Stan Richards
b.1932-d.1985
Stan Richards (born John F. "Jack" Walsh) was born in Augusta. Jack attended the public schools in Griffin, being very active in sports. After graduation, Jack attended North GA college and joined the Air Force entering the pilot program as a Navigator. While stationed in Baton Rouge, he became interested in radio through a roommate, George Carlin. Knowing he would soon complete his military obligation, he began pursuing a radio career. His first job was at KRMD in Shreveport. Jack heard about a top 40 radio station in the Atlanta area that was ‘burning up the airwaves’ with only 250k watts. Wanting to be closer to his family, he applied and interviewed with WAKE in Atlanta located in the basement of the Georgian Terrace Hotel. His interview went exceptional well and he was hired to command the midnight shift under the air name of ‘Stan Richards’ and became quite popular as ‘Stan the man’. When Bill Drake went to California, he wanted Jack to go with him, but Jack chose to stay in the Atlanta area. He left radio in 1966 to pursue a Television career with WXIA. While at WXIA, he continued his military training in RF4's as a Weapons System Operator, which flew many missions over Viet Nam. One mission he flew in collaboration with WXIA about Atlanta and the Viet Nam war and the Air National Guard won The Peabody Award. Jack left WXIA to return to military full-time and flew RF4's out of the Alabama National Guard until 1982 when his health required him to discontinue flying. Jack retired from the Military in 1983 and worked with the GA Department of Transportation until his death.