A little over two years ago I received a call from two university professors from Chicago, Illinois. They were Judith R. Hiltner and James R. Walker. They informed me that they were starting to undertake a thorough and comprehensive biography of one of the most important people who ever lived in Columbus, Mississippi. They were referring to Walter Lanier “Red” Barber, the broadcasting legend.
In conjunction with their undertaking writing of this biography, they told me they wanted to come to Columbus for several days to meet its citizens and to view Red’s boyhood home.
The book has just been published by University of Nebraska Press. It is a delightful and compelling biography of this influential man. Bob Edwards, author of Fridays with Red: A Radio Friendship states, “at last a full biography of a legendary sports broadcasting pioneer.”
They were very gracious and appreciative of the reception and help provided by the citizens of Columbus. In the acknowledgements they state, “With true hospitality he arranged for us to meet during the weekend before Christmas 2019 with experts on Columbus and their town’s celebrated broadcaster: Dixie Butler, Nancy Carpenter, Birney Imes, Jerry Jones, Derek Rogers, Harry Sanders, Slim Smith, Mona Vance-Ali, Rufus Ward, and Chuck Yarborough. Glenn also gave us access to his personal file and a video of the Red Barber celebration. Mona Vance-Ali, archivist at Miss.’s Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System, provided access to files on Red Barber and directed us to documents that provided crucial insights into the Columbus that Red knew as a young boy.”
The first chapter entitled “Cultured Roots” is all about Columbus, Mississippi. There are several references to the Columbus, Mississippi Weekly Dispatch, Franklin Academy, Main Street Presbyterian Church, and a number of his boyhood experiences including his sweet dog “Yellow Fever.
With regard to present day Columbus, the authors tell us, “Today citizens of Columbus enjoy telling stories about the outstanding achievers born in their town, whose lives they have memorialized by planting memorial plaques in public spaces near the site of their childhood homes.”
Red Barber had many achievements during the course of his lifetime. In 1978 he and Mel Allen were the first broadcasters inducted into the broadcasters wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1984 he was part of the inaugural class of the American Sportscasters Hall of Fame. In 1995 he was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. In 1939 he broadcast the first major league baseball game on TV. Later on, he became the first announcer to broadcast an NFL game on TV.
There are a number of “Barberisms” which speak to aspects of a ballgame. A few of them are 1. “tearing up the pea patch” (team on a winning streak), 2. “sitting in the catbird seat” (a player or team playing exceptionally well), 3. “walking in the tall cotton” (success), 4. “slicker than boiled okra” (a ball hard to get a grip on), 5. “tighter than a new pair of shoes on a rainy day” (close game).
Curt Smith, famed broadcast writer, says of Barber, “the most resplendently talented announcer in baseball’s tide of times.” Bob Costas, 29 time Emmy Award winner, opines, “Barber at Brooklyn may have been the best ever.” Al Michaels, famed broadcaster, talks about the first game he attended with his father in 1949. As the result of seeing the great Dodger baseball players and listening to Red Barber, he looked back and said, there was “nothing like it before or since. It’s where I learned to love baseball and what got me into broadcasting.”
This wonderful biography is well worth your time and effort.
Glenn Lautzenhiser, Columbus
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
