Iconic St. Louis photographer Bill Greenblatt dies at 70
William “Bill” Greenblatt was a familiar face to anyone who went to an event that he covered as a photographer. He worked for multiple governors (five in Missouri and two in Illinois), mayors, and numerous public agencies across the bi-state region over the decades.
ST. LOUIS – William “Bill” Greenblatt was a familiar face to anyone who went to an event that he covered as a photographer. He worked for multiple governors (five in Missouri and two in Illinois), mayors, and numerous public agencies across the bi-state region over the decades.
Family and friends are remembering Greenblatt’s selflessness and dedication to his craft Sunday following news of his passing.
The decorated photographer for United Press International died Sunday while surrounded by his wife and children. Greenblatt was 70.
A graduate of Ladue Horton Watkins High School, Greenblatt went on to study education, music, and journalism at the University of Missouri.
A former disc jockey at KSHE Radio, Greenblatt became widely known for his work in photography and wound up making a career of it. A career measured through countless photographs over multiple decades. At nearly any major news and sporting event you could think of, Greenblatt was there with his camera.
And many of those photos would become iconic.
During Sunday’s outpouring of support on social media, one user called Greenblatt “a St. Louis institution.”
Missouri Governor-elect Mike Kehoe offered his condolences to Greenblatt’s family in a public statement.
“Incredibly sad to hear of the passing of William Greenblatt today — a talented photographer who spent his career capturing St. Louis and the heroes of the St. Louis Fire Department,” Kehoe said on social media. “Claudia and I are proud to call Bill a friend. Our prayers are with his family and friends.”
In 2021, Greenblatt became the first photographer enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, recognized Greenblatt in 1991 for a photo of a home plate collision between Cardinals centerfielder Ray Lankford and Darren Daulton of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Greenblatt was a recipient of the Jim Otis Award from the Lombardo Chapter of the National Football Hall of Fame.
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