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He really is a know-it-all

The sports knowledge of Howie Schwab

By TOM JONES
Published March 28, 2007

He's the sultan of sports trivia, the man who might know more about sports than any human alive. St. John's graduate Howie Schwab was the editor-in-chief of College & Pro Football News Weekly when a little sports network named ESPN called him up in 1987 and offered him a job as the network's first researcher. His mind-boggling knowledge of little-known sports facts made him a legend around ESPN, so much so that the network gave him his own show: Stump the Schwab, a half-hour trivia quiz show where three contestants battle it out for the right to face Schwab in a one-on-one showdown. As well as the game show, Schwab continues to do research for ESPN. Recently, Schwab, with his George Costanza wallet that holds ticket stubs to Big East basketball games from 20 years ago (as well as a stub from a Ringo Starr concert from the first date with his wife in 1989), sat down with Times staff writer Tom Jones.

How do you know everything that you know?

I've loved sports all my life, and I've been at ESPN almost 20 years. So, for me, it's just a matter of having fun. I enjoy it, but believe me, I don't know everything.

But it is amazing what you know.

The three questions I always get are, "Where did ESPN find you?" I always say sitting in my office. The second one is, "Do they feed you the answers?" And I say, "No, they only feed me lunch and dinner." Trust me, they don't need another Game Show scandal. And the other one is, "Don't you ever lose?" Actually, my record is 64-16.

64-16?

In Year One, (former ESPN executive) Mark Shapiro, who founded the show, said, "You should never give your record away." I said, "What's the difference?" When I win, I win, and when I lose, I lose. The best thing I did was take the attitude, "Hey, if I lose, I lose. Big deal."

But there has to be some pressure involved because if you lose too much, then there is no show because stumping the Schwab would be no big deal.

The only time I've ever felt pressure was the very last show of this past season. And I killed the guy. I don't know, it turned out to be a layup for me. This guy had beaten me twice, and I wasn't scared, but I was really psyched up.

You do get fired up sometimes.

There was this one guy who was an (expletive). What you don't see on TV is they do introductions, and this guy comes out and makes a gesture at me, and I thought he gave me the finger. I said, "What the hell is that? This is a game show. What are you doing?" So I was (ticked). And I figured out after that he was trying to get me off my game, and he did.

That shows what a big deal it is for some people to beat you.

Everybody wants to stump me. People come up and say, "What shoe size was so-and-so in 1941?" I'm like, "Got me." See, I don't know everything.

How often do people just come up to you on the street and start quizzing you?

All the time. All the time. The funniest one: After the first year, I was so sick. It was pouring (rain) and I went to the pharmacy, and I just want to get my prescription and go home. This guy literally sprints after me in the parking lot, yelling, "Hey, Schwab, I can stump you." I try to be nice, "Hi, sir, how are you?" He asked me some question about pitchers hitting home runs, and I don't even remember the question. I guessed one guy and it was another. Made the guy's day. But that's fine. People enjoy it, and I enjoy it, too.

Any one question come up all the time?

Yeah: Who is the last switch-hitter to win the American League MVP? It's a trick question because it's Vida Blue, who was a pitcher. But I've heard it a million times.

Do you have buddies who call you at all hours to settle a bet or a discussion?

I get some of the that. Guys at work will e-mail me when they're having an argument or discussion. "Hey, what school did so-and-so go to" and so forth.

You were ESPN's first researcher. What were the early days like?

Back then, you didn't have the Internet to call up box scores. You literally had to get the box scores out of the paper and do all the stats yourself. You had to go through record books and all that. Back then, it took you a half a day to do what now takes five minutes.

What's your daily routine like now?

When I'm back home, I get up and go through all the newspapers on the Internet. I put together story ideas for SportsCenter and ESPNews. All sports. Soccer, which I do a lot of for ESPN International. NASCAR. I probably read 100 or so news articles, then I put together a list of things we should be looking for. Then I work a lot with Dick Vitale on college basketball. I do stuff for the ESPY Awards. So, a little bit of everything.

What's your favorite sport?

College hoops. I went to St. John's. I was there in the Chris Mullin days.

Some would say you have the best job in the world.

How can I go wrong? I'm working in sports. I get paid. I live 25 minutes from work. What is there to complain about? It's sports. It's fun. Yeah, the world of sports has changed. Let's be real. Salaries, guys being bad guys. But games are still games. I get to watch sports. I'd do it at home even if it wasn't my job. And here I am getting paid to do it.

Do you ever get tired of sports?

Never. My wife wants to kill me half the time.

Where did you meet her?

Dating service. We're married 16 years now. On our first date, I took her to a Ringo Starr concert. She goes home and tells her dad, "Nice guy. Took me to dinner. Went to see Ringo Starr. Seems like a really nice guy." Her dad says, "Where does he work?" She said, "Some place called ESPN. What's ESPN?" Her dad is like, "Alriiiiight!"

Is she a sports fan?

No. She loves college basketball and she loves UConn. She's okay with the Yankees and baseball. Hates football. And that's too damn bad because I get Direct Ticket and watch all the games.

All the games?

That's my life. That's what I do.

[Last modified March 27, 2007, 23:05:12]