Chaz Scoggins was no athlete....

(Image taken from the Lowellsun.com)

Chaz Scoggins was no athlete, but his name is recognized by sports players and fans.

I “Couldn’t play, so write about it,” said Scoggins.

Scoggins, 62, has been working at the Lowell Sun for the last 41 years writing about sports and editing. He covers high school football games and UMass Lowell hockey. His main focus is writing about the Red Sox. The first game he covered was between the Red Sox and the Yankees in 1973. Baseball was a major part of Scoggins life, especially when he traveled with the Red Sox from 1977 to 1983.

“It’s a purely crazy lifestyle,” said Scoggins as he explained the hectic scrambling of getting everything done and going from city to city with the team. Scoggins felt disoriented and, at times, forgot where he was. Road trips mentally wore him and the players down. He would look forward to the end of the season, but then be bored out of his mind waiting for the next season. Although he did not want to continue this surreal lifestyle after 1983, it was the most fun he has had in his life.

In 2001 his first book, Bricks and Bats, was published, a non-fiction book about the history of major league baseball in Lowell. He has also written books about the Red Sox called Game of My Life: Red Sox and Tales from the Impossible Dream: Red Sox. With all the work he has done, games he has gone to, games he served as the official scorer, and first hand encounters with players, Scoggins is quite the expert on the Red Sox.

“Writing has to be a passion as much as a profession,” said Scoggins. He had wanted to be a teacher and ended up with a writing job accidentally. His work displays a passion for sports.

Scoggins plans to retire in 29 months, but he is working on getting a book called Goof Ball published. It is about baseball and conversations he overheard between players back in 1970.

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