Sportswriter Frank Deford Dies at 78

Award-winning sports writer and commentator Frank Deford has died. He was 78.

His family says he died Sunday in Key West, Florida.

Deford was a six-time Sports Writer of the Year and a member of the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. He wrote with a lyrical elegance and was best known for his work at Sports Illustrated and on National Public Radio. He retired this month from NPR's "Morning Edition" after 37 years as a contributor.

He was the first sports writer awarded the National Humanities Medal. In 2013, President Barack Obama honored him for "transforming how we think about sports." Deford called the award the one he is most proud of.

Deford was a prolific book author and contributed commentaries to HBO's "Real Sports" program.