VALE John Russell
By Patrick Bartley
J ohn Russell, one of the last race callers from an era where entertainment was a priority, has passed away at the age of 93. John Russell, alongside Bert Bryant, Bill Collins, Joe Brown and Jack Styring, made a profound impact on horse racing in Australia with their colourful race calls. Russell, who was born in 1930, was the son of a railways ganger. Raised in Warrnambool, an area renowned for its racing scene, he soon developed a love of horse racing and sport. After leaving school at 14 following the death of his father, Russell worked at the Nestlé factory as a packer by day and by night he sang in a dance band. Following a chance meeting with radio identity, Harry Fuller, Russell was offered a job with a local radio station calling football to the Hampden League and broadcasting occasional race meetings. In 1952, Russell’s first break came when the legendary Bert Bryant fell sick before the Warrnambool May carnival and he recommended Russell take his position at 3UZ for the three days.
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