Joseph Wore Tennis Shoes

Dale Kovar recounts his 50-year career working at weekly newspapers, weaving together reprints of original news articles, interesting feature stories, pointed opinion columns, and colorful anecdotes.

Step into a time when truth mattered, small towns bustled, and local newspapers were the heartbeat of Minnesota’s Main Streets. Joseph Wore Tennis Shoes: Stories From Small Town Journalism is not your typical media memoir. It’s a deeply human journey through decades of headlines, deadlines, and stories that stuck long after the ink dried. It’s a joyride, not an ego trip.

Showcasing his best writing in a variety of styles and spanning numerous topics, Kovar covers his ups and downs in the news industry with notes of lessons learned and personal ties to people and places. A fierce advocate for free speech, Kovar holds nothing back in criticizing the big media and government for their shortcomings. Throughout, his strong Christian faith is on display.

From the top of a water tower to an upside down gymnast; from a day in kindergarten to a state political convention; from a six-overtime basketball game to an April Fool’s front page; from getting burned by a phony letter to the editor to an actual office fire.

It’s real people, real towns, and real moments – told with sharp wit, deep compassion, and a little mischief. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be challenged to think for yourself. In a time when truth feels negotiable, this book reminds us what it looks like to care – intensely – about getting it right. Rediscover a world where the stories may be small . . . but the heart behind them is anything but.

Author Biography

Dale Kovar began writing a sports column for his hometown newspaper while he was in high school. After college and a newspaper-specific training course, he entered the field full-time at Minnesota weekly newspapers and hasn’t left. He progressed through various roles of newspaper work – reporter, editor, graphic design, general manager – including 20 years as a minority owner.Kovar has won numerous awards for writing, photography, and advertising. He is a fierce advocate for free speech, and many of his writings implore people to think for themselves. In 2025, Kovar was inducted into the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s Half Century Club. A film journalist since 1991, Tim Lammers has done thousands of interviews with major actors, filmmakers, and composers. As a syndicated entertainment writer, Tim’s work has been carried on dozens of TV network affiliate websites across the U.S. by Nexstar Digital.He reviews films weekly on “The Tom Barnard Show” (streaming, Hubbard Broadcasting) and the “Adam & Jordana” show (WCCO-AM) in Minneapolis-St. Paul, as well as “It Matters with Kelly Cordes” on WJON-AM and 103.7-FM The Loon, both in St. Cloud. He is also a weekly guest on the podcasts “The Tom Barnard Show” and “The BS Show” (with Bob Sansevere).