END OF AN ERA: DONAHUE RESIGNS : IT’S QUITE A COMMEN-TERRY

Donahue was terribly up-tight about any in-depth looks by the media at him or his family. He understood the daily reporting needs and the one-shot criticisms, both pre- and postgame. But the long stories that attempted to delve into personalities scared him to death.

So when I assigned Tommy Bonk to do just such a piece on Donahue and his family a few years ago, it was as if I had sent Marv Goux over to his house for dinner.

Eventually, and grudgingly, he and his wife, Andrea cooperated and Bonk wrote his story. A few weeks later, after a game, I saw Donahue and he headed straight toward me. Thinking I was in trouble, I braced. Instead, Donahue was effusive in his praise and said, “Matter of fact, Andrea says she now loves Tommy Bonk.”

Then he stopped for a minute, frowned, and said, “I’m not sure that’s good.”