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Red Barber: The Life and Legacy of a Broadcasting Legend
2023 SABR Baseball Research Award
A Booklist Top 10 Sports & Recreation Book
Finalist for the 2023 Seymour Medal
Finalist for the 2022 CASEY Award
Born and raised in rural Mississippi and the even balmier climes of central Florida, Red Barber, at the age of thirty-two, became one of New York City’s most influential citizens as the play-by-play announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When he arrived in 1939, Barber brought the down-home drawl and idioms of his southern roots to the borough, where residents said they could walk down any street and never miss a pitch because his voice wafted out of every window and every passing car. From his colorful expressions like “rhubarb” and “sitting in the catbird seat” to his vivid use of similes—a close game was “tighter than a new pair of shoes on a rainy day”—Barber’s influence on his contemporaries and the many generations of broadcasters who followed him cannot be overstated. But behind all the base hits, balls, and strikes lies a compelling story that dramatizes the shifting expectations and roles of a public figure—the sports broadcaster—as he adapted to complex cultural changes throughout the course of twentieth-century American life.
Red Barber follows the trajectory of Barber's long career from radio and television play-by-play man for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Yankees to his work calling college and professional football games, his nine-year tenure as director of sports for CBS Radio, and his second acts as an Episcopal lay reader, sportswriter, and weekly guest with Bob Edwards on NPR’s Morning Edition . This talented public figure was also a private man committed to rigorous self-examination and willing to evolve and grow under the influence of changing times. When the Dodgers first signed Jackie Robinson and smashed the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Barber struggled to overcome the racism he had absorbed from his culture as a child. But after observing the vicious abuse Robinson endured from opposing fans, Barber became an ardent supporter of him and the many Black players who followed. Barber was also bothered deeply by the strains that his single-minded careerism imposed on his family. He was challenged to navigate longtime family tensions after his only child, Sarah, came out as a lesbian. And his primary role during the later years of his life was caretaking for his wife, Lylah, during her decline from Alzheimer’s disease, at a time when the ailment was something many families concealed.
Ultimately Red Barber traces the career of a true radio and television pioneer who was committed to the civic responsibility of mass media. Barber firmly believed the most important role of a broadcaster was telling the truth and promoting public well-being.
A Booklist Top 10 Sports & Recreation Book
Finalist for the 2023 Seymour Medal
Finalist for the 2022 CASEY Award
Born and raised in rural Mississippi and the even balmier climes of central Florida, Red Barber, at the age of thirty-two, became one of New York City’s most influential citizens as the play-by-play announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When he arrived in 1939, Barber brought the down-home drawl and idioms of his southern roots to the borough, where residents said they could walk down any street and never miss a pitch because his voice wafted out of every window and every passing car. From his colorful expressions like “rhubarb” and “sitting in the catbird seat” to his vivid use of similes—a close game was “tighter than a new pair of shoes on a rainy day”—Barber’s influence on his contemporaries and the many generations of broadcasters who followed him cannot be overstated. But behind all the base hits, balls, and strikes lies a compelling story that dramatizes the shifting expectations and roles of a public figure—the sports broadcaster—as he adapted to complex cultural changes throughout the course of twentieth-century American life.
Red Barber follows the trajectory of Barber's long career from radio and television play-by-play man for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Yankees to his work calling college and professional football games, his nine-year tenure as director of sports for CBS Radio, and his second acts as an Episcopal lay reader, sportswriter, and weekly guest with Bob Edwards on NPR’s Morning Edition . This talented public figure was also a private man committed to rigorous self-examination and willing to evolve and grow under the influence of changing times. When the Dodgers first signed Jackie Robinson and smashed the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Barber struggled to overcome the racism he had absorbed from his culture as a child. But after observing the vicious abuse Robinson endured from opposing fans, Barber became an ardent supporter of him and the many Black players who followed. Barber was also bothered deeply by the strains that his single-minded careerism imposed on his family. He was challenged to navigate longtime family tensions after his only child, Sarah, came out as a lesbian. And his primary role during the later years of his life was caretaking for his wife, Lylah, during her decline from Alzheimer’s disease, at a time when the ailment was something many families concealed.
Ultimately Red Barber traces the career of a true radio and television pioneer who was committed to the civic responsibility of mass media. Barber firmly believed the most important role of a broadcaster was telling the truth and promoting public well-being.
544 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2022
12 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 21, 2024
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August 14, 2022
In the 1940’s and 1950’s when baseball was at the height of its popularity in New York City, people associated with the city’s three teams were celebrated as much as anyone else. Red Barber, who was the play-by-play commentator for the Brooklyn Dodgers through a good portion of this “Golden Age” of New York baseball, was one of those people. He not only had a good career in broadcasting, but he also had an interesting life outside baseball and his complete biography has been written by Judith Hiltner and James Walker.
No matter what part of Barber’s life interests a reader, painstaking detail went into writing about what shaped Barber into the person that he would become during that time. It starts with his upbringing in the southern United States. Born in Columbus, Mississippi and later moving to Sanford, Florida, Barber saw how Black people were held to different standards than white people and it would later shape his professional career when Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball.
From his upbringing, the book shifts to his broadcasting career and the values that he brought to the broadcasting booth. Barber always felt that he was more of a reporter whose objective was to tell the listeners what was happening on the field more than anything else. This was his style whether he was doing work for the Cincinnati Reds, his first job with a Major League Club, the Dodgers, or later for the New York Yankees. His ending with the latter two teams were both painful and he was not happy with the ownership teams at the time of his departure.
Through it all, the book reads very well as the reader will learn much about Barber the broadcaster. One of the better sections on this time in his life was how his catchphrase “sitting in the catbird seat.” The book also talks about what he did to promote not only baseball, but other worthy endeavors. Blood donation during World War II was a passionate cause for Barber – just one of many examples of how the authors brought the complete picture of Barber into view for readers.
This is also true for Barber’s life outside of baseball, whether his personal life or his other endeavors. The latter included shows on National Public Radio (NPR) and writing books, most notably on the thrilling 1947 World Series. The former takes a very detailed look at not only his long marriage to his wife Lylah, but also how he and Lylah reacted when their only child, Sarah, came out as gay. Again, just two examples of the painstaking detail and complete research that the authors of this book did to give the reader one of the best looks into the life of one of the most legendary baseball broadcasters.
Barber’s full name was Walter Lanier Barber and the start of the prologue of the book is a great way to summarize the scope of the book, this review and Red’s life. There are “three consistent threads of Barber’s personality with his name: Walter, the ambitious achiever; Lanier, the humanist; and Red, the lively performer.”
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
No matter what part of Barber’s life interests a reader, painstaking detail went into writing about what shaped Barber into the person that he would become during that time. It starts with his upbringing in the southern United States. Born in Columbus, Mississippi and later moving to Sanford, Florida, Barber saw how Black people were held to different standards than white people and it would later shape his professional career when Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball.
From his upbringing, the book shifts to his broadcasting career and the values that he brought to the broadcasting booth. Barber always felt that he was more of a reporter whose objective was to tell the listeners what was happening on the field more than anything else. This was his style whether he was doing work for the Cincinnati Reds, his first job with a Major League Club, the Dodgers, or later for the New York Yankees. His ending with the latter two teams were both painful and he was not happy with the ownership teams at the time of his departure.
Through it all, the book reads very well as the reader will learn much about Barber the broadcaster. One of the better sections on this time in his life was how his catchphrase “sitting in the catbird seat.” The book also talks about what he did to promote not only baseball, but other worthy endeavors. Blood donation during World War II was a passionate cause for Barber – just one of many examples of how the authors brought the complete picture of Barber into view for readers.
This is also true for Barber’s life outside of baseball, whether his personal life or his other endeavors. The latter included shows on National Public Radio (NPR) and writing books, most notably on the thrilling 1947 World Series. The former takes a very detailed look at not only his long marriage to his wife Lylah, but also how he and Lylah reacted when their only child, Sarah, came out as gay. Again, just two examples of the painstaking detail and complete research that the authors of this book did to give the reader one of the best looks into the life of one of the most legendary baseball broadcasters.
Barber’s full name was Walter Lanier Barber and the start of the prologue of the book is a great way to summarize the scope of the book, this review and Red’s life. There are “three consistent threads of Barber’s personality with his name: Walter, the ambitious achiever; Lanier, the humanist; and Red, the lively performer.”
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
March 28, 2022
This is a thorough and thoughtful look at the life of a broadcaster who played a significant role in establishing the profession. Barber was the voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers during the Branch Rickey/Jackie Robinson era, transitioned to television with the Yankees at the height of the Mantle/Maris/Ford/Berra juggernaut, and then found new life as an author, Episcopal preacher, and regular guest on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” This is a well written and well documented look at the life and legend of an iconic, public, and complicated man. Excellent read.
May 22, 2022
A delightful and informative book. It presented so many interesting stories about his life in general and broadcasting career. My own baseball "daze" began in 1950 as a Phillies fan in Philly. Red's cat bird seat was the perfect perch to share his stories as he kept the focus solely on the game he was broadcasting.
~Gene T
~Gene T
July 22, 2025
This biography hit right in the middle for me but I’m rounding up to compensate for some of my own biases. The main bias being my dislike of overly technical sports commentary, review, and analysis. All sports can fall into this trap, but baseball seems particularly susceptible. The stats and long history are endlessly fascinating to many fans, but for others like me feel borderline irrelevant to the execution of the game itself. This book certainly got bogged down by long game reviews and sections so packed with facts that it lost momentum.
I didn’t know much about Red Barber and was excited to learn more about his front row “catbird seat” to so many important historical moments, however. He was the announcer for the first night game in baseball, Jackie Robinson’s first game, the first televised baseball game, etc. His innovations and skill in broadcasting have influenced so much of the future of announcing, as the authors skillful show. I was also interested to learn about his history with announcing for college football games (including Ohio State and Notre Dame games) and eventually other sporting events like the Olympics. His philanthropic work also chronicles major cultural shifts of the 20th century.
History lovers, baseball fans, and sports lovers can all get something from this thorough and thoughtful biography.
I didn’t know much about Red Barber and was excited to learn more about his front row “catbird seat” to so many important historical moments, however. He was the announcer for the first night game in baseball, Jackie Robinson’s first game, the first televised baseball game, etc. His innovations and skill in broadcasting have influenced so much of the future of announcing, as the authors skillful show. I was also interested to learn about his history with announcing for college football games (including Ohio State and Notre Dame games) and eventually other sporting events like the Olympics. His philanthropic work also chronicles major cultural shifts of the 20th century.
History lovers, baseball fans, and sports lovers can all get something from this thorough and thoughtful biography.
August 14, 2022
Although not an easy read, this is an excellent Bio of Barber. The authors bring forth many insights to Barber's life of which many readers are not aware. I would highly recommend as the writers are able to weave in the happenings of the day with Barber's life.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews