Tom wheatley teacher, journalist, author, broadcaster 6537 Oleatha Avenue, St. Louis mo 63139

* University instructor of communications and journalism

* Master of Arts degree (American Studies: Sports Analysis and Writing)

* 30 years experience as a multi-media journalist

* Award-winning newspaper sports columnist, investigative reporter, feature writer

* Author or co-author of seven books

* Published in over two dozen magazines, including ESPN The Magazine and The Sporting News

* Former internet correspondent for ESPN.com (nation’s top sports website)

* Hosted sports shows on seven radio stations, plus TV show carried regionally on Charter cable

* World traveler to 16 countries on four continents

* Former Marine Corps officer (communications platoon leader and tactics instructor)
AWARDS

* 1976: U.S. Marine Corps, Certificate of Commendation; 1976: USMC, Letter of Appreciation

-- Tactics instructor, Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek VA.

-- “How the Racing World Lost Larry Detjens,” Green Bay Press Gazette.

-- “Losing the Race: Blacks in Sports Management,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

-- Chosen by the National Sportscasters and Sports Writers Association.

-- Sassy, brassy motivational book for females aged 9 to 90.

-- In continuous publication since 2001.

* Bob Forsch’s Tales from the Cardinals Dugout (co-author with former pitcher Bob Forsch)

-- A lively, inside look at the St. Louis Cardinals of the 1970s and 1980s.

-- Second printing, 2013.

* Bob Plager’s Tales from the Blues Bench (co-author with former defenseman Bob Plager)

-- Hockey made easy through the rollicking stories of an original St. Louis Blue.

-- Second printing, 2013.

* The Memoirs of Bing Devine (co-author with the former Cardinals and Mets general manager)

-- Primary-source history (Includes interviews with Brock, Herzog, La Russa, Musial, Schoendienst).

-- Interviewed Brock, Costas, Musial, La Russa, Maddux and others during the homerun chase of ’98.

-- Profiled Jack and Joe Buck, Bobby and Brett Hull, Dan Dierdorf, Jackie Smith, Mark McGwire

-- Lindenwood University, St. Charles MO (2009)

-- Bucknell University, Lewisburg PA (1973)

-- Created a course for students to conduct an actual investigation into a major news topic.

-- Students will research, locate sources, conduct interviews and – potentially – write stories on The Second Mile Charity (where founder Jerry Sandusky recruited his victims of sexual-abuse).

-- Under close supervision, students will work in pairs, in four-person teams, or as a class.

-- Evaluations include each student’s weekly reporting journal, participation, quizzes and a final story (if up to professional standards), or a personal essay on the semester’s investigative process.
COMM190 Writing for the Mass Media (two sections)

-- Students learn basic reporting techniques across various media platforms.

-- Instruction combines text readings, workshops, in-class deadline writing, possible guest speakers, newspaper and video clips, plus lectures and critiques from my experience as a multi-media journalist.

-- Evaluations include workshops, in-class deadline writing, quizzes, participation and two news stories with multimedia “chunks,” intended for publication in the Eagle Eye student newspaper.

-- Students learn to craft a compelling speech, and to deliver it while controlling their fear of an audience.

-- Instruction includes text readings, workshops, quizzes, participation, print and YouTube links, plus input from my own public speaking (before groups, or as a local radio and TV sports host/guest).

-- Methods of delivery include impromptu, extemporaneous and manuscript.

-- Students will deliver acceptance, job interview, informative and/or persuasive speeches.

-- Evaluations include frequent speeches, individually or in small groups, plus quizzes and peer critiques.

-- Originated a course based on the Sandusky Scandal, which broke out of Lock Haven, Pa.

-- Instruction centered on the book Silent No More, Q&A class visits by major figures in the case, news reports, YouTube videos and personal anecdotes.

-- Students prepared questions and conducted in-class press conferences with:

-- Silent No More authors Aaron Fisher (Victim No.1), Dawn Daniels (his mom) and Mike Gillum (his psychologist).

-- Jessica Dersham, Fisher’s original caseworker at Clinton County Children and Youth Services.

-- Lori Shontz, senior editor for The Penn Stater alumni magazine, which covered the case.

-- Dr. Sharon Stringer, LHUP Communication Department, who attended the Sandusky trial.

* Students wrote a personal essay on the Fisher book and the joint visit by its three authors.

* Final evaluation involved group oral presentations on the interplay of sports, society and the media on the Sandusky Scandal.

-- Instructed students in past and present cases involving radio, TV, print and internet issues.

-- Instruction combined textbook, case law, guest speakers, YouTube clips and film.

-- Students wrote a legal analysis of the “Bag Men” Boston Bombing libel case.

-- Final evaluation involved group presentations that analyzed major cases in U.S. media law.

* COMM391 Sports Writing

-- Combined text, guest speakers, newspaper and video clips and intensive reporting, plus lectures and critiques from my own experience as a sports writer.

-- Students wrote six stories, with multimedia “chunks,” intended for the Eagle Eye student paper.

* COMM290 News Reporting

-- Combined text, guest speaker, newspaper and video clips and intensive reporting, plus lectures and critiques from my own experience as a multi-media journalist.

-- Students wrote six stories, with multimedia “chunks,” intended for the Eagle Eye student newspaper.

-- Instructed students in the art of enterprise journalism.

-- Viewed, analyzed and discussed 15 films, spanning a century of cinema from around the globe.

-- Supervised students in writing, editing, photographing and designing stories for student-run news site.

-- Focused on off-campus coverage of 2012 Elections; organized and led Presidential Debate Watch.

-- Prof. Practice: Instilled job-seeking skills, and the grit to deploy them, via a full Job Search Portfolio.

-- Prof. Ethics: Provided a framework (using populara films) to help students on the jobs they’ll land with their portfolios.

* COM286 Special Topics: Sports Journalism (Originated this course in Fall 2012))

-- Included six in-class “press conferences” with guest speakers, simulating real-world sports reporting.

-- Helped yearling reporters to conceive, report, write – and rewrite -- for student-run news outlets.

-- Instructed students in rudiments of news gathering, news writing, AP Style, impartiality

-- Introduced a different medium each week through a lively, multi-media approach.

-- Nudged students to: Beat the fear of public speaking, own the podium, have fun in spite of themselves.

-- Students work in groups of four, give seven speeches (in 15 weeks) and get no grades on first three.

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY, St. Louis, MO (2008)

Adjunct Professor, School of Communications

* Fundamentals of Reporting

-- Taught news writing through assignments, in-class exercises, guest-speaker interviews, personal tips.

* Taught infantry platoon tactics to Marine Corps, Army Airborne and Naval ROTC units.

-- Sports: Columnist (15 years), investigative reporter, beat reporter, features writer, copy editor.

-- News: Reporter, features writer.

* Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh PA (1982-84)

-- Sports: Investigative reporter, beat writer, features writer.

-- Sports: Investigative reporter, features writer, beat writer, section editor, page layout, copy editor.

* Major League Baseball: Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals.

* National Football League: Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Rams.

* National Hockey League: St. Louis Blues.

* College (men’s basketball and football): U. of Illinois, U. of Missouri, U. of Pittsburgh.
Major Events Covered

* Football: Super Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Big 12 Championship Game.

* Baseball: World Series, American League and National League Championship Series, Spring Training.

* Hockey: NHL Stanley Cup Finals, All-Star Game and Entry Draft; NCAA Frozen Four Championship.

* Basketball: NCAA Men’s Final Four, NBA playoffs, McDonald’s All-America Game.

* Boxing: World championship fights (Atlantic City, Las Vegas, St. Louis), U.S. Olympic Box-offs (Las Vegas).

* Other: PGA and Senior Open Golf Championships, NASCAR and Indy-car racing, 1994 Olympic Festival.
Impact Sports Coverage and Columns

* St. Louis Public High League investigation (2004-2007)

-- Exposed unsafe playing fields used by students in cash-strapped St. Louis Public Schools.

-- Inspired local businessmen to form non-profit PHL Inc., with over $4 million in donated upgrades.

* St. Louis Budweiser Guns ‘n’ Hoses charity boxing card (1988-2007)

-- Earliest media supporter of this amateur showdown between local police and firefighters and police.

-- With human interest and humor, helped turn a worthy little idea into a fund-raising behemoth.

-- This safety-first event has raised over $3 million for families of first-responders who died on duty.

-- Broke the story, defied media skepticism, served as the No.1 champion of this visionary civic group.

-- Nurtured its growth into a powerbroker of big events and economic impact to the region.

-- Sports Commission coups include NCAA Men’s Final Four, Women’s Final Four, Wrestling and Ice Hockey Championships; USA Figure Skating Championships; USA Gymnastics Championships.

-- Defied media skeptics to back the local Sports Commission’s bid for this mini- Olympics for U.S. athletes.

-- The event set a Festival record for attendance, turned a profit and was a model of regional cooperation.

-- Legacies: Construction of new venues, programs and opportunities for youth across the St. Louis region.

-- Key venues: St. Peters Rec-Plex (aquatics); Southern Illinois U.-Edwardsville stadium (track and field).

Notable Non-Sports Coverage

* The Great Flood (1993)

-- Slogged across our waterlogged region, from South St. Louis City to Portage des Sioux in St. Charles.

-- Focused on the morale-lifting pluck, and puckish humor, of everyday folks in the face of disaster.

* Pre-Flood (1992-93)

-- Numerous Page 1 and section-front stories while on temporary duty with the Metro Desk.

-- Original member of first morning-drive sports show (KASP 1380, first all-sports station in St. Louis).

-- Originated Sunday morning hockey show (KASP, with Bernie Federko, Hockey Hall of Famer)

-- Solo host of Sunday morning all-sports show (KTRS 550) and hockey show (KFNS 590).

-- Morning or afternoon drive-time sports reporter (KSHE 94.7, KYKY 98.1, KLOU 103.3, KASP)

-- Saturday morning sports reporter (WIL 92.3.)

-- Morning wake-up news shows on KTVI (Fox) and KMOV (CBS).

-- Sunday night sports shows on KSDK (NBC) and KPLR (WB).

* Hosted Sports Folks interview show on LUTV (2008-2012).

-- Show aired regionally on Charter cable.

-- Worked with Lindenwood U. student directors and crews.

-- Guests included Don King (boxing promoter), Tom Mee (director, Cardinals telecasts), Jim Hanifan (ex- NFL head coach), Lee Thomas (MLB exec), ex- players Tony Twist (Blues) and Brian Boehringer (Yankees).

-- Contributed news, features and analysis for largest U.S. sports website.

-- Beckett Baseball Magazine (plus Beckett Basketball, Football, Future Stars, Golf, Hockey)

-- Boy’s Life

-- ESPN The Magazine

-- The Hockey News (plus related yearbooks)

-- Lindy’s Football

-- Pro Football Weekly (College Preview)

-- The Sporting News (plus related football annuals)

-- St Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine

-- Duty stations included Quantico VA; Okinawa, Japan; Subic Bay, Philippines; Little Creek VA.

-- HQ communications platoon leader for Operation Twin Dragons in Pusan, South Korea.