Dale Bowman, longtime Sun-Times outdoors columnist, embarks on new adventure
After nearly 30 years of delighting readers at the Sun-Times, Dale Bowman is saying goodbye. His career began unexpectedly in 1997 when Jerry Krause, during the Bulls’ championship run, picked up the phone in Cleveland and started talking fishing. Bowman quickly began writing, producing his best column to that point.
Launching a career through key connections
Sports editor Bill Adee framed that first column as a gift for Krause’s office at the Berto Center. Bowman credits three key influences for establishing his nearly three-decade run as the Sun-Times’ outdoors columnist:
- Jerry Krause, who gave him credibility by engaging in conversations about fishing.
- The Palmisano brothers at Henry’s Sports and Bait, who tipped him off about the Illinois-record brown trout before social media existed, rather than the Tribune’s renowned outdoors columnist John Husar.
- Ken Schneider and Carl Vizzone, who showed him fishing spots in Chicago and northwest Indiana and introduced him to local people, giving Bowman street credibility.
Insights on media relationships
Krause openly disliked Jay Mariotti, a Sun-Times sports columnist, to the point that Krause and Jerry Reinsdorf refused to speak with the paper. Despite this tension, Dan Cahill, an editor, occasionally asked Bowman to try to get quotes from Krause. Although Krause usually declined, their conversations often turned to fishing and upcoming fishing shows.
Krause said he hated Jay Mariotti so much that Krause and Jerry Reinsdorf would not talk to the paper.
At least twice Dan Cahill asked if I still had Krause’s number and could get a quote for a story. I would call Krause, who would decline, then we chatted fishing and upcoming shows.
Bowman confirmed, "Krause was right about Mariotti."
Author's summary
Dale Bowman's career as a respected outdoors columnist was shaped by key relationships and local knowledge, leaving a lasting impact after nearly 30 years at the Sun-Times.
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