C. Walter (Mickey) McCarty

1971

Mickey McCarty was born May 30, 1891 in Washington, Indiana where his father was mayor for 21 years. He decided to become a newspaperman while writing high school notes for his hometown newspaper. Mickey attended Indiana University and majored in journalism and eventually became the editor-in-chief of The Indiana Daily Student, the oldest campus publication in America.

In 1914 he started working on The Indianapolis News staff as a police reporter and in 1926 became the city editor. He was later appointed assistant managing editor and was named managing editor in 1934. While he was assistant managing editor he helped The News staff win the Pulitzer Prize in journalism. McCarty worked to establish The News as “The A Paper,” a term he coined.

In 1944 Mickey was promoted to president and publisher of The News and president of WIBC, its radio station. He served these positions until the December 1, 1948 merger of The Indianapolis News and The Indianapolis Star. He then became executive editor of The News and shortly thereafter started his daily column.

“Mickey McCarty Says” was the column that he used to campaign for such issues as an underground parking lot under University Park and for fixing Memorial Day on the last Sunday of May.

Mickey served as a member of the Indiana University Board of Trustees from 1945 until 1962. He received the University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award June 13, 1965.
March 8, 1965 the Indianapolis Press Club awarded Mickey its “Newspaperman of the Year” citation at the Front Page Ball.

He was widely sought after as a toastmaster and was said to enliven any gathering with his collection of anecdotes. More than once he had to turn down offers to run for mayor from both political parties.

Following graduation from Indiana University he served a short period with the Indiana bureau of the Associated Press. Mickey was married to his wife Nora and had a daughter Mrs. James (Sheila) Johnson and two grandchildren, James Robert and Deborah. He died June 23, 1965.