Passages: Rob Schumacher, Longtime Arizona and Olympic Photographer, Age 62
One of the top sports photographers in the United States passed away recently. Rob Schumacher, who worked for the Arizona Republic and the USA TODAY network of papers, died on Sunday, May 17 at age 62. The cause of death was unknown, pending an autopsy. Schumacher is survived by wife Sheila, daughters Sara and Rachel and brother Jay.
Schumacher worked for the Republic for more than 35 years beginning in 1990, covering major sporting events including the Super Bowl, Masters golf tournament and the Olympics on numerous occasions. Swimming was among Schumacher’s main assignments at the Summer Olympics, and he provided visuals of some of the key moments in the sport’s history. His images appeared in outlets including Swimming World through a licensing agreement with USA TODAY.
Schumacher won numerous awards as a photojournalist, including from the Arizona Press Club, Associated Press Sports Editors, Arizona Newspapers Association and Best of the West. In 2020, he was honored as Arizona Photojournalist of the Year.
In an obituary published by his newspaper, colleagues and others Schumacher encountered during his years of photojournalism paid tribute to his abilities in his field as well as his personal traits.
Lilly King, Annie Lazor, Tatjana Schoenmaker & Kaylene Corbett after the women’s 200 breaststroke final at the Tokyo Olympics — Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports
Fellow Republic photographer John Samora said of Schumacher, “He was perfectly suited for his job as a news photographer because, just like with the sporting events, if it were a political event or a rally or a riot or whatever might have come down the pike, Rob wasn’t just there observing. He was anticipating. And he was a master at anticipating events.”
Mark Dalton, the senior vice president of media relations for the Arizona Cardinals: “”You’ve got to get that shot, whatever it might be. It’s aggressive and maybe, you know, not the most likable. And Rob certainly flew in the face of that. Thoughtful, borderline quiet … he always got it. The images and the product speaks for itself.”
Former Republic photographer Michael Chow: “I would catch him, before he took off for like an Olympic Games, he’d be studying the sport, studying which athlete, what they did when they celebrated, which way they turned. People don’t realize that, that it’s not just luck. You don’t show up with a pass and just say, ‘Hey, OK, there’s tip-off, let’s go.’”
Arizona State University sports information director Doug Tammaro: “When it was a big game, I was always glad when Rob was covering it.”
