On Feb. 16, 2008, Columbus, Mississippi, celebrated the centenary of one of its illustrious native sons, Walter Lanier “Red” Barber. Considered one of the seminal figures in sports broadcasting, Barber made his indelible mark as a radio play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Reds (1934-1938), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1939-1953) and the New York Yankees (1954-1966).From “the catbird seat,” the Ol’ Redhead called games for the Reds, Dodgers and Yankees using language he made famous, phrases like “tearin’ up the pea patch” and “I’ll be a suck-egg mule.”
Though there were many firsts throughout his storied career, perhaps none was more significant than the role Barber played in the integration of Major League baseball by Jackie Robinson. Barber told the story in his 1982 book: “1947: When All Hell Broke Loose in Baseball.”
In 1981, Barber, by then well into retirement, was introduced to a new generation of admirers by Bob Edwards, host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition. Each Friday for 12 years Red and the Colonel (as Barber dubbed Edwards) would chat about a wide range of topics.
Barber, the son of a school teacher and a railroad engineer, lived the first 10 years of his life in Columbus, Mississippi.
On the weekend of his centennial, Barber’s hometown will host a banquet featuring Edwards, and noted broadcast historian Curt Smith.
Also planned for that weekend is the dedication of a state historic marker near Barber’s first home in Columbus.
In this conversation, we speak with Curt Smith, author of “Voices of the Game”, the definitive work on baseball broadcasting ”, and with Glenn Lautzenhiser of Columbus, who as much as anyone, is responsible for making this unique event happen.
BTW, for additional information about the centennial, go to: http://www.rememberingredbarber.com/
Our on the subject can be found @ http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=58
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