Grab That Torch

Dave Kyle and 2011 Big Heart Award winner Gay Haldeman.

Dave Kyle and 2011 Big Heart Award winner Gay Haldeman.

By John Hertz: We’re all still staggered by the death of Dave Kyle.

Of course the rest goes on. Stories are written, illustrated, published; and fanzines; conventions are organized (hmm, maybe not the right word) and put on (hmm); clubs meet; collectors hunt and gather. We lend each other a hand.

Dave did all these. He was one of our first and best.

Among other things he administered the Big Heart Award after Forry Ackerman stepped down.  The Award is not given posthumously; it was promptly given to Forry – Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? It had been given to Dave in 1973.

Forrest J Ackerman receiving Big Heart Award in 2006.

Forrest J Ackerman receiving Big Heart Award in 2006.

Some things are better arranged while one is still alive. Dave and others had agreed who would follow him. When he passed away he was succeeded by Steve Francis (Big Heart, 2001). This arrangement had the additional benefit that Steve was estopped from crying out in the crisis Non sum dignus as he or anyone might feel.

So one of us has taken the torch. How are you doing?


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4 thoughts on “Grab That Torch

  1. I already have too much to do, and too few spoons with which to do it, but I promise to keep the Legend of Dave Kyle alive (oh, he’d have hated being called a Legend) with my few remembrances of The Man In The Red Jacket.

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