Mad Hatter recalls BJ Pulitzer team

Stuart Warner, former hat-wearing BJ columnist who lives and works in Arizona with his wife, Debbie Van Tassel Warner, posted this:

“I just finished writing a piece for the Akron Beacon Journal's 175th anniversary and it made me think a lot about these folks. They won the Pulitzer in 1987 for their coverage of the attempted takeover of Goodyear, which was in the plotting stages this month, 28 years ago.

“Where are they now? Not 100 percent certain, but one has his own TV show in Southern California, one is a lawyer, I believe, one is a retired publisher, one is the paper's managing editor, another the national editor, one the auto editor in Detroit, one became the first African-American editor of what was once the capital of the confederacy, one is the paper’s food writer and Akron’s most famous rock ‘n’ roll stepmom and one guy traded his fedora for a cowboy hat.

“Conspicously missing in the photo is managing editor Larry Williams, now retired, who I think was getting out of his wet clothes after losing a champagne battle with yours truly.

“It was a great time. Miss you guys.

“P.S. Should mention that dozens of other editors and artists worked on the coverage, which lasted over two months, concluding with an 8-page section: The Goodyear War."