Duncan was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1968, almost two decades before the team moved to Indianapolis. According to the official account of his death, he entered the Lancaster, SC, police station on the morning of October 20, 1972. Police said Duncan, 26, walked behind a lieutenant and, without saying a word, pulled the policeman’s revolver out of its holster, stepped back and shot himself in the head. For half a century, his family and an entire community sought answers.
Duncan was an NFL star as a man of initial return and defense for the Baltimore Colts. He led the league in early return yards in 1970, and in the same season helped bring the Colts to the Super Bowl title. Two years later, authorities say, Duncan died of suicide at the police station in his small hometown of Lancaster, SC “Return Man” is based on the account of Bret McCormick, former McClatchy’s sports editor Rock Hill, SC news agency, The Herald. In addition to the podcast, The Herald created a series of texts in seven parts and a short documentary on the case.
“Although he died almost 50 years ago, Duncan’s death and the events that followed remain relevant in light of current events,” said McCormick, who also chronicles all eight half-hour episodes. “The authorities seemed to block any hope of finding out exactly what happened that day. And for decades, the remarkable life and perplexed death of Lancaster’s only the Super Bowl champion was almost completely erased from the city’s history. “
And, there was never any charge of transgression.
“This investigation represents a significant investment for our small but ambitious newsroom, while demonstrating the power and importance of local journalism,” said Cliff Harrington, Executive Editor of The Herald. “Bret’s dogged determination and perseverance are emblematic of the way The Herald has proudly served our community for nearly 150 years.”
“The depth of the report featured in ‘Return Man’ is what makes this podcast and the ‘Longshot’ series so powerful,” he said. Kristin Roberts, Senior Vice President of McClatchy, News. “The listener hears directly from Mr. Duncan’s family, his coaches and his neighbors. We hear his voices telling the stories of his life. And through them, we take a journey that struggles with the big unanswered questions surrounding a man’s death. who was a local hero and a national athlete. We look forward to working with iHeartMedia to bring this important local story to listeners across the country. “
“This is an exciting collaboration with one of the country’s leading local media companies, which has a rich history of excellent narrative journalism,” he said. Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “This is one of the things that podcasting does best: long narrative around complex and layered subjects that may have left our collective radar. We are excited to collaborate with McClatchy to bring ‘Return Man’ and the ‘Longshot anthology’ ‘for podcast listeners across the country. “
“Return Man” is the first season of a new anthology of audio documentaries directed by characters co-produced by iHeartRadio and McClatchy, called “Longshot”. The series focuses exclusively on the intersection of sports and social change.
Listeners can visit iHeart.com/apps to download the iHeartRadio app and listen to “Return Man” on their favorite devices. In addition, fans can follow “Return Man” to be notified when new episodes are posted.
About iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month – and with its quarter billion billion monthly listeners, it has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. The company’s leading position in audio spans multiple platforms, including more than 850 live broadcast stations in more than 160 markets across the country; through its digital service iHeartRadio, available on more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; through its influencers; Social; iconic branded live music events; other digital products and newsletters; and podcasts as # 1 commercial podcast editor. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analysis, targeting and attribution to its marketing partners with its SmartAudio product, using data from its huge consumer base. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more information about the company.
About McClatchy
We help people and communities to prosper. Through our deep-rooted commitment to the role of local journalism, McClatchy is a catalyst for informed engagement, greater understanding and deeper connections with the community. We ensure the delivery of essential news and information to improve people’s lives and improve the 30 distinct communities that house our journalists and iconic brands, including the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News and Observer and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. We extend our reach, relevance and unique local and regional resources to our advertising partners through fully integrated marketing solutions. Let’s go up together.
About The Herald
The Herald is the main source of local news for York, Lancaster and Chester counties in South Carolina. The Herald dates back more than 100 years and was based on Rock hill all this time. It all started in 1872 as a weekly newspaper called The Lantern. The Herald became part of McClatchy in 1990. The publication’s consistent focus has been on local news as it caters to the rapidly growing city of Rock hill and neighboring cities of Fort Mill, Indigenous Land, Lancaster and Chester. Today’s subscribers can support the print edition of The Herald six days a week or its online publication at heraldonline.com.
Contacts:
iHeartMedia
Jenn Powers
[email protected]
McClatchy
Jeanne Segal
[email protected]
202-271-8880
SOURCE McClatchy
Related Links
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