User:JSFarman/sandbox/Claudia Perry

Claudia Anne Perry (June 14, 1959-May 16, 2024) was an American music critic, sportswriter,  reporter, and baseball historian. An expert on the Negro League. she was the first woman and first Black chairperson of the American Society for Baseball Research.

Early life and education
Perry was born in Washington DC and raised in Suitland, Maryland. Her father worked for the UN Commission on Africa (on loan from the US Census Bureau) and, with her family, she traveled extensively in Africa as a child.

Perry's father was a basketball fan, and she attended games with him frequently. She began paying attention to baseball when she was in fifth grade, reading every baseball book she could find. The autobiography of Bill Veeck was particularly significant; the owner of the Cleveland Indians, he signed the first African-American to play in the American League, Larry Doby.

Perry attended MIT. She graduated in 1981 with a degree in design and applied arts.

Career
Worked at the Real Paper senior year of college and stayed on as a music critic

contrarian music critic (boston globe) -  he early 1980s as the acerbic Times-Union music writer. In a review of a Journey concert,  she wrote that the  lead singer sounded like "Donald Duck on helium," incurring the wrath of fan. Bill Longenecker (1997/01/15/, 1997 Jan 15). Talk to class, put self in (on) `Jeopardy': [CITY edition]. Florida Times Union

Perry's all-star baseball team of the century was put together her all-star baseball team of the century

Personal life
Perry was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Evanston, Illinois. She (trivia and Man City).

PBS film revolution 67

She loved country music even more than baseball. Her 1991 live review of Marty Stuart in the Houston Post was headlined: " Marty Stuart Even Better Than Baseball." (Houston Post, Houston, Tex.. 28 Oct 1991: B1.)

She was an expert on the Negro League. Perry attributes her job at the Ledger to her Jeopardy! appearance. After Charles Cooper, her former editor at the Houston Post and now assistant managing editor for production at the StarLedger, saw her on the show in January 1997, he called with a job offer. Perry, who was at the San Jose Mercury News, started in Newark last April. Perry said she qualified for the show by passing a written test, which relatively few applicants pass, then taped a mock show designed to gauge her on-camera composure. But Perry had plenty of TV exposure, having appeared often on morning news shows as a reporter in Houston. Once on the show, she drew on her Massachusetts Institute of Technology education. And categories like Bands of the '80s - her specialty -- delighted her. "I lucked out, because the categories are random," she said.

Friends of Claudia Perry, MIT class of '81, and a contrarian music critic for the defunct Real Paper, may want to tune into tonight's "Jeopardy!" show, in which Perry defends her championship standing. Now a writer for the San Jose Mercury News, Perry has been creaming her game-show opponents for four shows straight, and faces her final opponent tonight at 7:30 on WHDH-TV (Channel 7).

ONe of the world's great smart people

Claudia Perry grew up in Suitland Maryland her father worked on loan from the US Census Bureau to the UN Commission for Africa. She graduated from MIT with a degree in Art and Design in 1981. music critic and sports reporter for several newspapers including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Houston Post, and the Star-Ledger in Jersey City, NJ.

In 1997, Claudia was a four day winner on Jeopardy! and appeared in the Tournament of Champions, the Masters Tournament, and the Battle of the Decades. In 1999 she was Grammy Nominated with Bill Ivey and others for the liner notes for "From Where I Stand - The Black Experience in Country Music." Claudia became a member of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. She also served as president of the Society for American Baseball Research. With her Jeopardy! winnings she visited Australia and New Zealand with her sister, Kathryn. Other trips she enjoyed were to Antartica and to Finland. Chicago Tribune and then as a freelance journalist, grant project coordinator at Loyola University, and paralegal. e early 1980s as the acerbic Times-Union music writer.

First female rock critic at the Jacksonville paper - "Donald Duck on helium." Steve Perry the MIT Club of Chicago and BAMIT, her trivia team Third Podium, the Chicago Man City Fan Club, and her family here at Grace Lutheran Church in Evanston.

But a former editor spied her ace "Jeopardy!" performance, and lured her to the Newark Star-Ledger, where she now works. (Boston Globe) In Jacksonville -

Charlie Patton, television writer. (1997/01/09/, 1997 Jan 09). The answer is: Who turned $1 into $45,000?: [CITY edition]. Florida Times Union  in Jacksonville from her stint in the early 1980s as the acerbic Times-Union music writer.

Perry advises prospective attendees to SXSW to save the registration money and skip the panels but says the music is "worth the trouble." Houston Post Perry, Claudia Houston Post; Houston, Tex.. 12 Mar 1995: G1.

SXSW "The usually dull rock critic panel is dubbed "The Chris and Claudia Show" after Billboard's Chris Morris and Claudia Perry of the Houston Post (passing around a flask) rip the industry good — to uproarious laughter."

'''I remember driving up to Atlanta to see Public Image play a show sponsored by 688. One of my best friends in the world told me that 688 never booked Stevie Stiletto, putting them in elite company with Octopus something, the band that later became the Black Crowes.'''

'''I did hear from Mike, the bass player from Stevie Stiletto, when I lived in NJ. He was in New York at the time. Hearing from him made me smile. Seeing Ray in the documentary trailer made me a little sad. I miss some of those days but not all of them.'''

'''Other moments: Seeing the Seldom Scene at Applejack’s with the late John Duffy and Mike Auldridge. I was working newside when the Victory tour came to town so I managed to work as a music critic for 20 years and never saw Michael Jackson perform live. Ditto Madonna.'''

'''I was called out on Rock 105 for dissing a Journey-Loverboy show at the Coliseum. I was right then and I am right now. I called Madonna “a third-rate disco singer” in the Times-Union. Nothing has happened to change my opinion.'''

'''I remember that Jacksonville Coliseum sounded a lot better than some of newer arenas I later went to echoes and all. I saw a Hank Williams Jr. show there that could have rivaled any Courtney Love meltdown for egotistical, stoned incoherence. Also saw Prince with the Time and Vanity 6, one of the best shows I ever saw. Also, Van Halen, the Firm (!), various incarnations of 38 Special, the Rossington Collins band, Skyy, Bad Company etc.'''

I saw U2 at the Civic Auditorium (where the symphony played) and got kissed by Adam Clayton after show.

I was threatened with death on my home phone once but was never sure if it had to do with anything I wrote about bands.

'''I wrote a lot about various Van Zants even though I arrived in Jax post-plane crash. I heard from Mike Campbell’s mom (he of the Heartbreakers) and Green of Scritti Politti’s Mom (she lived in St. Augustine).'''

I drove to Daytona to go see the Bad Brains at a gay bar called the Zodiac and don’t regret it.

'''On a more recent note, I walked one and a half marathons for the NJ chapter of the American Diabetes Association to raise money for research. My diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes came along with my diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. I am involved with the DC metro chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and our Team Challenge group just completed a half marathon in Napa/Sonoma. We are behind on our fundraising so the link below can still take donations if you would be so kind.'''

https://nothineverhappens.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/the-journalists-part-3/