Red Barber was born in Columbus, MS and moved to Sanford, FL when he was 10 years old. He attended the University of Florida where he began broadcasting in 1930 at the campus radio station (WRUF). He became the WRUF chief announcer and covered the Florida Gators football.

On opening day in 1934, Barber called his first major league baseball game, the Cincinnati Reds vs. the Chicago Cubs. He was named the play-by-play announcer for the Reds in 1934 and stayed there until 1938. In 1939, he was hired by the Dodgers where he became an instant hit among fans. While in Brooklyn, Red broadcasted the first televised MLB game on NBC. He became the sports director on CBS Radio Network in 1946.

From 1942-1946, Barber called New York Giants games for NBC Television with Mel Allen. In 1954, he broadcasted for the New York Yankees radio. He covered the famed home run race in 1961 between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. He is credited with many unusual sayings during his broadcasts like “sitting in the Catbirds seat,” calling arguments “rhubarbs,” or telling listeners that “the batter hit that ball out into the pea patch”.

In addition to being inducted into the MS Sports Hall of Fame, Red Barber has also been inducted into the National Sportscaster & Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, Florida Sports Hall of Fame, American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame, and National Radio Hall of Fame. Red passed away on October 22, 1992 in Tallahassee, FL.