Russ Smith (1991) - Hall of Fame

Russ Smith

Induction:
1991
Class:
1946

For more than 47 years, readers of the Waterloo Courier enjoyed the writing of Iowa State Teachers College graduate Russ L. Smith. Smith began working part-time with the Courier in 1942 after graduating from Waterloo East High School. He continued working at the various desks of the Courier through four years at ISTC, from which he graduated with a degree in physical education and social science.

After graduation, he taught and coached baseball and basketball at high schools in New Hartford and Orange Township. While working for the Courier as a student, his beat was the Cedar Falls sports scene. As such, he covered ISTC events, as well as Northern University High School and Cedar Falls High School events. He also served as sports editor on the ISTC's weekly "College Eye."

In 1949, Smith chose to hang up his coaching whistle and concentrate his time on journalism, becoming the Courier's third full-time sports writer. In April of 1966, he became the paper's sports editor and in January of 1990, he retired. Over the years, Smith covered 32 NCAA wrestling tournaments, three Summer Olympics, two Major League Baseball All-Star Games, a Super Bowl, a World Series, and bowl games, playoff and NCAA basketball tournaments for UNI, Iowa and Iowa State.

But there is more to Smith's life than writing. He was a long-time member of the Waterloo Professional Baseball Club's board of directors, with his efforts always aimed at keeping professional baseball in Waterloo. He also served as co-chairman of the National AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) wrestling tournament that was held at Waterloo's McElroy Auditorium in 1969 and he has served as a moderator of the Sports of Sorts Club panel for over 30 years. Smith helped make the Courier the first newspaper in Iowa to staff all football games at UNI, Iowa and Iowa State. In 40 years, he has logged 316 games involving the three schools.