Renowned sports writer, 87, passes away after metro-east legacy

A Legacy of Journalism and Passion for Horse Racing

Williard (Bill) Christine Jr. passed away on August 25, after a three-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He was 87 years old and died at his home in Hermosa Beach, surrounded by loved ones. For over two decades, Christine was the voice of horse racing for the Los Angeles Times, but his career extended far beyond that, spanning 42 years across seven different newspapers.

Christine’s work in journalism was marked by his deep knowledge, storytelling ability, and a passion for uncovering compelling narratives. He authored three books, including one about the legendary baseball player Roberto Clemente, another about jockey Bill Hartack, and a third focused on a pair of songwriters. After retiring from newspaper work, he turned his attention to true crime stories, particularly those involving his hometown of East St. Louis.

Throughout his career, Christine received numerous accolades for his writing on horse racing. He won the Eclipse Award for outstanding writing in 1984 and again in 2004. In 2000, he was honored with the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing. He also received the David F. Woods Memorial Award in 1991 and 1992 for his coverage of the Preakness Stakes. Additionally, he served as president of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters from 1990 to 1992.

A Journalist with a Unique Approach

Friends and colleagues remember Christine as an old-school journalist who valued thorough research and independent thinking. Mike Willman, a former media relations executive at Santa Anita, described him as a contrarian who was fair and knowledgeable. “You could take issue with something he wrote and then debate it, and there was never any animus,” Willman said. “I really respected him for that.”

Even after retiring, Christine remained active in sharing stories from his career. He would often write emails to friends and colleagues recounting events and people he had encountered throughout his life in journalism and sports.

Born in Illinois, Christine attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he graduated in 1963 and worked for the college newspaper, The Daily Egyptian. His first job out of college was at the East St. Louis Journal, where he covered baseball and other sports. Over the years, he moved through several newspapers, including the Baltimore News American, Louisville Times, Pittsburgh Press, Chicago Daily News, and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he briefly served as sports editor.

A Career Shift into Public Relations

At one point, Christine transitioned into public relations, taking a top media role at Commodore Downs in Pennsylvania and later serving as assistant to the executive vice president at the National Thoroughbred Racing Assn. Despite this shift, he eventually returned to journalism, joining the Los Angeles Times in 1981.

Bill Dwyre, who was then the sports editor at the Times, made Christine his first hire. “He was my first hire as sports editor of The Times, and being the first, it was a big deal not only for me, but for people watching me and trying to figure out what I was thinking and how I would cover each sport,” Dwyre recalled. “I knew Bill better than the others because I had been his roommate at API. I liked that he was a great storyteller and that his newspaper experience went beyond just turf writing—he had covered lots of baseball on deadline and had also been the sports editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.”

Christine's time at the Times coincided with a booming era for horse racing in Southern California, and he worked tirelessly to give the sport the coverage it deserved.

A Warm and Engaging Presence

Bob Mieszerski, a longtime racing reporter for the Times, praised Christine for his welcoming nature and storytelling ability. “He was very welcoming to me when I joined the Times and I always appreciated that,” Mieszerski said. “He was a great storyteller and I loved hearing him recall anecdotes about different people—both in and out of racing—that he encountered.”

Dan Smith, a retired marketing and media head at Del Mar, remembered Christine for his distinctive laugh and love of movies. “It was like ghee, ghee, ghee,” Smith said, struggling to replicate the sound. “He was also a big movie buff. He and his wife went to a lot of movies. And we loved to discuss movies. He followed all of that very closely.”

Christine was known for his strong opinions, which sometimes led to conflicts with the people he covered. One of his most notable feuds was with trainer Wayne Lukas, who didn’t speak to him for several years after something Christine wrote.

A Lasting Impact

Despite his critical stance, Christine’s work was always well-crafted and impactful. Even when his daily coverage was buried on a page deep in the section, he had a way of making readers care about the stories he told.

Dwyre often used Christine’s stories as examples during staff critiques. “I would hold up the sports section and ask which story should have been on the front page and wasn’t. Invariably, it was a Christine horse racing story,” Dwyre said.

The press box at Del Mar, named in honor of Dan Smith, has a wall dedicated to the pictures of deceased turf writers. “I guess his picture will go on the wall soon,” Smith said. “We've still got a few spots left and hope we don't fill them anytime soon.”

Christine is survived by his wife of 43 years, Pat, and two twin daughters, Laura and Leslie. He also leaves behind his first wife, Dianne, and stepson Chris. He requested that his body be donated to USC for medical research, and a small celebration of life will be held after the cremains are returned.