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Green — who started at the Associated Press in Detroit in the 1950s and joined The Detroit News in the 1960s — seemed destined to go into sports. He attended the same prep school as future Lions owner William Clay Ford, and the same college, Brown University, as future Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. He grew up playing sports in New York, too, though, it was pretty clear he'd make a better writer than a player.
Jeffrey Citrin told a story of when Green was third-string on his junior varsity football team, and on game day, came down with a nasty flu. Green didn't want anyone to notice he was missing, so he sent younger sister Glenna, then 13, in his place, wearing his uniform, pants and helmet.
"After the game concluded, it belatedly occurred to young Jerry that there had been a risk that even third-stringers might be brought into the game," Jeffrey said. "So he sheepishly asked his 13-year-old sister, who was riding the bench that whole game, what she would've done if the coach had instructed her to jump onto the field. To Jerry's pride, and to Jerry's horror, mom replied, of course she would've run onto the field. A sibling rivalry, indeed."
Glenna Citrin wasn't able to attend the funeral in person, so she watched a livestream — fitting for Green, who kept up with the technology; he was a prolific texter, and had an iPhone — and sent a message, delivered by Jeffrey.
The siblings hadn't seen each other in person in some time, but frequently emailed and texted. Green, an 11-time Michigan sportswriter of the year, would send along his latest columns in The Detroit News.
"Jerry, I will miss your letters," Glenna said, through Jeffrey. "I miss you greatly. You were a gift to so many people."
There were lots of former colleagues at Wednesday's funeral, from both Detroit dailies. Former Tiger Dan Petry was in attendance, paying respects to a reporter who was more than that to him. When Petry first moved into Green's beloved Grosse Pointes, Green took Petry to lunch so they could go over the best places for Petry to eat.
Green's casket was flanked by elegant bouquets of flowers, as well as a 13-fold American flag, remembering his service in the Navy, and a Michigan football jersey, from his day in 2021 as an honorary captain.
He was interred at White Chapel Cemetary in Troy.
"We want to thank God for the gift of life for Jerry," said Deacon Michael Stach, of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Troy. "He has touched so many lives, by his writings, his journalism…and emotionally.
"I know he probably would love to get the Lions to the Super Bowl. It didn't happen, but hey…there's hope."
Gage, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame who like Green also is in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, recalled several stories about life on the road with Green. Once, in the Caribbean, Green rented a boat and set sail, figuring with his Navy experience, it would be no sweat. The boat capsized. He was rescued by a couple who he just so happened to see at dinner that night. He went up and thanked them, and said, "I'm such a klutz." The woman responded, "Our last name is Klutz."
Gage interrupted his eulogy to take a "phone call" from Green — complete with the five-second delay on the other end when answering, a staple of Green calls for years (and nobody knows why).
"You haven't seen Joe Falls yet?" Gage asked, speaking of Green's longtime colleague — and fellow sports columnist — at The News. "Well, I'll tell you this, Jerry, you'll probably hear him before you see him."
"No, no, no, no, no, don't put Sparky (Anderson) on the phone," Gage said, of the Tigers' legendary late manager, drawing laughs in the funeral home. "He won't stop talking. But tell him hello."
"You're up there with a lot of good friends, I know that."
Gage then told the story about how he and Green came to always tell each other, "Hum baby!" That was a phrase introduced to them by Roger Craig, the Tigers' pitching coach in the 1980s. Craig used it as a hello, and also as a way to pump up his players.
Eventually, for Gage and Green, "Hum baby" not only became a hello, but also a farewell.
"And I want to say to you, Jerry, my dear friend, this is the last time I will say it to you," Gage said.
"Hum baby."
tpaul@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tonypaul1984
Jeffrey Citrin told a story of when Green was third-string on his junior varsity football team, and on game day, came down with a nasty flu. Green didn't want anyone to notice he was missing, so he sent younger sister Glenna, then 13, in his place, wearing his uniform, pants and helmet.
"After the game concluded, it belatedly occurred to young Jerry that there had been a risk that even third-stringers might be brought into the game," Jeffrey said. "So he sheepishly asked his 13-year-old sister, who was riding the bench that whole game, what she would've done if the coach had instructed her to jump onto the field. To Jerry's pride, and to Jerry's horror, mom replied, of course she would've run onto the field. A sibling rivalry, indeed."
Glenna Citrin wasn't able to attend the funeral in person, so she watched a livestream — fitting for Green, who kept up with the technology; he was a prolific texter, and had an iPhone — and sent a message, delivered by Jeffrey.
The siblings hadn't seen each other in person in some time, but frequently emailed and texted. Green, an 11-time Michigan sportswriter of the year, would send along his latest columns in The Detroit News.
"Jerry, I will miss your letters," Glenna said, through Jeffrey. "I miss you greatly. You were a gift to so many people."
There were lots of former colleagues at Wednesday's funeral, from both Detroit dailies. Former Tiger Dan Petry was in attendance, paying respects to a reporter who was more than that to him. When Petry first moved into Green's beloved Grosse Pointes, Green took Petry to lunch so they could go over the best places for Petry to eat.
Green's casket was flanked by elegant bouquets of flowers, as well as a 13-fold American flag, remembering his service in the Navy, and a Michigan football jersey, from his day in 2021 as an honorary captain.
He was interred at White Chapel Cemetary in Troy.
"We want to thank God for the gift of life for Jerry," said Deacon Michael Stach, of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Troy. "He has touched so many lives, by his writings, his journalism…and emotionally.
"I know he probably would love to get the Lions to the Super Bowl. It didn't happen, but hey…there's hope."
Gage, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame who like Green also is in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, recalled several stories about life on the road with Green. Once, in the Caribbean, Green rented a boat and set sail, figuring with his Navy experience, it would be no sweat. The boat capsized. He was rescued by a couple who he just so happened to see at dinner that night. He went up and thanked them, and said, "I'm such a klutz." The woman responded, "Our last name is Klutz."
Gage interrupted his eulogy to take a "phone call" from Green — complete with the five-second delay on the other end when answering, a staple of Green calls for years (and nobody knows why).
"You haven't seen Joe Falls yet?" Gage asked, speaking of Green's longtime colleague — and fellow sports columnist — at The News. "Well, I'll tell you this, Jerry, you'll probably hear him before you see him."
"No, no, no, no, no, don't put Sparky (Anderson) on the phone," Gage said, of the Tigers' legendary late manager, drawing laughs in the funeral home. "He won't stop talking. But tell him hello."
"You're up there with a lot of good friends, I know that."
Gage then told the story about how he and Green came to always tell each other, "Hum baby!" That was a phrase introduced to them by Roger Craig, the Tigers' pitching coach in the 1980s. Craig used it as a hello, and also as a way to pump up his players.
Eventually, for Gage and Green, "Hum baby" not only became a hello, but also a farewell.
"And I want to say to you, Jerry, my dear friend, this is the last time I will say it to you," Gage said.
"Hum baby."
tpaul@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tonypaul1984
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