EDITORIAL: Cheers to Norm!

It’s fair to compare Norm Clarke with Norm Peterson, the character portrayed by George Wendt in the classic sitcom “Cheers.” When he entered the bar each day, Mr. Peterson was greeted by patrons’ simultaneous shout of “Norm!”

It’s not much different for Mr. Clarke, except that his bar is all of Las Vegas. Everybody knows his name.

Since arriving at the Review-Journal from Denver’s Rocky Mountain News in 1999, bringing his man-about-town column with him, Mr. Clarke has been a must-read for those who must know all the ups and downs and ins and outs of entertainment and gossip. Review-Journal readers are exceptionally fond of him. As a result, Mr. Clarke has become a personality in and of himself — as his column title, “Norm!” indicates.

But Review-Journal readers may not know that Mr. Clarke was an accomplished sports writer and journalist long before coming to Las Vegas. His entire career will be acknowledged tonight when he receives the prestigious Damon Runyon Award from the Denver Press Club. Past winners include Tom Brokaw, P.J. O’Rourke, George Will, Mike Royko, Bob Costas and other journalistic luminaries.

Mr. Clarke, a Montana native, began his career as a sports writer and later worked for The Associated Press out of Cincinnati. He coordinated AP coverage of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, then moved to the Rocky Mountain News, quickly becoming a respected sports columnist. His notes columns — particularly on Sundays — were widely read and wildly popular, ultimately leading him to leave the sports desk and embark on his man-about-town journey.

Fortunately for us, that journey took him to Las Vegas, his home for the past 16 years. The Denver Press Club notes that its award goes to a journalist whose work best exemplifies the vivid writing style of Mr. Runyon, the legendary newspaperman and author of the early 20th century. Mr. Clarke’s work certainly does that. He’s in good company with past winners. Everybody knows their names.

Congratulations, Mr. Clarke.