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Bob McClellanNFL
Joe Biddle, who had a long and distinguished career in Nashville sportswriting, died Wednesday morning. He was 78.
Born June 13, 1944 in Johnson City, Tennessee. He was a high school classmate and coach of Steve Spurrier. Biddle rose to prominence in 1979 as the sports editor and columnist for the Nashville Banner, the city’s afternoon paper. It closed its doors in 1998.
The popular I Beat Biddle” contest was created during his time at Banner. Everybody who beat Biddles college football picks got a red, blue and white I Beat Biddle” bumper sticker. They could be found throughout the Southeast.
Biddle, a graduate of East Tennessee State and a Vietnam War veteran, was hired by The Tennessean in Nashville as a sports columnist. He remained there until 2011.
Joe Biddle, a former columnist for the Nashville Banner and Tennessean, died Wednesday at the 78th anniversary. https://t.co/t6Nq194D3m pic.twitter.com/duC6VKT7sQ
— Tennessean (@Tennessean) October 26, 2022
Biddle, a keen golfer, was a regular at the Masters. He also covered 31 Super Bowls, 31 Final Fours. He was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Associations Four-Time Sports Writers of the Year in 2013. Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame, 2013 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, 2016.
Sharon Biddle, Sharons wife, survives him. They were married for 47 years.
