The Broadcasters

by Red Barber

Ships immediately satisfaction guaranteed

Genres: Baseball

Paperback

First published July 12, 2000

Reviews

[Oliver Hodson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not every day you get a memoir where the writer not only pulls no punches, but delights in delivering a quick three punch combo on every one involved. The classic combo is introduce person and give praise. Qualify it, talk about how they died (weird!) and then talk about a flaw they had or how you were better than them.

It doesn't feel dishonest, and I thought for a while it was bitterness, but it's not the right word. It is kind of like Barber felt like he was such an expert that he was both able and duty bound to tell it like it is, and that comes through in several anecdotes centred around Judge Landis' injunction for broadcasters to report -only report, not editorialise- baseball.

I read this on the back of my interest in baseball and sports writing, and for someone so deep down that rabbit hole it was worth it. As a memoir it is exceptional in that voice describe above- there is no schmaltzy genre-driven magnanimity here. That won't be enough to interest most current - day readers though. This is definitely for the die hards.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walter Lanier “Red” Barber’s first broadcast was in 1930 for the University of Florida’s radio station WRUF. He was a last second replacement for an agricultural professor, so he was forced to take the mike and read the paper, “Certain Aspects of Bovine Obstetrics.” In other words, the birthing process of cattle. Even though the beginning was accidental and unexciting, Barber was hooked and decided to make radio his career.
Over thirty years later, he announced his last major league baseball game and ended what was a remarkable career. His final game was in 1966 and over that time, Barber interacted with all of the major league stars and the most prominent managers. Since he is most known for his career covering baseball, few know that he also called many football games.
This book is part autobiography and a history of the development of radio and television coverage of sporting events. Barber covers many of the early techniques used to report on games and the other early pioneers of what was a revolution in sports. As difficult as it is to believe now, given the multi-billion dollar media contracts for sporting events but there was a time when the leaders of franchises refused to allow radio and television coverage of their games. Barber covers this as well as other foolish decisions made by sports executives.
This book is not a riveting description of the history of sports broadcasting. Barber generally uses the style of a dispassionate reporter in relating what is a history of the early changes in sports and technical progress that made the enormous modern earnings and salaries possible.