Indiana University Indianapolis Department of Journalism and Public Relations.
About Chris Lamb
I’m a professor of journalism at Indiana University – Indianapolis. I am an author, historian, lecturer, satirist, and columnist. I’m the author of 12 books – most of them are about are about sports, race, and the media. My latest book is Stolen Dreams: The 1955 Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars and Little League Baseball’s Civil War (April 2022).Before becoming a college professor, I worked for newspapers and magazines. Since becoming a professor, I’ve written about 250 articles and columns for such publications as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, The Nation, The Undefeated, Sports Illustrated, Los Angeles Times, Salon, ESPN.com, and New Republic.com.
MY LIFE
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change? My DNA.
What do you own that’s old and has no value, but you can’t throw it away? My Nobel Peace Prize.
What teacher had the greatest impact on you? Miss O’Bryant. My second-grade teacher made me stand in the trash can because I held my pencil the wrong way and she put me in the special education class because I stuttered. (I owe my self-image to Miss O’Bryant).
Have you done anything that’s made the world a better place? I played a pivotal part in the M&M Mars Co. bringing back red M&Ms in 1988 a decade after the company had removed them following a scare over red dye being carcinogenic. You’re welcome, America.
What’s your greatest achievement? I invented the vowel “u.”
What is that few people know about you? I’m the crown prince of Brunei Darussalam.
Do you belong to any clubs or organizations? I belong to the fraternal order of Slappys, a group of guys who go to baseball games and Bruce Springsteen concerts . . . but rarely at the same time.
What’s your favorite quote? “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.” (Groucho Marx)
If you died and went to hell, what would you expect to see? Fox News on all the television channels, conservative talk radio on all the radio stations, and there would be no libraries or bookstores.
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