11/24/2025
Jerry Shnay spoke at our meeting on November 20th
At 90 years young, Jerry brings a remarkable perspective from a 70-year career in journalism, spanning from Roswell, New Mexico, to Chicago, with a few stops in between—and he’s still writing today!
A graduate of Marshall High School and Crane Junior College (now Malcolm X College), Jerry honed his craft at the University of Missouri, famously called “the West Point of American Journalism.” It was there that he discovered his passion for sports writing, a field in which he excelled for 37 years.
Jerry’s career journey included: Sports Editor at the Roswell Record and Albuquerque newspapers. Chicago Tribune, serving as High School Sports Editor for 22 years, then moving to news reporting in Homewood and Joliet. Public Relations Director for the Village of Park Forest for over a decade. Ongoing contributions to the Daily Southtown and serving as Administrator for the Grande Prairie Singers.
Jerry has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame, including the Illinois Basketball Coaches, Baseball Coaches, Chicago Public League, and Chicago Catholic League.
An avid collector of historic broadcasts, Jerry has amassed over 43,000 old-time radio programs.
At our meeting, Jerry shared historic World War II news broadcasts by Edward R. Murrow from London, bringing history vividly to life!
