John Devaney
John Devaney was an American writer born in 1926 in New York City, known for his contributions to sports and historical literature. After serving in World War II, where he wrote for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, he transitioned to a career in publishing. He earned a bachelor's degree from New York University in 1949 and began working for Science Illustrated. Devaney held the position of medical editor at Quick before joining Parade Sunday magazine as a sports editor in 1955. His freelance writing career flourished in the 1960s, during which he authored numerous sports biographies for young adults, featuring prominent athletes like Bo Jackson and Bobby Orr. Additionally, he penned comprehensive sports histories, including works on the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup. In the 1990s, he focused on a five-book series about World War II aimed at young readers. John Devaney passed away in 1994, leaving behind a legacy in sports and historical writing.
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Subject Terms
John Devaney
Writer
- Born: March 15, 1926
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: May 25, 1994
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
John Devaney was born in 1926 in New York City, the son of an engineer. He joined the army in 1944, and while serving in World War II he wrote sports stories for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. After two years, Devaney left the military and began working for Science Illustrated. He graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in 1949. In 1952, Devaney became the medical editor of the publication Quick, a position he held for two years.
In 1955, Devaney married graphics designer Barbara Masciocchi, with whom he had two sons. That same year, Devaney joined the staff of Parade Sunday magazine as a sports editor. In 1961, he became a freelance writer, specializing in sports writing. He wrote many sports biographies for young adults, including books about Bo Jackson, Bobby Orr, and Juan Marichal. He also wrote sports history books for adults and young adults, such as Super Bowl! (1971), The Stanley Cup: A Complete Pictorial History (1975), and The World Series: A Complete Pictorial History (1976).
In addition to his sports writing, Devaney wrote about national and world figures, including young adult biographies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Adolf Hitler. In 1991, he began publishing a five-book young adult series about World War II. The first book in the series was America Goes to War: 1941 (1991), and the final book, America Triumphs: 1945, was published posthumously in 1995. Devaney died in 1994 in New York City.