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By ARTHUR MICKELSON Herald Staff Writer
JAMES HUMMELL set the top as his goal in radio annnuncing six years ago.
A high school teacher got him a job as a newsman-copy writer and part time disc jockey in East St. Louis, Ill. From there he went to Omaha and Denver, but his dislike for cold weather sent him flying to Miami's WCKR (now WIOD).
WCKR's General Manager Allan Henry decided "James Hummel" wasn't suited for radio, but the owner of the name was. "So, "Rick Shaw" was born.
At WCKR Rick, who alwars wears the same four pieces of gold jewelry including; a ring with "RS" in diamonds and an ID bracelet, adopted "Good Night My Love" as his theme song.
"I liked it and played it every night just before sign-off," he recalled. The demand for the record was so great, RCA recently re-released it and it soared right to the No. 1 spot on WQAM's "Top 56."
HE IS ONE of the outstanding DJs in the country," WQAM Operations Manager Charlie Murdock, who tried to get Shaw from WCKR many times during Shaw's three-year tenure there.
When WIOD bought WCKR and changed the forrmat of his show from rock 'n roll to hootenannv, Rick called Murdock. "The next day Charlie called me and told me I was hired by WQAM," he said.
His radio show is heard nightly (except Sunday) from 7 to 11. He also has a television show, "Saturday Hop," on Channel 10 Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
ONE OF the first friends Rick made when he first arrived in Miami in 1960 was Sonny Hirsch, then sports director at WCKR. "I feel he is my best friend and I am his," said Sonny, who was the best man at Rick's wedding to Gigi Wasserloos, of Germany and Hollywood, Fla., last April 18.
"Ever since I've known him Rick has gone in for the gimmicks. I remember a couple for WCKR. He did broadcasts from a 50-foot tower and also from under water."
Rick was in a station wagon that was set up on a 50-foot-high platform and did his show from there for a week. His under-the-sea show was in conjunction with an ice show on Miami Beach.
The "Most Happy Fellows," WQAM's DJs, who concluded another unsuccessful basketball season this year, played the faculties of high schools throughout the area. The DJs' Record: one victory. 12 losses, one tie. Rick, at 510 and 170 pounds, was a guard.
Other promotions he has been in on include a bowl-athon, a drag race, a mule race (which he won), chopping down cherry trees and the most recent - a go-cart race.
ON ONE of his recent shows, Rick asked listeners' opinions as to whether they liked old records. "We got 150 wires, which is very good because they cost money to send," he said.
"He received calls from as far away as Jacksonville," said Dorsie Harrell.
Dorsie does part-time news for WQAM and Rick is the reason Dorsie "looks forward to Friday and Saturday nights." Shaw is constantly annoying Harrell with his loud, carefree laughs and vocal noises which are the same on and off the radio, his own vocabulary (framastam, smokin' 'n jokin' are examples) and his mannerisms (answering "Question?" when his name is called).
"One thing about Rick. He can be smokin' 'n jokin' one minute and the nest can put more in the five-minute newscast than any announcer I've ever heard," Harrell said.
"He was the No. 3 sportscaster for WCKT-TV behind (Clure) Mosher and myself" said Sonny. "He gained sor experience that way and was pretty good."
Rick includes the public both his radio and television shows. On the radio, he gas three hourly surveys each night and plays the "top 10" for each hour. He honors a different school and has the public select a queen on the TV show each week.
SINCE his marriage, Rick has a new hobby. He received a movie camera outfit, and has become a "bug" on taking pictures. He has many feet of film on his attractive blonde wife Gigi, taken at their Miami Beach apartment; his toy white French poodle, Bo Diddley, named after the rock 'n roll singer, and his automobile.
Rick also "digs cars." Since he arrived in Miami he has owned six cars - with the seventh on order.
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