier to picture it knowing Sid was essentially the same guy in his 20s that he is in his 90s. That's a rare thing to say, and he deserves our admiration for making it this far with no end in sight.

Michael Rand