Sporting Classics Digital

July/August 2012

Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/68594

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 230 of 263

of Esquire magazine, and in that regard his links with Ernest Hemingway are particularly noteworthy. "Snows of Kilimanjaro" first appeared in the magazine's pages and a shared loved of fly fishing strengthened the bond between the two men. A One anecdote from their long friendship is irresistible. Ever a man of debonair demeanor, in sharp contrast to Papa's rugged individualism and braggadocio, Gingrich particularly wanted a short story Hemingway had written for Esquire. Papa was being even more difficult than usual, and the matter came up after the pair had consumed a goodly quantity of beer. Hemingway, aware of the fact that Gingrich had little experience with firearms, suggested a pistol shooting contest at the cans they had rnold Gingrich (1903-1976) ensured his place in literary history thanks to his role as co-founder and first editor All who love fly fishing are richer because of Arnold Gingrich's "bigger than life" presence and his literary contributions to the sport. Books as the "new journalism." From the sportsman's perspective though, what is of surpassing interest is Gingrich's role as a major figure in fly fishing and the manner in which he contributed greatly to the literature of the sport. Famed fly fishing scribe Ernest Schwiebert dedicated Death of a Riverkeeper to him and his tribute gives a fine capsulation of what Gingrich meant to the sport: "Faithful flyfisher and many-sided man of letters who loved books and fine writing, honored the lessons of Walton and Halford and Skues, worshipped music and its sister arts, fished with a mixture of skill and elegance and love, savored fine emptied to decide whether the magazine got the manuscript. Amazingly, the novice won and got his story, subsequently explaining that Hemingway must have been even worse for wear than he was. In addition to Hemingway, other noted writers who contributed to Esquire included William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, Truman Capote and John Dos Passos. Gingrich also played a leading role in what came to be known the fish themselves, and happily collected many things over the years." Gingrich collected fishing tackle, paintings and prints devoted to the sport, and split-cane rods. He also collected an extensive circle of angling SPOR TIN G CL ASSICS 223 literature and the humanities and fine cuisine, committed himself totally to preserving our bright rivers tumbling swiftly towards the salt, heard the magic of their music, gloried in the quicksilver poetry of By Jim Casada

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Sporting Classics Digital - July/August 2012