Review of "The Broadcasters," by Red Barber
Review of
The Broadcasters,
by Red Barber
Four out of five stars
A history of the people that broadcasted sports
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.
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