On May 30, TCU dedicated the 132-seat press box in honor of alumnus and writer Dan Jenkins ’53. The room spans a long portion of the W.A. “Monty & Tex” Moncrief Field inside of Amon G. Carter Stadium.

“Hopefully the people who sit in these chairs realize they have a responsibility to tell the truth, a responsibility to hold us accountable for what we do right and what we do wrong,” said Chris Del Conte, TCU’s director of intercollegiate athletics. “Journalism has lost its soul in a lot of ways and hopefully today, when people walk into this room, they’ll realize they can find it in the Dan Jenkins Press Box.”

The press box was part of an extensive renovation to the football stadium that started in late 2010.

“I feel like I’m married to this stadium in many ways, especially to this field,” said Jenkins at the naming dedication. “I’ve been coming to this football field—not this stadium and not this press box—since I was seven years old. I’m probably one of the last people around who saw Sam Baugh and Davey O’Brien play on this field, and I won’t say it warped me, but it did have a lot to do with me wanting to be a sports writer someday.”

Dan Jenkins ’53 stands inside the press box named in his honor before its May 30 dedication at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Photo by Sharon Ellman

Jenkins’ sports writing career spans 70 years during which he wrote for the Fort Worth Press, Dallas Times Herald, Sports Illustrated and Golf Digest. He wrote over 20 books. His latest, Stick a Fork in Me (Tyrus Books), was published in January.

He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame, the Texas Golf Hall of Fame and the TCU Lettermen’s Association Hall of Fame.

Jenkins’ professional honors include the Red Smith Award, the Ring Lardner Award, the PEN/ESPN Award and the lifetime achievement award in journalism from the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. He was the first writer to receive the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

“Awards are great. They’re especially great when you’re vertical to receive them. That’s the best kind,” said Jenkins. “It’s a real privilege. I feel grateful.”

The dedication of the Dan Jenkins Press Box, Jenkins’ latest honor, was lined with nostalgia and humor.

“This is actually embarrassing,” he said as he approached the center of the room to cut the ceremonial purple ribbon. Following a round of applause, Jenkins said, “It was all me. I did it all by myself.”