Art Rust Jr
Encyclopedia
Arthur George "Art" Rust, Jr. (October 13, 1927 – January 12, 2010) was a successful sports broadcaster for half a century. He was also a sports historian and author.
He was considered by many to have been the godfather of sports talk radio.
He was born in Harlem
.
, he was hired by WWRL
Radio in Woodside, Queens in September 1954 . He began in their merchandising department, but within two months he got on the air. At WWRL, Rust hosted the Schaefer Circle of Sports for 14 years becoming one of the first African American sportcasters. At WWRL, Rust interviewed sports icons such as Hank Aaron and Sonny Liston
. A music lover, Rust mixed up shows with interviews with artists like James Brown
and Miles Davis
, who was also a close friend.
In 1967, Rust landed a position as a sports announcer for NBC
-TV. After some six years with NBC, Rust decided to return to the radio. He went on to work as sports director for WMCA
, and as a sportscaster and commentator for WINS
radio.
In 1981, he signed on with WABC
for his "Sportstalk" show. He interviewed everyone from Joe DiMaggio
to Muhammad Ali
as well Sugar Ray Robinson
and one of his idols, sportscaster Red Barber
.
and the Daily News; he was also an author.
His first book, the controversially titled Get that Nigger off the Field, published in 1976, explores the rocky beginnings of blacks in baseball. Other books include Joe Louis
, My Life (1978), a collaboration with the Brown Bomber; Recollections of a Baseball Junkie (1985) in which Rust waxes poetically about his life; Art Rust's Illustrated History of the Black Athlete which celebrates greats such as Jessie Owens and Althea Gibson
; and Darryl with Darryl Strawberry
(1992).
He collaborated with his wife Edna on several of these books prior to her death in 1986. Devastated by the loss, for years after Rust delivered a "Goodnight Edna baby," at the end of each "Sportstalk" broadcast. After some time he found a partner in Patty Murphy and remarried in 1991. He was the father of Suzanne Rust, a writer based in New York, and grandfather to her two young children.
Radio from 1991 to 1994, but the last few years found him working selectively. He was a contributor for Black Issues Book Review
and kept up with the world of sports through books, newspapers and his friends in the business. His favorite pastimes were doting on his two grandchildren and listening to his extensive collection of Jazz records.
Rust died on January 12, 2010.
He was considered by many to have been the godfather of sports talk radio.
He was born in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
.
Broadcaster
After he graduated from Long Island UniversityLong Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
, he was hired by WWRL
WWRL
WWRL is a radio station in New York City, broadcasting at 1600 kHz AM owned by Access.1 Communications. Since September 1, 2006, its format has been progressive talk radio...
Radio in Woodside, Queens in September 1954 . He began in their merchandising department, but within two months he got on the air. At WWRL, Rust hosted the Schaefer Circle of Sports for 14 years becoming one of the first African American sportcasters. At WWRL, Rust interviewed sports icons such as Hank Aaron and Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
. A music lover, Rust mixed up shows with interviews with artists like James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
and Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, who was also a close friend.
In 1967, Rust landed a position as a sports announcer for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
-TV. After some six years with NBC, Rust decided to return to the radio. He went on to work as sports director for WMCA
WMCA
WMCA, 570 AM, is a radio station in New York City, most known for its "Good Guys" Top 40 era in the 1960s. It is currently owned by Salem Communications and plays a Christian radio format...
, and as a sportscaster and commentator for WINS
WINS (AM)
WINS , known on-air as "Ten-Ten Wins", is a radio station in New York City, owned by CBS Radio. WINS's studios are in the combined CBS Radio facility at 345 Hudson Street in the TriBeCa section of Manhattan, and transmitting towers in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.WINS is one of the nation's oldest...
radio.
In 1981, he signed on with WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
for his "Sportstalk" show. He interviewed everyone from Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
to Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
as well Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...
and one of his idols, sportscaster Red Barber
Red Barber
Walter Lanier "Red" Barber was an American sportscaster.Barber, nicknamed "The Ol' Redhead", was primarily identified with radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball, calling play-by-play across four decades with the Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Dodgers , and New York Yankees...
.
Writer
Rust had been a columnist for The New York Amsterdam NewsThe New York Amsterdam News
The New York Amsterdam News is a American black nationalist weekly newspaper geared to the African-American community of New York City, New York.It has published columns by notables including W. E. B. Du Bois, Roy Wilkins, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr...
and the Daily News; he was also an author.
His first book, the controversially titled Get that Nigger off the Field, published in 1976, explores the rocky beginnings of blacks in baseball. Other books include Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, My Life (1978), a collaboration with the Brown Bomber; Recollections of a Baseball Junkie (1985) in which Rust waxes poetically about his life; Art Rust's Illustrated History of the Black Athlete which celebrates greats such as Jessie Owens and Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson was a World No. 1 American sportswoman who became the first African-American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour and the first to win a Grand Slam title in 1956. She is sometimes referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of tennis" for breaking the color barrier...
; and Darryl with Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
(1992).
He collaborated with his wife Edna on several of these books prior to her death in 1986. Devastated by the loss, for years after Rust delivered a "Goodnight Edna baby," at the end of each "Sportstalk" broadcast. After some time he found a partner in Patty Murphy and remarried in 1991. He was the father of Suzanne Rust, a writer based in New York, and grandfather to her two young children.
Later career
Rust worked with New York's WBLSWBLS
WBLS is an urban adult contemporary FM radio station in New York City, operating on 107.5 MHz. WBLS is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation along with sister station WLIB...
Radio from 1991 to 1994, but the last few years found him working selectively. He was a contributor for Black Issues Book Review
Black Issues Book Review
Black Issues Book Review was a bimonthly magazine published in the U.S. in which books of interest to African-American readers were reviewed. It was published from 1999 through 2007....
and kept up with the world of sports through books, newspapers and his friends in the business. His favorite pastimes were doting on his two grandchildren and listening to his extensive collection of Jazz records.
Rust died on January 12, 2010.
Selected works
- Rust, Art, Jr., "Get that nigger off the field!" : a sparkling, informal history of the Black man in baseball 1976
- Rust, Art, Jr; Rust, Edna; Louis, Joe, Joe Louis, my life 1978
- Rust, Art, Jr., Baseball quiz book 1985
- Rust, Art, Jr.; Rust, Edna, Art Rust's Illustrated history of the Black athlete 1985
- Rust, Art, Jr.; Rust, Edna, Recollections of a baseball junkie 1985
- Rust, Art, Jr., Legends : conversations with baseball greats 1989
- Rust, Art, Jr.; Strawberry, Darryl, Darryl 1992