Danny Alan Stoneking was born on November 5, 1942, at the Moline Lutheran Hospital, in Moline, Illinois, the son of Albert E. Stoneking and Martha L. Stivers. Growing up in nearby Rock Island he graduated from Rock Island High School in 1960.[a] He began in journalism as a correspondent for the Rock Island Argus during high school,[11] and worked summers with the newspaper while studying at Northwestern University.[9] As a senior at the Medill School of Journalism, Stoneking was named to the dean's list,[5] and elected to the university's Sigma Delta Chi chapter of professional journalists.[12] After earning an undergraduate degree in 1964,[6][13] he remained at Northwestern completing a master's degree in journalism in 1965.[7][8]
Following a physical altercation between Detroit Red Wings' coach Doug Barkley and a Newark Star-Ledger reporter during the 1975–76 season, Stoneking protested to NHL president Clarence Campbell writing that the PHWA was "appalled, disgusted and angered over the incident" which denied post-game access to the team locker room, and demanded a public apology while the assault charges were under investigation.[21] During the 1976 Stanley Cup Final, Stoneking supported equal access to locker rooms for male and female sportswriters.[4][22] When Montreal Canadiens' coach Scotty Bowman opposed females in the locker room until the players were dressed, female reporters contested that access was required to do their job as timely as their male counterparts to meet publication deadlines. Stoneking presented the PHWA case to NHL president Campbell that both males and females should be allowed or neither.[22] He claimed that approximately half of NHL teams allowed females to post-game access the locker rooms as of the 1977–78 season, and three-quarters of teams by the 1980–81 season.[22]
Stoneking received several awards from the Minnesota Associated Press Sports Editors including; first place for special sections, second place for sports series, and third place for spot news in 1980;[26] first place for his column on Terry Bradshaw, second place for his column on Harmon Killebrew, and third place for spot news reports on Minnesota North Stars playoffs in 1981;[27] and second place for spot news in 1982.[28] He was also inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame as a beat writer for the Minnesota Fighting Saints.[29]
Later career and radio
The Minneapolis Star suspended Stoneking for plagiarism of a report on the Minnesota Twins in 1984. Never returning, he instead covered the Minnesota North Stars on radio. North Stars' general manager Lou Nanne stated that Stoneking was trusted with team secrets, and subjected to player pranks as an "honorary teammate".[4] Stoneking was a sports talk host for KSTP in the 1980s,[4] and broadcast a live weekly sports show on WTCN in 1989.[30] He was a candidate to be the Minnesota North Stars radio announcer in the 1990–91 season.[31]
Canterbury Downs
Stoneking wrote for the Stillwater Gazette, and had work published by Sports Illustrated.[4] In 1985, he was editor of the Post Times newspaper for Canterbury Downs horse racing track.[32] In the 1990s, he taught English and mass media at a college in Mexico.[4]
Personal life and death
Stoneking married Sarah Parry on July 10, 1965, in Wilmette. After visiting Wisconsin, they resided in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. His wife was a fellow Northwestern University graduate, then became a school teacher.[8] They had a daughter and a son.[11][22] He coached his daughter playing soccer when they lived in Burnsville, was also a longtime resident of Saint Paul, and later married Irma Sanchez.[4]
Stoneking participated in celebrity golf tournaments in the Twin Cities area.[33] He once had the personalized license plate "Mr. Puck", had cancer for twelve years, and moved to Chetumal, Mexico, for the last two years of his life, where he died from pneumonia at age 64, on January 29, 2007.[4]
Notes
↑Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. Stoneking announced the birth of a son on November 5, 1942, at the Lutheran Hospital, in Moline, Illinois.[1]
Stoneking was reported to be age 25 as of November 18, 1967, indicating he was born in 1941 or 1942.[2]
Stoneking was reported to be age 31 as of September 13, 1974, indicating he was born in 1942 or 1943.[3]
Stoneking was reported to be age 64 as of January 29, 2007, indicating he was born in 1942 or 1943.[4]
Stoneking was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. Stoneking of Rock Island, Illinois.[5][6][7][8][9]
Danny Alan Stoneking was born on November 5, 1942, in Moline, Illinois, the son of Albert E. Stoneking and Martha L Stivers.[10]
Stoneking graduated from Rock Island High School.[7][8]
Son of Martha Stoneking. He graduated from Rock Island High School in 1960.[11]
