BOB RODRIGO (Rodney) – Passes away June 2015.

It is sad always to report the passing of one of our colleagues but in Bob Rodrigo’s case it is very disappointing only to learn of his passing more than two years ago.

And this was after emails to Bob’s address kept bouncing back unclaimed.  The AGW, however, was not alone as his passing seemingly was missed at first by the Mirror newspaper where he had worked.

Bob joined the AGW in 1963 so he was a member for some 52-years.

Bob Rodrigo – Born 1928 – Passed away June 29 2015, aged 87.

A Google search revealed the following below while he was the author of a close to a dozen books including the The Birdie Book:  A Miscellany of Golf.

Here is the tribute appearing on the Association of Mirror Pensioners website:-

Occasionally the old chums’ Mirror telegraph lets us down, and it’s sad to say that we heard only recently that author and Daily Mirror journalist BOB RODNEY (real name Robert Rodrigo) died on June 29 (2015), aged 87.

Bob was born in 1928 and enjoyed a long career, from 1946, as a reporter and sub-editor dealing with news and sport. In later years he was the manager of the Daily Mirror Punters Club. He was also a golf writer, PR, press officer, and author of 12 books. He devised the Daily Mirror Racing Diary which he continued to produce until 2011.

He was very proud of his longevity in journalism, and in tribute we are pleased to reproduce his story from Mirror Pensioner August, 2011. Under the headline “Am I the longest-serving man from the Mirror?” he asked:

DOES any current Mirror Pensioner have a longer association with the paper than I have?  From the time I was 12, I used to “assist” my father, also named Robert Rodrigo and also a user of the family pen-name of Bob Rodney. He was Newmarket correspondent (which meant, mostly, writing about racing) for a number of newspapers and agencies, including the Daily Mirror.

My job generally was to write different versions of stories he had unearthed, especially at the various bloodstock sales which took place regularly at Tattersalls Newmarket sales ring.

Three days after the Second World War broke out father joined the Army, and when it became clear that the “war wasn’t going to be over by Christmas”, I began to transmit some of the information which was still coming in from his sources.

Probably the best story I sent to the Mirror then was about the woman Army driver who managed to make contact with the string of horses trained by Frank Butters, and the injured Hyder Ali, which was the Aga Khan’s chief hope of winning the wartime Derby of that year.

In April 1946, when I was about to be called up for National Service, I wrote to the Mirror asking whether I might send them news items that weren’t contravening any laws. Luckily for me news editor Robert Connell replied he would “always be glad to consider them”.

Call it 73 years of working for the Mirror – as of this year – I have again provided the copy for the Daily Mirror Racing Diary.  – Robert Rodrigo (aka Bob Rodney)

Bob Rodigo books (1)

Tony Stenson writes –

I worked with Bob Rodney (real name Robert Rodrigo) at the Daily Mirror and at the time knew him well.

He was the Mirror’s golf writer before Ron Wills, and was also well known in the racing circles, where his father was a Newmarket correspondent.

Bob was author of many books and not just on golf or horse racing as he wrote books about how your life is dictated by the stars and bio-rhythms.

Some of more popular books included: The Birdie Book:  A Miscellany of Golf (1967) , the Berlin Airlift (1960), Search and Rescue (1958) and The Racing Game: A History of Flat Racing (Released 1st Jan, 1958).Bob writing his own tribute under the headline “Am I the longest-serving man from the Mirror?”

Gordon Richardson writes …

Bob Rodney seconded my nomination for AGW membership (Ron Heager proposed me) and we worked side by side for several years.  I remember he and I toured the catacombs in Rome together one wet World Cup day.

Very sad to hear belatedly of his passing…he was a larger than life character, not at all typical of Daily Mirror correspondents.  Ron Wills succeeded him as the Mirror golf correspondent.  Bob was very knowledgeable about horseracing, who normally addressed me as ‘my dear boy’.

See also – https://www.mirrorpensioners.co.uk/obituary/bob-rodney/