Long-time Dallas Morning News sportswriter Chuck Carlton has passed away at 64. His colleague Kevin Sherrington tweeted about that Wednesday:
My great sorrow to acknowledge the passing of friend and colleague @ChuckCarltonDMN on Tuesday. Obituary to come shortly on a pro’s pro.
— Kevin Sherrington (@KSherringtonDMN) April 26, 2023
Carlton (seen above in a 2015 staff photo) had been at the Morning News for more than a decade. He particularly specialized in college sports coverage, including the Big 12 and Texas A&M, but covered many other sports for them as well. Recently, he was covering the Dallas Stars’ playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, with his last articles there posted Saturday in the wake of Friday’s Game 3. Stars’ coach Peter DeBoer paid tribute to Carlton Wednesday:
Stars coach Peter DeBoer expresses condolences on behalf of the organization regarding the passing of our Chuck Carlton. pic.twitter.com/nd9LGN0C3k
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 26, 2023
Texas Longhorns’ football coach Steve Sarkisian also offered a salute to Carlton Wednesday:
Steve Sarkisian opens his press conference at the Touchdown Club of Houston by offering condolences to the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton and his family.
"He was a good man."
— Joe Cook (@josephcook89) April 26, 2023
Here’s more on Carlton from a Morning News obituary from Sherrington, which reveals that he had battled cancer for the past two years, and had suffered at least two heart attacks:
Chuck Carlton, a “delightfully grumpy” sportswriter whose unflinching work ethic over 42 years at The Dallas Morning News and other newspapers propelled him through a long battle with congestive heart failure and prostate cancer right up until the end, died Tuesday. He was 64.
He passed away of natural causes in his hotel room after falling ill Friday during the Stars’ playoff loss to the Wild in St. Paul, Minn., said his wife, Amy.
Carlton was pinch-hitting on the hockey beat, his first assignment at The News, after nearly 15 years covering college sports in general and the Big 12 in particular.
…“Chuck garnered tremendous respect from the subjects he covered, his friends and coworkers at The Dallas Morning News and his colleagues across the profession,” said Garry Leavell, sports editor of The News. “And I know he had our readers’ respect as well. He never wanted to let them down, and he was immensely dedicated to delivering his best work for them every single day.
“Chuck had an encyclopedic knowledge of sports and the ability to convey that easily. He also had a great sense of humor and was never afraid to laugh at himself.
“We are shattered by his passing.”
Carlton made a mark on many, as shown by the tributes to him that poured in on Twitter after Sherrington’s tweet Wednesday:
Chuck was a friend to and supporter of the #GoodyearCottonBowl Classic. Our condolences. Thoughts and prayers to the Carlton family and his @dallasnews family.
— Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (@CottonBowlGame) April 26, 2023
Oh no. I learned so much being a young college reporter watching Chuck Carlton, the consummate professional. No where he wasn't willing to go to chase a story. I'm hurting for my DMN family today https://t.co/RD809mPuKy
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) April 26, 2023
Chuck Carlton to many young reporters was the standard of writing. In our brief passings at Big 12 Media Days, visits to College Station and Austin and trips to Arlington, he always was smiling and willing to listen.
He’ll truly be missed. https://t.co/8VmG5eVckB
— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) April 26, 2023
Chuck Carlton was a staple on the Big 12 beat and college football in general.
— David Smoak (@DavidSmoak) April 26, 2023
It was never anything short of a pleasure to work with Chuck Carlton. I always appreciated the thoughtful advice and assistance he offered to me as a young reporter. His coverage and insight will be sorely missed in college football.
— Brady Vardeman (@BradyVardeman) April 26, 2023
Our thoughts go out to all of Carlton’s family and friends.
[Kevin Sherrington on Twitter, The Dallas Morning News; top image of Carlton from Nathan Hunsinger/The Dallas Morning News]