Royal Brougham#Legacy
{{Short description|Sports writer and philanthropist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Royal Brougham
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1894|09|17}}
| birth_place = St. Louis, Missouri, US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1978|10|30|1894|09|17}}
| death_place = Seattle, Washington, US
| education = Franklin High School (dropped out, age 16)
| occupation = Seattle Post-Intelligencer sports editor; philanthropist
| spouse = Alice Brougham
| children = 1 daughter
| years_active= 1910 – 1978
}}
Royal Brewer Brougham (September 17, 1894 – October 30, 1978){{cite web|url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7395 |publisher=HistoryLink.org |title=Brougham, Royal (1894-1978), Journalist |agency=essay 7395 |last=Flom |first=Eric L. |date=August 22, 2005 |accessdate=August 25, 2015}} was one of the longest tenured employees of a U.S. newspaper in history, working for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Seattle, Washington, primarily as sports editor, for 68 years, starting at age 16.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldji.com/resources/view/44 |publisher=World Journalism Institute |last=Bergin |first=Mark J. |title=Royal Brougham: Your Old Neighbor |accessdate=August 25, 2015}}
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Brougham moved to Seattle as a youngster with his family. He was a highly regarded Seattle citizen who befriended athletes such as Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth and movie stars like Bing Crosby.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yFhUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1o4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2067%2C1070851 |newspaper=Ellensburg Daily Record |agency=UPI |location=Washington |last=Andrews |first=Raymond L. |title=Brougham hasn't missed too much |date=January 21, 1975 |page=6}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LHFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6859%2C2087907 |newspaper=Ellensburg Daily Record |agency=UPI |location=Washington |title=Brougham still on the job when he died |date=October 31, 1978 |page=8}} At age 74, he stepped down as sports editor in 1968, succeeded by John Owen,{{cite web|url=http://sportspressnw.com/2190866/2014/john-owen-1929-2014-an-appreciation |newspaper=Sports Press Northwest |last=Thiel |first=Art |title=John Owen, 1929-2014: An appreciation |date=October 6, 2014 |accessdate=August 26, 2015}} but continued to write for the P-I for ten more years.
Death
Midway through the Seattle Seahawks' third season in 1978, Brougham was still on the job at age 84, in the Kingdome press box during a game against division rival Denver on October 29. In the closing minutes, he suffered a major heart attack and was rushed to Swedish Hospital, where he died shortly after 1 am.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K3FUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KY8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1937%2C2004578 |newspaper=Ellensburg Daily Record |agency=UPI |location=Washington |title=Royal Brougham dies |date=October 30, 1978 |page=7}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KktOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Gu4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4045%2C6327949 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=P-I 's Royal Brougham dies |date=October 31, 1978 |page=19}} His funeral in Seattle that Friday was attended by nearly five hundred.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QfZLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4547%2C2031271 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Sports fans attend Brougham rites |date=November 5, 1978 |page=B10}}
Legacy
Brougham was a devout Christian and philanthropist. The Royal Brougham Sports Pavilion at Seattle Pacific University and South Royal Brougham Way (formerly known as South Connecticut Street, bordering both T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field) in Seattle commemorate his legacy to the community.{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19990727/2973996/royal-brougham-was-more-than-just-another-name-on-a-downtown-street-sign |newspaper=Seattle Times |last=Watson |first=Emmett |authorlink=Emmett Watson |title=Royal Brougham was more than just another name on a downtown street Sign |date=July 27, 1999 |access-date=August 25, 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Seven-decades-of-antics-jokes-and-getting-lost-1128229.php |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |last=Raley |first=Dan |title=Seven decades of antics, jokes and getting lost |date=October 28, 2003 |accessdate=August 25, 2015}}
The Emerald City Supporters, a supporter group for the Seattle Sounders FC soccer team, have nicknamed the team's home stadium "Royal Brougham Park" in honor of the sportswriter.{{cite web |url=https://www.weareecs.com/tifo/ecs-tifo-2019/435-mls-cup-2019-choreo |title=MLS Cup 2019 Choreo |author= |date=2019 |publisher=Emerald City Supporters |access-date=June 6, 2022 |quote=90 minutes later they lifted the MLS Cup in the middle of Royal Brougham Park, bringing glory to the club and to our city.}} The supporters' section behind the southern goal, closest to S. Royal Brougham Way, is known as the "Brougham End".{{cite news |last=Campanario |first=Gabriel |date=March 11, 2011 |title=Color me sea green and sky blue |newspaper=The Seattle Times |quote=When the Sounders season kicks off Tuesday night against the LA Galaxy, Brougham End is the place to be at Qwest Field. I joined the frenzy here this week for a preseason game against Colorado, and the energy was already full-on, even though this was a friendly match.
The Emerald City Supporters take the bleachers at the south end of the stadium and chant for the entire game’s 90 minutes. It’s a choreographed performance as riveting to watch as an actual game. They jump on the stands, raise their arms, wave flags and scarves, and sing their hearts out for the Sounders.}} Two of these supporters' groups take his name: The Brougham Boys '74 are an invite-only Ultras group affiliated with the ECS, as are the Royal Femmes for Women.
Chris Diamantopoulos portrayed Brougham in the 2023 film The Boys in the Boat.
References
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External links
- [http://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattle-history/slideshow/Royal-Brougham-A-P-I-History-5365.php Seattle P-I: Royal Brougham slideshow]
- [http://spu.edu/info/buildings/royal-brougham/ Seattle Pacific University: Royal Brougham Pavilion]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Brougham, Royal}}
Category:American sports journalists
Category:Franklin High School (Seattle) alumni
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