As reported on the New York Times website Monday, sports columnist Dave Anderson, announced his retirement after 41 years of service, but for fans of his crisp writing and sharp opinions, it's not a total loss, the Pulitzer winning columnist still plans to contribute about 18 columns throughout the year, mostly appearing on Sundays,  the paper announced. 
      The Troy N.Y. native first landed on the doorstep of the Times' in 1966, coming from the New York Journal American; a few years earlier--he reported for the Brooklyn Eagle before it folded in 1955.

   When asked to reflect on his long association with the veteran columnist, colleague, George Vecsey, said his ``favorite memory is Dave arranging an evening at John Madden's favorite Mexican restaurant in the hills behind Oakland somewhere, ordering up copious amounts of guacamole and margaritas and just sitting around telling stories.''
       ``Dave, Vecsey added, was as entertaining at the table as he was in print, at all our breakfast tables -- and I am sure he will continue to be a presence at both.''

      Even cross town rival, Vic Ziegel of the New York Daily News,   took off his gloves, when learning of Anderson's retirement, saying, ```Dave was always proud of covering the Dodgers for the Brooklyn Eagle. He once told me that he was the last writer to leave the Ebbets Field press box, and turned off the lights, when the Dodgers played their last game in Brooklyn in 1957. ‘’

      Ziegel, whose been offering opinions for the News since 1990, dug into his memory bank, when calling to mind  of Anderson, ``When he and Paul Zimmerman (then with the Post, now at SI) were both beat writers on the Jets, Paul said it was a great beat, except for those several times every season when he opened to Dave's story on the Jets, usually a scoop, or a terrific piece of writing, and wanted to cut his wrists. ''

      Though he hasn't totally left the building, the Times sports section will be a few words poorer without Anderson's biting analysis, but at least we can still dip into his rich archives, or better yet, check our local bookstore for the 21 books he authored.

      To borrow a Lazurus Long line ``Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.''

      Happy Trails Mr. Anderson
      -Bill Lucey
         billlucey@bellsouth.net