Peter Wallace inducted into Torrington Hall of fame

There was quick murmur then the clapping began. There would be more. At halftime there was a brief ceremony at midcourt marked by a few very short speeches and student athletes coming out on floor as part of the tribute to the (Torrington) Register Citizen’s long-time sportswriter. The scenario, an unusual reaction since reporters tend to arrive early, leave late and stay out of the way, leaving center stage for the game.

But the students and fans knew that Wallace had long bypassed the idea of the reporter who was just there to cover the game, get his interviews and statistics and skedaddle back to the office. He didn’t just cover the community, he had become part of the community, a valuable and much appreciated part of the tapestry of Torrington.

On that night eight years ago, it was a way of saying thanks after Wallace had unceremoniously been laid off from his job at the newspaper. (Note – he would be rehired a little more than a month later when the wisdom of the move took a hit.)

Torrington was losing not just a sports guy but a friend who sought out and brought to life the best sports stories of Torrington and the surrounding area. The moment of appreciation was a testament to the bond forged between the sportswriter and his community.

Now in his 26^th year, the 80-year-old Wallace continues to roll along, entertaining and informing the area with a loyal following for what he brings to the pages and internet. Sunday, April 27 at Green Woods Country Club the community will say thanks again in a more formal way when Wallace is inducted into the Torrington Hall of Fame

“Peter portrays us in the best light,” Torrington High athletic director Mike McKenna said. “I remember a few years back sitting down with Peter and he said he was really conflicted at how his newspaper was handling some of the issues we were having here. He wants to write the best things. Who doesn’t love it when Peter walks through the door. He is so positive with the kids and they like to talk to him. He is a positive light for the high school and the kids are comfortable with him.”

“There are three or four reporters over the years that you expect to see at games and Peter is one of those,” current Tri-State Baseball League MVP, Bethlehem Plowboys baseball player and former Thomaston High athlete Jon Wilson said. “He’s always there. He cares and the players know that.”

I have known Peter Wallace since he first walked through the area door in 1999. We stood on more sidelines and sat in more bleachers together than can be documented. We laughed, argued and met for lunch and breakfast. We have checked and shared information.

Peter’s eyesight isn’t great and I used to read him the basketball scorebook before we started taking pictures of it with our phones. He quickly noticed I have a hearing loss in my left ear and has always made sure he is on the right side and that I get the right information.

We have shared many of the same moments over more than a quarter of a century. I have witnessed the special relationship between the man and his community. It has been very cool to walk with him in our world.

Wallace’s love affair with community is easy to explain – the kids, the student athletes.

“It’s the kids that are the freshest. A pro athlete has answered any question you can think of 150 times for a kid it is special,” Wallace said. It’s his day to shine because he is being interviewed because he’s shown he’s special. I like that. And the more I’ve known coaches, the more I admire them. And because I am part of the community as a local writer, I have no interest in knocking my own community.”

Wallace takes delight in team and individual success. He enjoys the celebration of achievement. It is a special combination, people and performance and he loves the success part. It’s his community and as he says, “I want to do a story abut why you won, not why you lost.”

“I really like getting to know an interesting person for a feature and I have had many occasions,” Wallace said. “I think the secret is, if there is one, of both my feature writing and my part of the community is that I have a genuine interest in people. If I’m good at anything it’s that I’m good at relating to a wide variety of them and I think maybe that shines through in my interview subjects and maybe to a general degree in my reputation in the community. Basically, my stance is that I’m on your side so tell me about yourself.”

Wallace’s appeal is not limited to Torrington High School. He is an avid promoter of the Tri-State Baseball League among other sports activities he covers and his appeal Is equally evident to the players.

“Peter is one of the reasons we have grown as a league,” Tri-State Commissioner Ed Gadomski said. “The publicity and recognition he has given us has helped tremendously. Guys can’t wait to read his stories. He has an elegant way of grabbing attention. This year he did a preview on the upcoming season and used a lot more names than I did when posting my own preview on the web site. The guys love that. You can see his passion.” (*Wallace is also one of three writers in the Tri-State Hall of Fame.)

Wallace’s career as a sportswriter did not come in the usual work your way up path. The roots of the future were imbedded with a college English degree. But after that came Vietnam where he was an advisor to a Vietnamese battalion.

Survive then thrive – eventually.

He would go on to work in the public relations field in a variety of areas on the East Coast working for Equifax during which time he married and had two daughters. Here he experienced civilian burnout which may have contributed to his eventual joy of sports writing.

“There were endless battles for Equifax while fending off attacks from their newly discovered issue of “invasion of privacy” by credit bureaus,” Wallace recalled.

There were high points along the way, including three months with the Coast Guard writing a book about their services to the country and producing recruiting videos for the Air National Guard.

However, other draining issues prompted the idea of a career change. Hello sports world.

Wallace, whose father lived in Newington, found his way back to Connecticut in 1989 and began doing some freelance writing for Imprint News.

“They took me on even though they said I was not a sportswriter,” Wallace chuckles. “But they gave me stories and columns and told they would decide what was what. In the early days I proved I wasn’t a sportswriter. (ESPN boxing analyst) Brian `Soup’ Campbell told me once, ` that’s the first time I’ve seen a guy go 4-for-4 and not make the article.’ “

Wallace had, however, found his niche. “I think it’s innate,” Wallace said. My parents were both teachers and I wouldn’t let them use a word at the table that I didn’t know. Any multisyllabic word that had to tell me what it meant. “

Current Waterbury Republican sports editor Mike Barger was the top guy at the Register Citizen in 1999 and hired Wallace. The rest as they say is written history.

Wallace is in a good spot these days with a treasured 30-year relationship with partner and best friend Kathleen and close ties with his daughters Elizabeth and Kathryn and their families in North and South Carolina and brother; and with his older brother Don in Arizona.

He will go with his writing because what is better than success and people and telling their story.

Here’s another thought. The people of the Torrington area are also in a good spot these days. They have Peter Wallace.

Peter Wallace – Hall of Famer. A nice, deserving honor.