MAY 2026

"A Radio Friendship for the Ages"

Red Barber & Bob Edwards

By Rev Protodeacon George A. Haloulakos

Hall of Fame Baseball player Jackie Robinson once said that "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."  Robinson emphasized that the true measure of a life is not self-glory or personal gain but rather the positive influence one has on others. This statement is especially true when examining the role that Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster Red Barber had in helping to shape Jackie Robinson's life story for a national audience showing Robinson to be a symbol of honor, dignity and perseverance.  Barber recognized Robinson's strength of character along with his broad impact in breaking down societal barriers -- notably the color barrier in Major League Baseball -- that would forever alter the game and America.  Barber's baseball broadcasts were warm and respectful while serving as a template for objective reporting.  Bob Edwards, in his book Fridays With Red, observed that "He [Barber] never said the word 'black' or 'brown' or 'Negro' or 'colored.' He just said 'Robinson' in the same way he would say 'Stanky,' 'Reiser' or 'Casey.' Robinson was just another infielder."  Both Robinson and Barber affirmed that each helped the other in professional, personal and spiritual terms.  Barber's baseball broadcasting career (Cincinnati Reds 1934-38, Brooklyn Dodgers 1939-53 and then the New York Yankees until his retirement in 1966) offers a unique prism to view baseball and American history as communications technology (radio and television) altered the landscape of the nation.  During this period it was noted that a person could walk up-and-down the various New York City neighborhood streets and never miss a pitch as Barber's Southern accented voice seemed to emanate from every residence and business throughout the great metropolis.

But what catapulted Barber from legendary voice of the game to a national icon (and finding a whole new listening audience) was his professional broadcasting renaissance through his collaborative work with NPR (National Public Radio) host Bob Edwards that aired every Friday morning from 1981 till Barber's passing in 1992.  Edwards, a Peabody Award-winning member of the National Radio Hall of Fame, teamed up with Barber for a weekly four-minute conversation beginning New Year's Day 1981 that spanned over 600 Fridays until Barber's passing October 22, 1992.  While sports was a recurring topic, what made this program so universally popular was how the conversations would invariably move into a wide variety of subjects including but not limited to cats, gardening (especially Camelias), passages of Holy Scripture (usually Psalms), music, books, plays and so forth.  Barber was extraordinarily knowledgeable on these subjects and was able to weave a historical perspective into most if not all of his conversations with Edwards.  Moreover Barber was able to produce what we would term as a seamless stream of consciousness in a clear, concise manner that fit nicely into the four-minute time slot!  One such example cited by Edwards occurred in 1984 as Barber went from Geraldine Ferraro to Mary, Queen of Scots to golf to French cadets to caddies to Scotland to St. Andrews to the British Open with time to spare!

A special hook-up was installed in Barber's Tallahassee, Florida residence so that he and Edwards (based in the NPR Washington DC studio) could have their weekly four-minute conversation broadcast live!  The technology and gentlemanly style of both radio professionals made it seem as if it was a simple conversation between two friends seated in the same room!  Over the ensuing years, listeners would hear Barber describe the antics of his pet cats playing in his garden while learning about the habits of felines and the nuances of the flora surrounding his home.  Barber was a lay reader in the Episcopal Church and his frequent references to passages of Holy Scripture were integrated into his weekly conversations in a manner that showed him to be spiritual rather than religious.  As such, and given his objective reportorial style, people from all walks of life and religious denominations enjoyed Barber's wisdom, historical perspective and ability to create imagery for his audience.  In this new venue, Barber was still having a positive influence on others as he did in his baseball broadcasting career.

In today's age of endless chatter via seemingly innumerable digital media outlets, the radio friendship of Red Barber and Bob Edwards is a testimonial to the art of conversation (with clarity and concision) while informing, educating and ultimately inspiring the listenership to find meaning in life's special moments.  If you are interested in learning more about this unique memorable radio friendship here are two books that I strongly recommend.  (1) Fridays With Red - A Radio Friendship, by Bob Edwards and (2) Rhubarb in the Catbird Seat, by Red Barber and Robert Creamer, Afterword by Bob Edwards.  Also a careful search via the Internet will yield various taped segments of several of the original weekly broadcasts featuring Barber and Edwards.  As one who was a faithful listener to this program for 8+ years, I think Baby Boomers will really enjoy this unique look back at history through being a part of a wonderful conversation that remains forever pressed between the pages of our minds.