By Mike Peticca, Plain Dealer Reporter
Saturday June 13, 2009, 5:39 PM
Bill Nichols, who broke the story for The Plain Dealer in early 1970 that Cleveland would be awarded an NBA franchise, died early Saturday morning of a heart attack suffered at his home in Rocky River.
Nichols, 79, had battled a heart condition for several years, but remained active and was near completion of writing a book about Canterbury Country Club. He attended Lakewood High School, served in the U.S. Navy for four years and covered the Cavaliers for The Plain Dealer during their first 11 years.
During his 30-year career at The Plain Dealer, Nichols was also a beat writer for Cleveland State basketball and local small-college sports, besides working a range of other assignments. He was appreciated by peers and those he covered for his warmth and sincerity, besides his determined professionalism.
Former Plain Dealer Indians' and Browns' beat writer Russell Schneider, 81, sometimes met with Nichols and another former Plain Dealer sports reporter, Dick Zunt, for breakfast after they all retired.
"I knew Bill as a friend, and had great respect for him as a journalist," Schneider said. "He was always a good guy. He did a good job with the Cavs. Obviously, he was a good journalist, or he wouldn't have been teaching journalism."
Nichols taught college classes on sportswriting and public relations for more than 20 years, including stints at Baldwin-Wallace, John Carroll, Cuyahoga Community College and Hiram, before retiring several years ago. He was the 2004 recipient of the Jake Wade Award, presented annually to an individual in the media for contributions to the advancement of inter-collegiate athletics. Other winners of the award from the College Sports Information Directors of America include Keith Jackson, Dick Enberg and Billy Packer.
In 1980, Nichols received an "Excellence in Journalism" award from the Cleveland Press Club.
"Bill was a fantastic person. He loved students, loved teaching students and the inter-action with them," Baldwin-Wallace sports information director Kevin Ruple said. "And, all that was secondary to family."
Nichols graduated in 1947 from Lakewood High, where he played baseball for three years. He married schoolmate Jean (Havens) Nichols in 1957. Between his service in the Navy and his hiring by The Plain Dealer, Nichols worked for eight years at American Greetings. Following his retirement from The Plain Dealer, he was an official scorer at Indians' games for several years.
A longtime friend of Nichols' was Merle Levin, who worked 38 years as the sports information director at Cleveland State and its forerunner, Fenn College, and died on Wednesday night at age 81.
Nichols is survived by his wife, Jean, son, Wade, daughter, Lee Anne Chambers (John) and grandson, Andrew. Visitation will be Tuesday, 4-8 p.m., at Zeis-McGreevy Funeral Home, 16105 Detroit Ave., in Lakewood. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Howe, Ind., on a date to be announced. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Heart Association.
Also: Terry Pluto remembers Bill -- http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2009/06/to_both_friends_and_his_story.html
