FORMER The Daily Advertiser sports reporter Tony Munro has died after a short illness, aged 52.
Mr Munro worked at the DA in the early 1980s covering a range of sports, including cricket and basketball.
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack worked alongside Mr Munro at the newspaper and said his colleague loved sport and writing about it, and was very good at his craft.
A former Wagga High School student, Mr Munro was living in Sydney at the time of his death on Saturday in the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Mr McCormack noted Mr Munro provided cricket statistics to publications, such as Wisden, about non-Test-playing countries.
“He gave them a voice, a platform, so their stories could be told,” Mr McCormack said.
“He loved statistics, whether it be cricket or his beloved Cronulla Sharks.”
Mr Munro was also a big supporter of the Randwick Rugby Club in Sydney.
Mr Munro was the son of Bernice and the late Don Munro.
He is survived by his mother, sisters Debbie and Elizabeth and brother Scott.
Mr Munro worked for ESPNcricinfo in Sydney for a time.
In a tribute to Mr Munro, Peter Della Penna from ESPNcricinfo said on the publication’s website that Mr Munro was spectacular at finding stories about cricket and low-profile locations such as the Falkland Islands or Nauru.
Mr Munro was born with dwarfism and his brother, Scott, told ESPNcricinfo that while the condition and health problems – including a stroke in 2008 – made things hard for his brother he carried on.
“It was very hard for him, but he loved sports journalism and what he did was with some great difficulty,” Scott Munro said.
Mr Munro said there was a synergy between Mr Munro’s dwarfism and his looking after the smaller cricket nations.
“It was embedded in his psyche,” Mr Munro told ESPNcricinfo.
At the time of his death, Mr Munro was journal editor of Short Statured People of Australia.
A post on Mr Munro’s Facebook site by the journal said: “Tony will always be remembered for his quick wit, great sense of humor and his ability to just let you chew his ear off and listen.
“Tony was our friend, always caring and generous.
“He was often two steps ahead with his humor and could have people in fits of laughter for hours.
“Tony’s contribution to the SSPA, particularly in his most recent years as Journal Editor, will forever be gratefully acknowledged.
“Tony worked tirelessly on producing a valuable resource for all members to enjoy.”
A Service of Thanksgiving for Mr Munro will be held on Wednesday (April 27) in the Magnolia Chapel at the Macquarie Park Cemetery in Sydney at 12pm.
Article link: http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/3871507/former-advertiser-reporter-tony-munro-dies-aged-52/