Ken Purdy

1913–1972 · American automotive writer and editor

Kenneth William Purdy (1913–1972) was one of the most admired American automotive journalists of the mid-20th century, an editor at magazines including Parade, True and Argosy and author of the landmark motoring book Kings of the Road. He also wrote fiction, and it was in his 1957 short story “Blood Sport” that a race-driver character — modelled on Hemingway — first delivered the ‘three sports’ line. The motorsport press’s Ken Purdy Award for excellence is named in his honour.

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“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games”

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