George Pasero
Post-High School Career
George Pasero was a legendary sports journalist who spent several decades covering the Pacific Northwest sports landscape. Known for his humility, fairness and deep commitment to Oregon, Pasero defined sports reporting in Oregon for generations.
While Pasero famously covered major events such as 37 consecutive Rose Bowls, his true passion was grassroots local athletics. As the longtime sports editor for The Oregon Journal and a columnist for The Oregonian, he treated local high school sports with the same integrity and enthusiasm as major professional games. He spent decades covering the Portland Interscholastic League, dedicating his popular daily column, “Pasero Says,” to highlighting local student-athletes and coaches.
By working “24 hours a day” to shine a spotlight on Portland’s high school gyms and fields, he helped elevate the prestige of the PIL and permanently shaped the city’s sports community. Following his graduation from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and his World War II service in the U.S. Navy, Pasero led The Oregon Journal’s sports department from 1956 to 1982. His immense impact on local sports earned him induction into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
Enjoy the George Pasero tribute video below.
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