Creator Of MLB's "Save" Rule Holtzman Dies At 81

July 22, 2008 6:28 a.m. EST

Chicago, IL (AHN) - Chicago sportswriter and baseball historian Jerome Holtzman died Saturday at 81, following a long illness.

Holtzman, known as "The Dean" for his baseball knowledge, penned six baseball books, including some used as classroom texts.

Holtzman was a baseball writer for the Chicago Tribune until 1998, spending three decades in the newspaper business. He was then hired by MLB commissioner Bud Selig as baseball's official historian.

Holtzman had a keen eye for the game, even creating the "save" rule in 1966, a statistic crediting relievers for finishing games.

It marked the first statistical change to the game in more than three decades and illustrated the greatness of closers like Lee Smith of the Cubs and Mariano Rivera of the Yankees, to name just two pitchers.