Remembering Marty Mac; Supporting Beverly and Phil

ORIGINAL POST (5/21/20): On May 20, 2020 we lost someone who had a gift of presence that always seemed to make our worlds just a little bit brighter. We will miss his humor, his honesty and his selflessness, but most of all we will miss his extremely foul mouth ;  )

Marty “F#&*KIN” Mac.  Thank you for the memories — they will forever remain in our hearts. We love you — and your loved ones.

Martin Phillip McNeal was born on in Harlem on September 7, 1955 to Ethel McNeal Thornton and Chalmers McNeal.

After graduating from Hampton University with degree in Political Science (1977), Marty took a job as the first African American sports beat writer in the metro Dallas area for the Times Herald, where he also met his future wife Beverly.

In 1990 they moved to California where they started a family — son Phillip (born October 5, 1990  — and he took a job with the Sacramento Bee; covering the city’s beloved NBA Kings for the next 15 years.

I met Marty in Orlando in 1991 while working as the Asst. PR guy for the Magic. In 1992 I was heading to Cali as the PR Director for those same Kings -- coincidence? Think not? I became one of four African American PR Directors in all of pro sports. Thank you Marty.

Little did I realize the significance at the time as I was too busy enjoying the opportunity to work with -- and learn from -- the best in the biz, who also took me in as family. He was always very proud of me, and for me.

Marty was a life-long Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Jets fan, and an avid participant of tennis, baseball/softball, and of course basketball. He really enjoyed sharing his love of people, sports and dogs with his only son. 

Marty battled against diabetes and leukemia in his final days. He and Beverly — his wife of 30 years — had recently retired to her hometown Sherman, Texas shortly before that fight became a daily struggle.

Phil asked me to make sure to let everyone know “how much my dad loved taking me to sporting events all over the country. I especially loved going to Kings games with my mom only to find that Uncle Travis had forgotten to leave the tickets"

Such fond memories!!!!

Marty is survived by sister Deborah Todd (NYC), son Phillip Malik (Sacramento) and wife Beverly McNeal  (Sherman, TX). Of course we all know of the NBA legacy/brotherhood of journalists, players, coaches, executives and arena workers across the country that he also leaves behind. 

RIP Marty Mac