Sports Writer Charles "Charlie" J. Rayman 1933—2018

Charles "Charlie" J. Rayman, 84, of Rockford passed away Saturday, January 13, 2018, at Presence St. Anne Center. Born April 16, 1933,  Charlie attended the University of Maryland, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Journalism. He was a sports reporter, starting his career for the Baltimore Sun and writing later for the Rockford Register Star, retiring in 1998.

Rayman covered the Orioles for the Baltimore Sun before behind hired as the baseball writer at the Washington Star shortly before the Star folded. That's when he was hired by the Register Star. Rayman's main sports beats over the years at the Register Star included Rock Valley College, bowling and softball.

Charlie Rayman wasn't so much a sports writer at the Rockford Register Star as he was a sports "character."

"He was a real character both inside and outside the office," Randy Ruef, former longtime sports editor of the Register Star, said of Rayman.

He'd wear plaid shorts, knee-high black socks and sandals. You could always see him chewing on his pen, walking around carrying 10 pounds of newspapers with information for his fantasy baseball leagues. He was a fast talker. You add the look, the talk, the newspapers, the black socks, all those things combined  made him so unique.

Attribution: Matt Trowbridge rrstar.com
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