Will Leitch

Will Leitch is an author, sports journalist, and editor. He is best known for his work as the founding editor of Deadspin, an irreverent sports blog that mixes sports news, gossip, opinion, and satire. He has also written for The New Republic, Newsweek, Maxim, and Sports Illustrated among many other publications. He has written several books and compiled works from other writers.

Will Leitch was born in 1972 in Chicago, Illinois, and currently lives in New York City. He attended the University of Illinois where he studied Communication and Political Science. After college he worked several odd jobs until he began working as a freelancer for various newspapers. He eventually took a job writing for the Riverfront Times, an alternative newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. It was during this time that he first developed his style of sports journalism that mixed humor, satire, and insight.

In 2005, Leitch founded Deadspin and served as the site’s editor-in-chief until 2010. At the time, Leitch was one of the few successful web-native sports journalists and his tone of irreverent and often biting commentary helped bring attention to the site. During his tenure, Deadspin was nominated for an Emmy award and regularly won media awards. His signature "My Take" columns were among the most widely read pieces of sports content on the internet.

Leitch’s first book, God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (and How We Can Get It Back) was published in 2008. This book is a humorous and often scathing look at the modern sports media landscape. He argues that many of today’s sportscasters, analysts, and athletes take themselves too seriously and that this has diminished the public’s enjoyment of sports. The book was praised by critics and described as “insightful and hilarious” and “the funniest book about sports ever written.”

In 2011, Leitch edited and contributed to the anthology The Concise Guide to Sports. The book was compiled from contributions from over 75 of the world’s leading sports journalists, including Leitch himself. The book sought to provide readers with an introduction to the major sports, from baseball to football and from soccer to tennis.

In 2012, Leitch co-authored Are We Winning? Fathers & Sons in the New Golden Age of Baseball. This book recounts his experiences in the fantasy baseball leagues he played with his father growing up in Illinois. With this intimate and often funny look at the world of baseball and its involvement in his life and his father’s, the book is a touching tribute to both to the nation’s pastime and to the relationship between fathers and sons.

Leitch’s latest book, released in 2020, is The Last Good Season: Brooklyn, the Dodgers, and their Final Pennant Race Together. This book tells the story of the much beloved Brooklyn Dodgers team of the mid-1950s, a team with many standout personalities and exciting victories. Told with his characteristic wit and insight, Leitch argues that the final season of the Brooklyn Dodgers was a special one, and one of the last great seasons of 20th-century baseball.

Will Leitch is one of the most insightful sports journalists working today. His books provide a combination of wit and insight into the world of sports, from the media landscape of today to a loving look back at the Brooklyn Dodgers of the 1950s. His work combines humor and serious contemplation on some of our favorite sports topics, making for fascinating and thoughtful reading for any sports fan.