You know him as “The Godfather.” That is an appropriate moniker for Dwight Jaynes (born November 13, 1947), a Portland newspaperman and multi-platform journalist, still revered for telling it like it is.
He is Rose City by birth, attended Cleveland High School and Portland State University, fortunate to have mentors who also have become members of this Hall of Fame, coaches Jack Dunn and Roy Love.
An early brush with journalism at a school newspaper was a spark. Dwight landed a job at the Oregon Journal as a young man. He flourished, again surrounded by mentors, this time Ken Wheeler, Bill Mulflur, and the great George Pasero.
After the merger of the Journal and Oregonian, Jaynes was handed the Trail Blazer beat in 1984 and ran with it like a pro. Dwight knew how to cultivate contacts and set the standard for working a pro sports beat. When an opportunity to write a column beckoned, Dwight became a must read, love him or hate him, he knew how to get a rise without resorting to hyperbole or sensation.
Jaynes’ NBA insight shows in two books he co-authored with Rick Adelman and long-time friend and collaborator Kerry Eggers. He was honored five times as Oregon Sportswriter of the Year.
Jaynes’ second act was a major step when he joined Pamplin Media as both editor of the Portland Tribune and talk show host on KPAM radio. Always a great guest, Dwight showed his chops on the hosting side of the mic.
He continued to appear in media on television, radio, and the web. His takes remain fresh, clean, lean, and mean. His sports DNA is pure Portland, and it still shows. His passion for baseball in this town is singular.
One of only a handful of journalists ever to be inducted in the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, his own story is still not completely written.