Jewish American Heritage Month continues with today’s spotlight on two local Jewish men who have made their mark in the world of American sports. First featured in the May/June Jewish Journal, Stu Boyar spent decades earning the respect of athletes and viewers alike as a trusted sports broadcaster. Jonathan Safir is immersed in basketball, currently serving as an NCAA coach. Please note, Stu’s spotlight is written as a traditional article, while Jonathan’s is a personal memoir.
Stu Boyar – A career look-back
Jewish values have long shaped how Stu Boyar approaches both his life and career. “Judaism impacts every aspect of your life, no matter how religious or non-religious you are,” Stu reflects. “If you are brought up in a Jewish home, you are given a set of values that come directly from one place – the Torah. You value humanity, ethics, dignity, family, children, education and more. I think it has a direct impact on every decision you make, whether you realize it or not. And I thank my mother and father for that.”
Those values accompanied Stu when he first arrived in Buffalo in February 1985. While most Western New Yorkers recognize him from his many years at WGRZ-TV, his career in broadcasting began more than a decade earlier. At just 16 years old, Stu took a job as a “gofer” at WAXC-AM radio in Rochester. A gofer was someone responsible for running errands, whether fetching coffee or picking up supplies.
“A wonderful man named Rich Funke was the news director at WAXC, and I asked him if he would work with me because I thought I might have some sort of future in broadcasting,” Stu said.
Funke asked him to read Associated Press wire copy and offered feedback that Stu read well but should sound more authoritative. Stu took the advice seriously, and through hard work and persistence earned his first on-air opportunity on the station’s overnight shift. “Outside of my dad, he had the most impact on my life out of anyone,” Stu recalls of Funke.
While working overnights, Stu also took on part-time roles, including his first television opportunity covering weekend sports at Rochester’s WHEC-TV. He later moved to WSEE-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he did “a little bit of everything” from 1978 through 1984. His next stop was Buffalo’s WGRZ-TV Channel 2, where he became a familiar and trusted presence as a longtime sports anchor and reporter.
Despite a storied career in sports, one of Stu’s most memorable experiences involved a major news story. When the manhunt for Ralph Phillips came to an end, news managers asked Stu to record video of Phillips’ arrival following the murderer’s apprehension. The media had nicknamed Phillips “Bucky,” but fellow broadcaster Ed Kilgore advised that journalists should avoid giving criminals nicknames, suggesting that doing so can humanize them and unintentionally imply sympathy. The moment left a lasting impression on Stu.
“I had a great time,” Stu said of his years in television. “I have many memorable moments covering Bills games and getting interviews, and that goes for the Sabres, too.”
Throughout his career, Stu also drew inspiration from Jewish figures in broadcasting, including Marv Albert, the iconic voice of the New York Rangers for decades. Closer to home, Don Fischer of WROC-TV in Rochester offered advice Stu still carries with him: “Just remember, have fun.”
Today, Stu continues to call high school games for WNY Athletics, which livestreams local matchups across Western New York. Ever humble, Stu does not consider himself a Buffalo broadcasting icon. He does hope, however, that his work has left a meaningful impression. “I’m just a guy who had a good long run,” he said. “I’d like to think in all the things I’ve done, that a young person will remember something I said and carry that with them.”
Jonathan Safir – In his own words
Being Jewish has long played an instrumental role in both my life and my career. I knew from around the time of my Bar Mitzvah that playing in the NBA was unlikely to be a realistic goal for me. Rather, I wanted to turn to the next best thing – which, to me, meant coaching. Being around and involved in the game of basketball, ideally at the highest levels, has driven me.
There is a strong connection between how I approach coaching, teaching, and my career and the concept of rachmones, a Yiddish word derived from Hebrew meaning compassion or empathy. I try to instill those values in everything that I do. Being Jewish also adds a layer of perseverance – some built-in mental toughness, if you will. Our history and upbringing as Jews carry a deep thread of that perseverance. Along the same lines, basketball does not necessarily have the most robust Jewish presence, so being visible, accessible, available, and successful can help change or evolve stereotypes and narratives and can serve as a role model.
All in all, especially now, as a husband and father (daughter, Ryan 9 months old), helping others with my background and story can hopefully inspire others. I take great pride in being Jewish and a basketball coach. It is part of who I am, and it helps to drive, motivate, and inspire me – and hopefully also inspire future generations of those who want to get into coaching that are Jewish as well.