Southeast Texas is losing a longtime sports media icon.
Port Arthur News Sports Editor Bob West retired on Wednesday after a 48 year career.
West said the changing news industry is one of the reasons that prompted this change.
"I just felt like it was the right time to do it," West said.
The Missouri native said now that he is retired, he will be spending much more time playing the game he loves.
"When people ask me how often I will be playing golf, I say it will only be on days ending in Y," he said.
Longtime friend and head Lamar University baseball coach Jim Gilligan said West is a good player, but jokes that he has a swing nearly as bad as Charles Barkley. With that said, Gilligan said he admires his friend for keeping successful members of the community together.
"I have respected him for covering the people who have gone on to be successful and he has kept in touch with those people," Gilligan said.
Those sentiments are echoed by coworker Gabe Pruett.
"When he first started, we were not covering the black teams like Port Arthur Lincoln and he demanded that they start getting the same coverage," Pruett, Port Arthur News sports writer said.
Pruett said working with West has been a dream come true, given the editor's legacy.
"I remember reading his stories and rewriting them as a kid," Pruett said. "To have this opportunity, I was more than thrilled because he is Southeast Texas athletics, he is the first person that you think of."
As for Bob West, it is not just his golf game that will get his attention during retirement, but more importantly, his family.
"I have a grandson in Washington D.C. that I do not spend near enough time with," West said.
Plenty of time with his family, something he views as a hole-in-one. West said he will still write his golf column and will help during football season.
