The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 7

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2000 A7 mwmmma 5V (D 1 minimi mi in im hum '01 Audi A4 1.8T FWD '01 Volvo S40 fA mini i mum pi v. Hi; X. Yr Cold Weather Sport Package From StkW2195 From 24,890 25,990 wik A File photo '00 Land Rover Discovery StkRR934 Was $34,475 32,995 ense situation: Fred Heckman (center) was credited with helping to gain the release of mort-lage executive Richard 0. Hall (left), who was taken hostage by Tony Kiritsis (right) in 1977. 1 i a '01 Jaguar S-Type From iECKMAN lontinued from Page 1 30 "Baal i died.

The next day, he says, a man walked into the station with a $5,000 donation to purchase a new vehicle. "The generosity of the people In this community will be something that I'll always remember," Heckman says. In return, he's also been generous, giving time to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Methodist Hospital Health Foundation and the Boy Scouts, among others. His efforts on their behalf will continue. After all, Indianapolis is his town.

And as far as he's concerned, even in retirement, it always will be. Contact Marc D. Allan at (317) 444-6398 or via e-mail at marc.allanstamews.com 3473 East 96th Street, Indianapolis 848-7447 Toll Free 1-800-521-4183 require order. The Inwanapous Smr Knowledge is power SI WWW.STAENEWS.COM Offer ends September 30. get up In the middle of the night and did that for years and years." Cochrun fondly remembers Heckman's reporting from Washington the day President Nixori resigned "He brought this common perspective out of Washington, which was set against the overt drama of Nixon, and it was tremendous stuff as well as heroic effort locally during the Tony Kiritsis hostage situation in 1977.

Kiritsis took mortgage company executive Richard O. Hall hostage, wiring a sawed-off shotgun around Hall's neck and parading him through Downtown streets. He held Hall hostage for 63 hours before releasing him. Former Mayor William Hudnut says Heckman did "tremendous work in defusing what could have been a potentially murderous situation. He was out there on site, and he helped the sheriff negotiate the release of the hostage." "Aside from the fact that he's a lousy golfer," Hudnut adds jokingly, "he's a great guy.

He's been a wonderful citizen for the Indianapolis metropolitan area. His Afy Town Indy is an institution in which he has caught the flavor of our city for many years. He's been a fine, impartial newscaster who's called them like he's seen them, and he's lent his name to many worthy causes in our community." Emmis Chairman Smulyan says Heckman "has meant more to news in this community than just about anyone else. When we were at (W) NTS and I was competing with Fred and trying to compete with (W)IBC, it was a great lesson in life. I think we concluded at one point that we could have Walter Cronkite up against Fred and people would say.

That Cronkite guy is OK, but Fred Heckman was news in Heckman recalls the big stories he covered here over the years the construction of 1-465, the development of Indianapolis International Airport, the many contributions Lilly Endowment has made. But equally important to him were the smaller moments. There was one story, from maybe 35 years ago, about a local high school that had a dress-down day. One girl came in, and school authorities thought she was dressed down a little too much. They sent her home.

Later, they found out that she was not deliberately dressing down those were her only clothes. Her family had been hit by hard times. The girl and her sister shared one set of clothes and went to school on alternate days. "1 told the story on the air," Heckman says, "and I guess three minutes after I was off, Gordon St. Angelo, who was then Democratic state chairman, walked in and laid down a $20 bill.

That was when $20 was a lot of money. He said, 'See if you can get something started for this With help from the Jaycees and many other service organizations, the girl's family received everything from a new home and furniture to glasses for the children, Heckman says. Then, earlier this month, Heckman mentioned that the Hamilton County Humane Society's van had AW commend Jeff Smulyan, chalr-lan of Emmis Communications, rtiich owns W1BC, for winning the National Association of iroadcasters award and for all he's one since buying the station In 994. He'll talk about people at the tation who've made his years en-Dyable. He'll speak of his admira-ion for the station's current news alent Leigh DeNoon, Sharon Al-eth, John Bartholomew all of horn he hired.

He'll thank the listeners for their syalty. "And then," he says, "for the last ime, I'll say, 'I'm Fred Heckman nd that's my town don't know how I got this jcky," Heckman adds. "I've had a feat run." When you talk to people about Yed Heckman, they say one of two hings: "He's an Indianapolis lnstl-utlon" or "he was the local version Walter Cronkite." When you talk to Heckman, he you thq impression that he onsiders himself a newsman lappy to have found his niche, le'd gone Into radio news almost iy accident after World War II, tarting at WGAY in Silver Spring Id. He met his wife, Barbara, when le moved to a station in Wilming-on, Del. they now have five chil-Iren and nine grandchildren nd was working in Savannah, when he answered a broad-asting magazine ad seeking a lews director for WIBC.

Dick Fairbanks, who owned the tation, had been having trouble inding a news director who liked rorklng more than drinking. Be-ore he hired Heckman, Fairbanks isked the assistant police chief 1n Savannah to give Heckman a four-lour personality test, which he ap-larently passed. On Nov. 1, 1957, Heckman tailed as WlBC's news director, le kept the Job for 36 years. When heformer owners of the station ranted to change from in-depth lews to headlines, Heckman ralked out.

He returned in 1994, yhen Smulyan purchased the sta-ion, as senior news analyst. To put his longevity in perspec-ive, the Radio Television News Dl-ectors Association says the aver-ige news director now keeps the Job for two years. "News director is such a volatile losition," says association Presi-lent Barbara Cochran. "For some-me to be in one place for that time, ibviously he built up a great level if rapport with the community, ind they obviously felt the same ray." "Fred was somebody who abso-utely loved what he did and inderstood the importance of pro-1ding information to people," says "oni.Cochrun, the former WTHR Channel 13) anchorman who rorked for Heckman In the late 960s and early 70s at WIBC. "He ras absolutely committed to feed-ng the public Information on a laily basis and at great adver-iity to his life, because he would Buy any two new Sprint PCS Phones by September 30 and you'll receive: '01 Porsche Boxster From 42,865 Sprint PCS' shop at one of the locations below: The Sprint Store At RadioShack.

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