Milton Metz’s Hometown Hero banner
Milton Metz reached incredible heights – during his career and even afterwards.
The Louisville broadcasting pioneer and longtime host of the “Metz Here” talk show on WHAS Radio became the latest “Hometown Hero.” He was honored with a banner on the side of the Architection Building, 425 W. Market Street, which was unveiled at an April 10 ceremony.
“We sincerely tried to hang the banner before Milton passed away on January 13, of this year,” Louisville Pride Foundation (GLPF) spokesperson Mike Sheehy said in a prepared statement, “but buildings are getting harder to come by and we just couldn’t locate a suitable building.” GLPF has hung 28 banners to date that recognize Louisville’s most distinguished citizens.
Metz, an active Jewish Louisvillian, began his radio career in the 1930s in Cleveland after graduating from The Ohio State University. After serving in the army in World War II, he joined the staff at WHAS radio in 1946. The same year, Metz also began recording Talking Books at American Printing House for the Blind.
One of the nation’s first call-in programs, “Metz Here” was on the air for 35 years and became the longest-running radio show in Louisville, and one of the longest running radio talk shows in the country.
In addition to being inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 1989, Metz has been awarded with the Ford Foundation Fellowship at the United Nations, the Kentucky Medical Society, the American Psychiatric Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, the National Arthritis Foundation, and the National Commission on Working Women. He was married to Miriam Metz for 65 years and was a devoted part of every Crusade for Children since 1954.
The purpose behind GLPF’s Hometown Hero project is to build pride within the local community and enhance Louisville’s image.
The other Hometown Heroes honored are:
- Muhammad Ali (installed 2002) – LG&E Building at Second Street & River Road, facing the Ohio River
- Pee Wee Reese (2003) – Fetzer Building at 209 East Main Street, headed west from Slugger Field toward the H&B Factory and Museum
- Mary T. Meagher (2003) – Norton Suburban Hospital Building in St. Matthews, viewable from I-64 East (since removed)
- Ed Hamilton (2003) – Glassworks Building at Ninth & Market Streets, facing Ninth Street
- Bob Edwards (2004) – 624 Baxter Avenue, seen headed north
- Streets, viewable from I-65.Pat Day (2004) – Second & Broadway viewable from I-65 North/South
- Colonel Harlan Sanders (2004) – BP Apartment Building at Third and Guthrie
- Judge Louis Brandeis (2004) – Chase Bank Building, best seen headed east on Liberty Street between Fifth and Fourth
- Kentucky’s Derby (Installed May 2005) – US Bank Building 5th and Market
- Diane Sawyer (2005) – Starks Building on Muhammad Ali between Third and Fourth Streets, viewable from I-65 North/South
- Bud Hillerich (2006) – Heyburn Building at Fourth & Broadway
- Darrell Griffith (2006) – Watterson City Building, along I-264 East at Newburg Road
- Paul Hornung (2006) – Watterson City Building, along I-264 West at Newburg Road
- Tori Murden (2007) – Kentucky Exposition Center, facing I-65 South just passed the Crittenden Drive exit
- Patrick Henry Hughes (2008) – OK Storage Building, East Broadway at Barrett
- Kleinert & Kutz (2009) – Jewish Hospital Heart and Lung Building
- Phil Simms (2009) – Southern High School east wall at Preston Highway
- Wendy Whelan (2010) – J Graham Brown School corner of 1st and Ali
- George Garvin Brown (2011) – 122 West Main Street
- Denny Crum (2012) – Marriott Courtyard across from KFC YUM! Center
- Victor Mature (2013) – Derby Dental Building on Shelby Street
- Rudell Stich (2013) – 5th Street just north of Ali
- Tom Bulleit (2014) – 3rd and Main St.
- Will Wolford (2014) – Market at 3rd Street
- Bobby Nichols (2014) – Watterson City Building
- Jennifer Lawrence (2015) – Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts
- Sue Grafton (2016) – Springhill Suites by Marriott – 132 E. Jefferson Street
- Lisa Harrison (2016) – Southern High School