Earl Gault, sportswriter in Rock Hill at The Herald for three decades, dies at 81
In the days before the Internet, when The Herald sports pages of the newspaper were where York County fans got their information about the games and the players, Earl Gault delivered.
Herbert Earl Gault died Sunday at age 81. For almost 30 years until he retired in 2006, he covered sports from the major leagues to the little leagues, and everything in between. He chronicled the rise of men’s sports at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, especially basketball and baseball. He covered the Charlotte Knights when they played their home games at the old stadium in Fort Mill before the team moved to uptown Charlotte. And for football and basketball fans, Gault covered Clemson.
Through it all, he did it the old-school way. He went to the games, interviewed coaches and told the rest of us who could not go what happened — who had a great game and how many people were there.
An obituary published by Greene Funeral Home said: “Earl’s professional life was dedicated to his role as a sports writer for The Herald in Rock Hill, SC. His career spanned several decades, during which he earned the respect and admiration of colleagues, athletes, and readers alike. Herb’s words brought the thrill of the game to life, capturing the essence of sport with a poetic finesse that was uniquely his own.”
And he did it for 29 years at The Herald. Day in, day out. Night games at Death Valley in Clemson, or hot summer night baseball games at the old Knights Castle stadium.
Sports fans knew Gault. They looked for his coverage. When Winthrop played Gonzaga in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 2005 in Arizona, Gault was there to write about the excitement and thrill for the Rock Hill school to be on a national stage.
Dave Friedman, associate commissioner of the Southern Conference, broadcast Winthrop basketball games on radio for 17 years and knew Gault from the days both covered the Charlotte Knights, too.
“Earl Gault loved sports and people,” Friedman said. “It was a great pleasure seeing and interacting with him at the games. He valued the right things and his work always tried to highlight the good. He will be missed but not forgotten. His stories will last forever.”
Rock Hill’s David Angel Jr., who played basketball at Clemson, said to The Herald in 2006 when Gault retired: “For sports fans in York County, Earl Gault is family.”
A memorial service to honor Earl Gault’s life and legacy will be announced at a later date.
