Ferd Borsch

Ferd Borsch was the only beat writer The Advertiser had for the 27-year run of the Pacific Coast League Hawaii Islanders — and the only one it needed since he covered all 2,013 home games in the club's (1961-1987) existence.

Over parts of five decades and spanning several more eras, often pounding out his stories with two-fingered fury on his trusty Underwood No. 5 (vintage 1918) typewriter, Borsch chronicled many of the greatest moments in Hawai'i sports, adding perspective to the exploits of the stars for several generations of newspaper readers.

"Hawai'i lost its No. 1 baseball fan," said sportscaster Don Robbs, who knew Borsch for 43 years. "He covered baseball for more than a half century. I think he said one time that he covered something like 5,000 games. I don't know of anybody who has been as close to baseball as Ferd."

Borsch covered everybody who was anybody in baseball — from Billy Martin and Bo Belinsky to Barry Bonds and Tony Gwynn — and many who never saw their name on a trading card. He treated them all with dignity and fairness.

"He was one of the few people (in the media) that I really trusted," said Les Murakami, former University of Hawai'i baseball coach. "He was a very positive person and when you read his articles everything was positive. I think that was one of the most important characteristics that he had."