Colin Sheridan: Given time and expenses, the write around remains a sports writing gift

Wright Thompson's long-read piece for ESPN on Manchester United proved the point that New Journalism may be old, but still has a place and an audience

Wright Thompsons long-read piece for ESPN on Manchester Utd proved the point that New Journalism may be old, but still has a place and an audience

Writing in a re-issue of one of his most famous works, legendary sportscribe Gay Talese revelaed that the expenses he accrued during the writing of his iconic 1966 Esquire piece ‘Frank Sinatra Has a Cold’ came close to $5,000, and comprised almost entirely of restaurant and bar bills.

Adjusting for inflation, that’s equivalent to something north of $44,000 in today’s money, which is a heck of a lot of Old Fashioned’s. In Talese’s defence, he too was concerned by the mounting tab at the time, and expressed his anxiety to his Esquire editors mid-process.