William Nack, Author of Secretariat Book That Spawned the Movie, Dies at 77William Nack, the esteemed thoroughbred-racing writer from Sports Illustrated whose book about Secretariat paved the way for the popular 2010 film about the legendary Triple Crown winner, has died. He was 77.
Nack died Friday at his Washington home from complications associated with cancer, his family announced.
Nack spent 23 years at SI through 2001, then penned freelance articles for ESPN, GQ and others. He received seven Eclipse Awards for excellence in writing about horse racing, the first in 1978, the last in 2003.
"He stands among the best sportswriters in the history of the genre, and in many ways, among the best writers of any kind," SI senior writer Tim Layden wrote in a tribute piece. "When he stopped typing, he was a giant personality, full of endless good charm, disarmingly well-read and all times, given to entertain."
In 1973, Secretariat was the first horse to break the two-minute mark in winning the Kentucky Derby, then became the first Triple Crown champion since Citation in 1948 when he captured the Belmont Stakes by a jaw-dropping 31 lengths.
Nack's 1975 book, Secretariat: The Making of a Champion, was adapted by screenwriter Mike Rich for the Randall Wallace film at Disney that starred Diane Lane and John Malkovich. The author appeared in the movie as a reporter and served as a consultant as well . . .
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I have and have read Mr. Nack's
Secretariat: The Making of a Champion numerous times. It's the best book I have ever read
about horse racing. And I consider Mr. Nack one of the nation's greatest sportswriters ever---right there with Red Smith, Shirley
Povich, Thomas Boswell, Roger Angell (no, Angell isn't baseball's Homer; Homer was ancient Greece's Roger Angell), Jim Murray,
Barry Svrluga, and Jay Jaffe.
RIP, Mr. Nack. Mrs. Chenery has a hug and a kiss waiting for you through the gates.
One more time, for you, Mr. Nack . . .
Secretariat, 1973 Belmont Stakes
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