Grand Old Man of National Press Club Dies at 98


 Ten days after he cut the ribbons at the National Press Club October 5 to dedicate a grandly renovated new lounge in his name, John Cosgrove, 98, the “Grand Old Man” of the NPC, passed away.  He was the club’s longest-living president.

Cosgrove began his work as a journalist with the Associated Press in 1937.  He had offices in the National Press Club building for the next 70 years.   For 20 of those years, Cosgrove was Director of Broadcasting Publications including Broadcasting Magazine, the weekly trade journal of the radio and television industry.  “In a day when there were only three major television channels, the broadcasting journals had significant influence,” Press Club members recalled.

For decades, Cosgrove was at the club almost daily. He was its president in January 1961, when John F. Kennedy was inaugurated President of the United States.  A few days later, Kennedy made a surprise visit to the club, located just two blocks from the White House. Cosgrove presented him with a membership card — as well as the membership bill, including the initiation fee.  Kennedy said he was honored to pay.

Cosgrove was admired for his extensive memories of the people and the events that shaped the more than 100-year-old organization, which takes up the two top floors at 14th and F Streets NW. The infamous cards room — that hosted late late night card games between journalists and presidents in a time when they could just drop by — was renovated and renamed the “John Cosgrove’s Members Lounge.”

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