As a newsman, John Callaway forever will be revered for his meticulous attention to factual detail, as well as his enterprising interviewing style.
His most endearing quality is his willingness to listen, as I discovered on occasional appearances on his “Chicago Tonight” program. As the host of the WTTW-Ch. 11 show, Callaway helped change the common perception that public television could not be entertaining as well as informative.
In the area of sports journalism, Callaway was quick to hop on a breaking local story.
“He amazes me with his deep knowledge of sports,” said Jay Smith, producer of “Chicago Tonight” from its inception in 1984. “Around the office, sometimes both the fan and the journalist come out in him.”
Callaway, 62, who has been with the station for 25 years and the host of “Chicago Tonight” for 15 years, plans to retire from the show in June. Callaway was host to more than 200 sports-only telecasts over that 15-year span.
“You are talking to `Mr. No-step Drop Kick,’ ” Callaway said jokingly Monday. “With a background like that, what can I tell you? Forget about Jack Armstrong.”
But Callaway’s sports-themed shows were not without detractors early on.
“In the early years, we had sports programs and sometimes we would get a call from some old lady, and she would say: `Why are you doing sports on public television?’ But as we did more and more sports, I haven’t gotten one of those calls in years. And I am proud of that.”
Just for kicks: Callaway was an aspiring high school athlete in a small town in West Virginia. He was able to drop-kick extra points, and he demonstrated that skill outside the studio for a “Chicago Tonight” episode years ago.
“That tape is something that should be sent to the Museum of Broadcast Communications,” Smith said.
One-on-ones: After attending Ohio Wesleyan University, Callaway perfected his craft with stops along the way at the City News Bureau and WBBM-AM 780. The “Chicago Tonight” program has won numerous awards with Callaway landing revealing one-on-one interviews with, among others, Mike Ditka, Bill Wirtz, Gary Barnett, Phil Jackson, Bowie Kuhn, Jerry Reinsdorf, Jerry Krause and Frank Thomas.
Even when he interviewed President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, the conversation eventually turned to sports.
Callaway seemed to be at his best during animated round-table discussions with local sportswriters and sportscasters in-studio.
“I have just found (sports media) colleagues, when they come on the program, have been able to cut loose and interact with each other in ways that are hard elsewhere to do,” said Callaway.
This just in: The Village People are coming to Wrigley Field. The popular group will perform live at 6 p.m. on ’70s Night on June 29. The Village People also will sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th-inning stretch. The Cubs are host to the Milwaukee Brewers on that night. . . . Marketing Opportunities in Black Entertainment, directed by Chicagoans Kofi and Yvette Moyo, will conduct its 14th annual national marketing symposium March 28-31 in New Orleans. Panelists will cover retail partnerships, sports and events marketing. Call 773-651-8008 or check out their Web site at www.mobe.com to register. . . . Condolences to the family of retired Tribune sportswriter Jim Fitzgerald, who died over the weekend.
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Send e-mail to Fred Mitchell at kick3485@aol.com
