by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

SAN FRANCISCO–On Monday, May 18, 2015 at AT&T Park, a Memorial Service was held at 12:30 in the afternoon. Dozens of friends of Nick “The Greek” Peters(1939-2015)were present, many to share their experiences with the Hall of Fame sportswriter. Nick Anthony Peters was born in San Francisco, California, April 1, 1939 and left us on March 23, 2015 in Elk Grove,California. His wife Lise Pointer Peters hosted Nick’s memorial at the Giants Park on 2nd street and King. Lise born in Montreal(Quebec)Canada, where she first met Nick while he was covering the Giants on a roadtrip.

Speakers included lifelong friends of Nick as well as people that worked with Nick Peters covering baseball and other sports. Nick Peters worked for the Berkeley Daily Gazette, the Oakland Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Sacramento Bee. Among his career highlights 1962 and 1963 Alaska Sportswriter of the Year, covered the 1976, 1984 and 2004 Olympics. In 2009 inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and in 2010 Abraham Lincoln High School Wall of Fame.

Among the many orators aside from his wife Lise, children and grandchildren, were journalist friends that worked with Nick, like Dave Newhouse, Glenn Schwartz, John Shea and Marcos Bretón. In attendance also ex Giants manager Dusty Baker and Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, plus Arturo Santodomingo, who was the press and traveling secretary for the San Francisco Giants in the early 1960’s, Arturo a pioneer in his own rights, he was the first ever Hispanic to hold that position with a team in Major League Baseball. Art Spander, Duffy Jennings, Robin Carr, Bob Rose, just to mention a few media people,were also in attendance during that cloudy and chilly afternoon in the city.

It was an emotional and funny afternoon(at times)as numerous anecdotes from speakers drew applause from the crowd. In many instances it was revealed and confirmed that Nick enjoyed certain proclivity to driving fast on the freeways, “he loved to drive”said one speaker, as well as collecting sports memorabilia, including baseball cards and he was also a philatelist and numismatist.

Nick Peters(author) chronicled the San Francisco Giants franchise since they first arrived in San Francisco, but he also covered the Raiders, the Warriors and the Athletics.

Nick was a no-nonsense sportswriter who during the 1970’s and 1980’s covering the Giants when they were not winning,Nick always wrote the truth and never sugar-coded a story, he was a hard working newspaper man, who by his own admission during a 15 minutes movie shown at this memorial said: “I worked 12 to 14 hour days”. He is credited with mentoring many other sports journalist, some traveled from out-of-state to be at this emotional memorial tribute to “Nick the Greek”. Al Dougherty, who knew Nick since the 1960’s could not attend but I personally told Nick’s widow Lise that Al wanted to be present and he did sent his very best.

It was said and confirmed that Nick Peters was not a friend of the new technology, that he never sent a Twitter or a Text Message, and when he got his first cell phone he was not very happy that others could find out where he was, as he said “they do not need to know where I am”. By Nick Peters own admission he considered covering the 2004 Olympics in Greece “the highlight of my career”. He was very proud of his Greek heritage. Nick was a Bay Area treasure. May he rest in Peace.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and the TV Spanish voice for the Angels and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com