John Carroll University Athletics

Heaton was the Sports Editor for the Carroll News for four years at Carroll (1935-1938) as well as the Carillion in 1938. Also, during his senior year, he was the Sports Publicity Director for the Student Union.

Heaton was a renowned Cleveland sportswriter with the Cleveland Plain Dealer for over 50 years. He covered the Browns, Indians, and the local college scene. He also became known for his work on the "Plain Talk" column in the Plain Dealer sports pages.

Heaton first began writing as a city reporter for the Plain Dealer in 1942. In 1946, he accepted a job in the sports department and started covering the Browns in 1954. Heaton was one of the first electors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and served in that role for thirty years. In 1980, he was honored with the Pro Football HOF's prestigious Dick McCann Memorial Award, awarded to one journalist each year for a lifetime of excellence in football reporting. In 1990, he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was enshrined to the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame in 1992. He retired from The Plain Dealer in 1993. He was selected by Leroy Kelly to be his presenter when the famed Browns running back was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

As for athletics at John Carroll, Heaton had a three year career on the varsity tennis team. 

Heaton, who passed away in 2008, is also the father of famous actress Patricia Heaton, known for her work in Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle. His son, Michael, was known to Plain Dealer readers as the “Minister of Culture" for his great work in the PD.