DES MOINES, Iowa — After 52 years at the Des Moines Register, sports reporter Randy Peterson called it a career this spring.
"I don't wake up in the morning anymore and say, 'oh my gosh, what am I going to write?' I don't do that, but I miss the work. I miss being around the people."
In five plus decades, Peterson covered pretty much any sport or team there was. His absence has left a void.
"I grew up reading him," said sports reporter Tommy Birch. "I know plenty of other people did, too, and it's still weird picking up a Des Moines Register sports section and not seeing a Randy Peterson byline in it."
Among his assignments was covering the Iowa Cubs for decades. The organization payed tribute by renaming the press box the "Randy Peterson Press Box."
Peterson was brought to tears in the surprise announcement. The press box honors his long career in that place.
"First of all, you've got to be a place where you want to be. And the Des Moines Register, being from Des Moines, that was my destination newspaper job. That was it. There aren't many people that have done it and there aren't many people that will do it going forward. I mean, because there's so many other avenues out there for a job like yours, a job like mine."
Peterson has left a legacy.
"He's seen it all," Birch said. "He's done it all. He's covered it all. If there's been a sporting event in Iowa, he not only knows about it, but covered you."
"There was quite a bit of reflection going on, and mostly about how lucky I've been, and how blessed I've been to do as much as I did in 52 years."