Bay Bridge victim was prominent golf writer
The man who was killed Monday when he was thrown from the Bay Bridge in a bizarre traffic crash was a retired golf writer who covered Tiger Woods and some of the other most prominent names in the game for USA Today.
Harry Blauvelt, 70, of Chester on Kent Island (right) was pronounced dead at Anne Arundel Medical Center after he was pulled from the Chesapeake Bay late Monday morning. He was hit by his own vehicle, a 2001 Honda, when it was struck by an International truck as the car stood disabled in the right lane of the eastbound span. Blauvelt had left his car when it was struck and pushed into him, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.
It was apparently only the second time in the almost 60-year history of the bridge that a person went over the side as a result of an accident. Two other men who had been on the bridge Monday ended up in the water in separate incidents that were not traffic-related. One of them died.
Reid Cherner, Blauvelt's former editor at USA Today and now a reporter there, said Blauvelt retired seven or eight years ago after many years of covering the professional golf tour. His years on the beat coincides with Woods rise to prominence in the game.
"I don't think Tiger won a major without Harry being there," Cherner said.
Cherner remembers Blauvelt as a devotee of films, the TV program The Wire and Navy football.
"Harry was a man of tremendous passion," Cherner said. "When Harry got involved in something he really let you know."
Blauvelt leaves a wife, Ellen, of Kent Island.
Photo courtesy of USA Today
In an ironic twist, Blauvelt was quoted in late 2004 in the Annapolis Capital expressing concern about the Bay Bridge in a public meeting after the disclosure that the Maryland Transportation Authority had been forced to redo faulty paving of the bridge deck after cracks had been found in the new cement.
"Having to do this again is cruel and unusual punishment," said Blauvelt was quoted as saying.
Blauvelt expressed concern that authority officials were planning to continue testing the one lane that had not shown cracks in an effort to determine whether they could avoid repaving it.
"Are you doing this by trial and error ... shouldn't you have figured this out by now?" the Capital quoted Blauvelt as saying.
"Harry was not a fan of the bridge," Cherner said.
Categories: Maryland toll facilities
Comments
Harry Blauvelt was a talented sports writer who was a good friend to many. He was old-school brash and did not suffer fools or editors gladly. Rest in peace, my friend.
Posted by: Sal Ruibal | April 19, 2011 1:18 PM
There were several tragedies and this was one of them. My heart goes out to the families of all.
What I do not understand is how Mr. Blauvelt was struck by his own car? Presumably, protectively, he was standing at least 50 yards from his car?
Anything less than that would have made him vulnerable to the bumper car effect.
Unless th driver of the vehicle that hit him was doing well in excess of the speed limit and applied no brakes how could he have been struck by his own car- standing a very, very far distance away?
Posted by: Blauman | April 19, 2011 4:12 PM
Terrible. Bridges Are bad. The stuff of nightmares. Superstructures that make all shudder. They are unnatural very dangerous and whT happened yesterday is horrible
Posted by: Winston bufant | April 19, 2011 10:03 PM
I just cannot believe this tragedy! He was just sitting in my chair getting a haircut with his Caps jersey on ready to "Rock the Red"! He was such a fun person at the salon! We will miss him so much!
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