RIP, Art Wander

[ChevyVanMiller]

The tiny tot of the kilowatt has gone on to be a light in the heavens. He was 98 years old.

RIP, Art Wander.

Edited August 14 by ChevyVanMiller

[Snappysnackcakes]

Wow. Not going to lie, I thought he passed long ago. Great media personality in his day. 

[eball]

1 minute ago, Snappysnackcakes said:

Wow. Not going to lie, I thought he passed long ago. Great media personality in his day. 

 

Was going to post the same thing.  Must have been in his 90s?

 

[yall]

Aw man, Arty Baby BooBoo. You'll be missed.

 

We used to get drunk and call in a lot during college (yes I know it was an afternoon show... ).

 

[thenorthremembers]

1 minute ago, eball said:

 

Was going to post the same thing.  Must have been in his 90s?

 

I thought he was in his 90s when I was watching him in the 90s.   Absolute fantastic broadcaster.

[Matt_In_NH]

Used to listen to him on the AM..............good guy

[jkeerie]

I recall how he used to call Tagliabue, "Taggy the twit."

[ChevyVanMiller]

This from Bob Koshinski: 

 

It's been a tough day, receiving news this morning from daughter Kelley that Hall of Fame Broadcaster and a great friend, Art Wander passed last night. Kelley wrote "My Dad was discussing Mets baseball with me just the night before. He passed with a Buffalo Bills blanket on his bed, a Mets banner nearby and Frank Sinatra singing “My Way” on his Alexa, which he always called Alaska,”

Art was so much more than what people heard on the radio or watched on television. Growing up on the eastside of Buffalo, Art became an accomplished pianist, loved his Polish culture, sports of all kinds and of course broadcasting.

Art Wander served in the U.S. Navy, producing radio programs for the Veterans Administration hospital system. In 1956 Art joined WKBW radio as a news reporter, working alongside the legendary newsman Irv Weinstein, a former roommate when they worked together in West Virginia.

 

Wander left Buffalo for New York City in the early 1960’s, getting involved with then album rock giant WOR-FM, covering the Beatles at Shea Stadium and developed a working relationship with Beatle manager Brian Epstein.

In the 1970’s Wander went on to program radio stations in Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Baltimore, Atlanta, Tampa, Dayton, and Memphis, among others. Wander helped launch the careers of national radio personalities Rick Dees and ESPN’s Dan Patrick.

 

In the 1980s Wander returned to his hometown as a radio programmer and an on-air personality doing sports call-in at WGKT, 1400 AM. Wander quickly developed a following, calling himself the “Tiny Tot of the Kilowatt" and “Artie Baby Boo-Boo”, but his popularity soared after Buffalo Bills GM Bill Polian included him in his infamous “get out of town” tirade at a Bills Quarterback luncheon in 1989.

Art then became the afternoon drive call-in host on WGR 550 in the early 90’s before being hired by the Empire Sports Network to co-host Fan Forum with Bob Koshinski, then his own “Don’t Get Me Started”. Wander also hosted a call-n show on Empire’s sports radio partner WNSA-FM, 107.7 in 2001.

Wander, survived by daughter Kelley, son Scott and Granddaughter Angela, was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2008.

Art had a great career and an awesome life, he used to say about his eventual passing, "“When the tiny tot of the kilowatt tippy toes into the land of Olalde!”

[WotAGuy]

Thank you Artie Baby Boo Boo. You made the 90s Super Bowl era more fun. 

[HOUSE]

"Why do they do it, why do they do it?"

[pennstate10]

4 minutes ago, WotAGuy said:

Thank you Artie Baby Boo Boo. You made the 90s Super Bowl era more fun. 

Uses to listen to “the coach and the pope (of sports)” on evening drive time. Although I thought they were buffoons, they were entertaining. 
 

I particularly enjoyed the discussion on goonism vs old time tough hockey. “Fighting will always have a place in hockey, but not this new style goonism”. Could never get a true definition of goonism. 

[Draconator]

In an earlier life, I used to call into Art's show almost daily. My handle was Armchair QB. He was a legend. 

[BUFFALOBART]

34 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

The tiny tot of the kilowatt has gone on to be a light in the heavens.

RIP, Art Wander.

Wander finally 'got outta town'.

RIP

[SoonerBillsFan]

44 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

The tiny tot of the kilowatt has gone on to be a light in the heavens.

RIP, Art Wander.

Awww man I really liked him.  RIP good sir

 

[HereComesTheReignAgain]

One of the best to ever do it! 

[Cash]

I still remember listening to Artie Baby Boo Boo with my parents in the drive home from watching the No Punts Game at a friend’s house. His performance was INCREDIBLE. Absolute peak sports radio. 

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

This from Bob Koshinski: 

 

It's been a tough day, receiving news this morning from daughter Kelley that Hall of Fame Broadcaster and a great friend, Art Wander passed last night. Kelley wrote "My Dad was discussing Mets baseball with me just the night before. He passed with a Buffalo Bills blanket on his bed, a Mets banner nearby and Frank Sinatra singing “My Way” on his Alexa, which he always called Alaska,”

Art was so much more than what people heard on the radio or watched on television. Growing up on the eastside of Buffalo, Art became an accomplished pianist, loved his Polish culture, sports of all kinds and of course broadcasting.

Art Wander served in the U.S. Navy, producing radio programs for the Veterans Administration hospital system. In 1956 Art joined WKBW radio as a news reporter, working alongside the legendary newsman Irv Weinstein, a former roommate when they worked together in West Virginia.

 

Wander left Buffalo for New York City in the early 1960’s, getting involved with then album rock giant WOR-FM, covering the Beatles at Shea Stadium and developed a working relationship with Beatle manager Brian Epstein.

In the 1970’s Wander went on to program radio stations in Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Baltimore, Atlanta, Tampa, Dayton, and Memphis, among others. Wander helped launch the careers of national radio personalities Rick Dees and ESPN’s Dan Patrick.

 

In the 1980s Wander returned to his hometown as a radio programmer and an on-air personality doing sports call-in at WGKT, 1400 AM. Wander quickly developed a following, calling himself the “Tiny Tot of the Kilowatt" and “Artie Baby Boo-Boo”, but his popularity soared after Buffalo Bills GM Bill Polian included him in his infamous “get out of town” tirade at a Bills Quarterback luncheon in 1989.

Art then became the afternoon drive call-in host on WGR 550 in the early 90’s before being hired by the Empire Sports Network to co-host Fan Forum with Bob Koshinski, then his own “Don’t Get Me Started”. Wander also hosted a call-n show on Empire’s sports radio partner WNSA-FM, 107.7 in 2001.

Wander, survived by daughter Kelley, son Scott and Granddaughter Angela, was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2008.

Art had a great career and an awesome life, he used to say about his eventual passing, "“When the tiny tot of the kilowatt tippy toes into the land of Olalde!”

That's a life well lived.  RIP Art

[notwoz]

Sad to hear. I enjoyed him on Em[pire Sports Network.

[ChevyVanMiller]

Art had one of the greatest off-the-cuff comments ever on local radio. Sandy Beach was reporting on an impending snowstorm that was about to hit Buffalo. He said, “The forecast is calling for 13 inches of snow.” Then he added, incredulously, “13 inches!”

 

Art was in the studio somewhere off-mic. He then jumped on and said, “You rang?“

 

Legend.

Edited August 14 by ChevyVanMiller

[Walking Tall]

Makes me long for the days of the Empire Sports Network.