Overview
- The New York Post announced his death early Thursday at age 75 after an illness, and Daily Faceoff reported it followed a brief battle with cancer.
- Brooks spent 38 years at the Post, covered the Islanders and Rangers, served 10 years as the Devils’ communications chief, and launched the Sunday “Slap Shots” column in 1995.
- He received the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award in 2018, reflecting Hockey Hall of Fame recognition for distinguished hockey journalism.
- His reporting influenced league discourse, from labor coverage and scoops to coining Henrik Lundqvist’s nickname “The King,” with one anecdote describing a GM guarding a trade to avoid the Post.
- Colleagues, including beat partner Mollie Walker, praised his mentorship and said the Rangers beat will feel different, while remembrances also noted his well-known exchanges with John Tortorella and his surviving family.