Robert Hamilton Boyle Jr. (August 21, 1928 – May 19, 2017) was an environmental activist, conservationist, book author, journalist and former senior writer for Sports Illustrated. In 1966, Boyle founded the Hudson River Fishermen's Association (HRFA) with its members serving as sentries to protect the river and its inhabitants, help reverse the deterioration caused by river pollution, and bring polluters to justice. The organization grew over the years, and in 1986, was officially renamed Riverkeeper after being merged with HRFA's Riverkeeper program. It was the first "keeper" group in the global Waterkeeper Alliance movement. As senior writer, Boyle took full advantage of Sports Illustrated to attract public attention to various conservation and environmental concerns, including the substantial fish kills resulting from the thermal discharge water of power plants, and the effects of acid rain. He was one of the first journalists to report on the methyl mercury, DDT and PCB contamination of saltwater fish when, in October 1970, he wrote Poison Roams Our Coastal Seas. His research and hands-on activism were crucial to the first litigation in a federal court case titled Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission that resulted in judgments and substantial fines against water polluters. In recognition of his work over the years, Boyle received the 1981 Communicator of the Year award from the National Wildlife Federation. Early life, education, and military service Boyle was born in Brooklyn, New York to Robert Sr. and Elizabeth (Coundouris) Boyle, then residents of Park Slope, but he actually grew up in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan where he nurtured his love for fishing. During his boyhood in the 1940s, he attended boarding school in Highland Falls, and spent his free time fishing and developing what would become his lifelong affinity with the Hudson River. Boyle received his B.A. in history from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut in 1949, and furthered his education to earn his M.A. in history and international affairs from Yale University. He served in the United States Marine Corps in the Atlantic Fleet during the Korean War, achieving the rank of second lieutenant. He then briefly attended Trinity College in Dublin and the Universitat de Barcelona in Spain, where he also enjoyed a stint as a professional baseball player. Career and activism In 1953, Boyle returned to the US and began his career as a writer for the United Press. In September 1954, he