Longtime AP sportswriter, editor Vin Cherwoo dies at 56

Vin Cherwoo, a longtime sportswriter and editor for The Associated Press who spent more than three decades with the news organization, has died. He was 56.

Cherwoo died early Friday in Tampa, Fla., following a long illness, his wife, Stacy, told the AP. He had been hospitalized since May.

Known as “Woo” to friends and colleagues, Cherwoo joined the AP in 1993 as a seasonal baseball dictationist before eventually becoming a fixture on the national sports desk. He worked as an editor and overnight supervisor while also covering several New York-area teams.

His coverage included the NHL’s Rangers, Islanders and Devils, MLB’s Yankees and Mets, along with the early years of the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

Cherwoo also served as president of the News Media Guild, Local 31222, after first being elected to the position in 2020 and reelected in 2024. He had served on the guild’s Executive Committee since the 1990s and helped negotiate several contracts with the AP.

Former AP Deputy Sports Editor Howie Rumberg remembered Cherwoo for both his personality and dedication to the job.

“He also loved working for AP Sports, the camaraderie, covering the Rangers and Islanders, and helping make sure stories were accurate and on the wire quickly,” Rumberg said.

Cherwoo was born in Kashmir, India, and moved to the United States with his family at age 6. He graduated from Binghamton University in 1992.

He is survived by his wife, Stacy, and parents Bal and Peggy Cherwoo.