Celebrating a 50-year anniversary is actually reaching a milestone in life. During such an activity in sports journalism, Benny Pace has been most effective and got more and more ambitious. His priority has been to propagate the appeal and accessibility of the newspaper's sports section.
Over the years, Pace has been admired for his authoritative coverage. His articles were always considered amongst the most ambitious. This is a considerable claim because he writes about most sports, not only football. The expediency of the moment, normally decided the point.
His own publications
Benny Pace started sports journalism in football season 1957/58 when he launched the first-ever monthly ‘Soccer Magazine’, followed by the weekly ‘The Sporting Star’ (1960), the originators of the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ national contests.
He is the former sports editor of Il-Poplu (1958-1973), In-Nazzjon Taghna (1970-1985) and Il-Mument (1972-1985).
As a free-lance journalist, he serialised The first phase of sport in Malta (1912-1939) in The Malta Independent and is now serialising the M.F.A. league championships (1909 onwards) in ‘L-Orizzont’.
He was a regular contributor in the weekly magazines Sprint (1993-1996) and Prime Sport (2000).
New publications
He introduced the Waterpolo Favourites (1964), The Waterpolo Annual (1966), the History of Greyhound Racing in Malta (1934/37), Sliema Wanderers F.C. (1908/9 -1988/9), Gzira United (1963/64), Luqa St.Andrew's (1924-1968) and the M.F.R.A. 40th Anniversary (1989), the Referees’ Association’s publication The year of the referee (1986), Valletta St Paul’s Anniversary (1979-2004) and the F.I.F.A. world cup editions 1962, 1966, 1970) and the history of ‘Gambling in Maltese Sport’ (1987).
Benny Pace also edited the Valletta United waterpolo club official magazine (1993-1995), the Valletta F.C Lilywhites magazine (1994/5-1999/2000) and the various Valletta F.C. Official Souvenir Programmes in connection with the U.E.F.A. competitions.
He is still the main contributor to the ‘Football Year Book’ (1986/7-2006/7).
He produced daily sports programmes on Radio Calypso and Radio MAS. As a journalist, Benny Pace saw a good part of the sporting world, reporting on the Olympic Games (1960), the British Commonwealth Games (1970) and the Mediterranean Games (1970-1984).
He was the first journalist accompanying the national football team in the world cup, European and friendly matches (1970-1985). For several years he has been a member the MFA public relations and publications committee.
History of Maltese Sport
At present, Benny Pace is at the point of concluding a lifetime of painstaking research on ‘Maltese sport’. He is expected to launch the first volume (three volumes) in the very near future.
Overseas commitment
He also contributed regularly features on Maltese sport to various overseas publications, read by Maltese emigrants residing in Australia, Canada and USA.
Just criticism
During his journalistic career, there were times when Benny Pace had not been popular because his duty was to criticise. “Criticism is an important aspect in journalism, but I feel it was never unjust,” he says.
Obituaries
Benny Pace hates writing obituaries. “But, at times, I have to do it, most often these days. It is a sporting tribute to those faithful and outstanding sportsmen.”
Course in journalism
Benny Pace attended a two-year course in journalism, organised by the Extension Studies Board of the University of Malta (1975-1977) and another by the Association International De La Presse Sportive (1994).
Benny Pace is still enjoying an enviable spirit of optimism. A few weeks ago, the Sportswriters Association honoured him on reaching his 50th anniversary in sports journalism.