Steve Batterson Obituary:- The Iowa sports community is mourning the loss of one of its most respected and prolific journalists, Steve Batterson, who passed away on Tuesday, June 28, 2023, at the age of 61. Batterson was a sports reporter for the Quad-City Times for 38 years, covering various sports and teams, including the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Quad Cities River Bandits, and the Iowa State Cyclones.
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A Passionate and Professional Sports Writer
Batterson was known for his passion and professionalism in his work, as well as his insatiable work ethic. He wrote hundreds of articles every year, covering games, events, features, and breaking news with accuracy and flair. He was admired by his colleagues, sources, and readers for his dedication and integrity.
Some of the tributes that poured in on social media after his death include:
“Steve loved reporting sports and he did it exceedingly well. He was the most prolific journalist I’ve ever known. We’re all poorer with his passing.” – Dan Hayes, long-time Times executive editor
“He was the consummate professional. He was unfailingly polite and always respectful of people and their time, but always determined to get the story and get it right.” – Dave Heller, Quad-Cities River Bandits owner
“Not much more I can add to what Matt said. I looked up to Batts. He could cover anything and do it so well. Like him, I have a passion for minor-league baseball and tried to emulate what he did. Such a good man, a kind man. I will miss him greatly. This is a terrible loss.” – Tom Kakert, HawkeyeReport.com publisher
“You meet a lot of different personalities working in media. Steve was one of the all-time good guys. He lived down the street from me, and I always appreciated our brief conversations when he’d walk by. Hard to comprehend we won’t see his byline, but amazing to read the tributes.” – Adam Rossow, WQAD sports director
A Long and Distinguished Career
Batterson began his career at the Quad-City Times in 1985 as a part-time sports writer while attending St. Ambrose University. He graduated in 1987 with a degree in mass communications and joined the Times full-time as a sports reporter.
Steve Batterson was a machine. There was a Friday night or two when I was that staffer Steve was yelling scores to across the news room. When Steve was working the phones, I can’t remember a night when we didn’t at least get the score for every HS game in western Illinois. https://t.co/rY1stR8KDk pic.twitter.com/4sdU2GmKGo
— Herbal (@HerbCarmen) June 29, 2023
He covered various beats throughout his career, including high school sports, college sports, minor-league baseball, hockey, basketball, golf, racing, and more. He also wrote columns and blogs on various topics and issues related to sports.
Some of the highlights of his career include:
- Covering the Iowa Hawkeyes football team’s historic 12-0 regular season in 2015 and their appearance in the Rose Bowl.
- Covering the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team’s run to the Elite Eight in 1987 and their Sweet Sixteen appearances in 1988 and 1999.
- Covering the Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling team’s dominance under legendary coach Dan Gable and their 15 national championships from 1986 to 2010.
- Covering the Quad Cities River Bandits’ affiliation with various major-league teams, including the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Kansas City Royals.
- Covering the Quad City Thunder’s championship seasons in the Continental Basketball Association in 1994 and 1998.
- Covering the John Deere Classic golf tournament and its various winners, including Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau.
- Covering various local athletes who went on to achieve success at the national or international level, such as Kurt Warner, Seth Rollins, Madison Keys, Lolo Jones, Tyler Cook, Nick Nurse, and more.
Batterson received numerous awards and honors for his work, including being named Iowa Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association in 2016.
A Loving Son, Brother, Uncle, and Friend
Batterson was born on April 18th ,1962 in Washington,Iowa to Albert and Frances Batterson. He grew up in a family that loved sports and journalism. His father was a sports editor for the Washington Evening Journal for 40 years and his mother was an avid reader who clipped out every article her son wrote.
He is survived by his mother Frances; his sister Susan (Mark) Schulte; his brother Scott (Lori) Batterson; his nieces Megan (Ryan) Schulte, Molly (Matt) Schulte, and Abby Batterson; his nephews Ben (Katie) Schulte, Sam (Morgan) Schulte, and Alex Batterson; and his great-nieces and great-nephews.
He is preceded in death by his father Albert and his brother Mark.
Batterson was a loving son, brother, uncle, and friend who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoyed traveling, reading, watching movies, listening to music, and playing trivia.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and appreciated his work.
Steve Batterson Obituary – Funeral Arrangements
A visitation will be held on Friday, July 2nd, 2023 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington, Iowa. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 3rd , 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Washington, Iowa. Burial will follow at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington, Iowa.
Memorials may be directed to the Steve Batterson Memorial Fund, which will be used to support journalism scholarships and sports programs in the Quad-Cities and Washington areas.