Figuratively speaking, most careers start from the ground up. Terry Pluto’s is an exception. His — literally — started from the ground up.
The Northeast Ohio native and Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com (and former Akron Beacon Journal) sports and faith writer/columnist and author of more than 30 sports and faith books, says his writing career began soon after being flattened by a teammate during a football practice as a 110-lb. freshman at Cleveland’s Benedictine High School.
Pluto wrote an article about that experience for the school paper. When he saw his classmates reading and enjoying his story, he knew he wanted to be a writer. He already knew he wasn’t going to be an athlete.
Today, at 66, Pluto has been recognized for his work with two Associated Press Sports Editors awards and more than 50 state and local sports writing awards. But it’s the special sports moments witnessed — and lessons learned along the way — that he cherishes most.
Career Highlights
“Two moments, in particular, stand out because of what they meant to the readers and the City of Cleveland,” says Pluto. “The first is when the crafty veteran pitcher, Dennis Martinez, outdueled Randy Johnson of the Mariners in Game Six of the American League Championship Series in ’95 to send the Indians to their first World Series since 1954. Having been born in 1955, I, along with so many fans, knew the significance of this game. It was just fun to be a part of that.”
The second special sports moment? That would be Game Seven of the 2016 NBA Finals when the Cavs came back from a 3-to-1 deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors.
“Because it was a West Coast game, I had about 18 minutes to write the story after the game ended. I had two versions going — one with the Cavs losing and the other with them winning. I remember thinking that I had to get the score (93-89) right. And I remember seeing the Cleveland fans, who somehow got tickets, chanting “Let’s go, Cavs” as the Warriors faithful filed out of the Oracle arena. It was fun seeing Cleveland fans take over an opposition’s venue. Another thing I recall is that while we live in the ‘Internet Age,’ we sold 536,000 copies of the next day’s Plain Dealer,” with the “Believe It!” headline and a photograph of an emotional LeBron James with his teammates and the trophy.
As for lessons learned along the way, Pluto says his writing is more concise now than it was as a young reporter: “I learned a while ago that you’re either writing for yourself or your readers. I write to be read.”
Another lesson that he readily passes along to fans: “Never let the millionaires (athletes) ruin your day. Sports is a diversion from everyday life.”
For those fans troubled by the Indians’ organization’s recent name-change decision (Guardians in 2022), Pluto says, “If that’s the thing that upsets you most during the course of the day, then that’s a good day.”
God-Focused
Pluto also credits his faith for a tactical change in his writing. “Several years ago, while caring for my dad before he passed, I came to the realization that when writing a sports story, my faith calls for me to criticize the action and not the person. Someone can make a dumb trade, but that doesn’t make him an idiot. The Lord helped me to see that.”
What the Lord helps Pluto to see in his own life and through his readers’ experiences are subjects of his weekly Faith and You columns, which began appearing in the Akron Beacon Journal in 2000 and are now found on the first page of the Plain Dealer’s Sunday Metro section.
“I value and appreciate the willingness of readers to open their hearts and trust me with their personal stories,” Pluto says. “People who don’t attend church or synagogue will write to say that they find the columns interesting. I think that’s God tugging at their hearts.”
In addition to his words, Pluto uses actions to share his faith with others. For 20 years, he led Bible studies at the Summit County Jail and now participates in worship services at Akron’s Haven of Rest Ministries for the homeless with his wife, Roberta, and friends Steve Haley and Gloria Williams. “We’re giving comfort to the hurting.”
Pluto credits, in part, what he learned as an education major with his ability to speak before groups — whether it’s about God or sports. “Though not in the classroom, I’ve really been teaching for 25 years in the form of jail ministry, Haven of Rest services and public appearances. In fact, I could substitute-teach tomorrow or take additional courses to become a fully certified teacher.”
That’s unlikely, Pluto quickly adds. “I’d rather have something to write about rather than having to talk about writing.”
Joe Jancsurak’s favorite Terry Pluto moment came several years ago when Pluto accepted his invitation to speak at a men’s breakfast at Western Reserve Grace church in Macedonia, where he shared his passion for sports, writing and God, as he so often does at venues throughout Northeast Ohio.
