Jim Gray vividly remembers his last encounter with Rudy Martzke. They had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory about six or seven years ago, during a visit to Los Angeles with his wife, Phyllis.

Gray, an acclaimed broadcaster often referenced in Martzke’s much-loved Sports TV column in YSL News, recalled a conversation where Martzke, who recently passed away at the age of 82 from pneumonia complications, expressed his bittersweet feelings about retirement.

In the peak of his career, before the internet and social media took over, Martzke was a recognizable figure who drew attention as he checked into hotels or gave his name at restaurants. His Page 3 column was a highlight in print media, eliciting enthusiastic greetings like, “I read your column!”

During their last meeting, Gray felt he was still speaking with the same lively Martzke he’d known for years, but there was a noticeable shift in Martzke’s mood.

“ ‘You know what, Jim? Here’s the deal: They’re starting to forget my name,’ ” Gray recounted in an interview with YSL News Sports after Martzke’s death. “It was a little melancholic, but not overly sad.”

In the eyes of those who knew Martzke, or crossed paths with him, he remained a vibrant personality, someone who could light up a room with his energy.

Martzke, originally from South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had settled in Kissimmee, Florida. He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Phyllis, known as “Mouse,” along with their sons Michael and Brett, and three grandchildren. Plans for a memorial service might take place in January.

Broadcaster Bob Costas shared that fellow legend Al Michaels succinctly described Martzke as “one of a kind. An unforgettable character.”

Costas first connected with Martzke in the mid-1970s, just after he finished at Syracuse and began working as the play-by-play announcer for KMOX radio for the Spirits of St. Louis. Martzke, who was the director of operations for the American Basketball Association team, recognized Costas’ talent after listening to his demo tape.

While the story goes that Martzke made the hiring call, Costas explained that technically it was KMOX that officially hired him.

“I was referred by the team,” Costas clarified.

Nonetheless, it was serendipitous that both a future broadcasting star and a media power player would meet early in their careers. Martzke had personal investment in Costas’ progress, as he was a prominent figure for the team during its two-season run in St. Louis before it disbanded.

“Rudy would get mad at me for stating the obvious, especially if it wasn’t according to the ‘PR Handbook,’ ” Costas told YSL News Sports.

Recalling a game against the San Antonio Spurs that attracted a mere 840 fans to the 19,000-seat St. Louis Arena, Costas had the cheeky suggestion for Martzke to announce the attendance as 1,012, humorously justifying it by suggesting some attendees might have been at concession stands or restrooms.

Martzke’s witty reply was, “You little wiseass.”

Smiling at the memory, Costas remarked, “I don’t think he had a malicious bone in his body.”

While Costas compared Martzke to Oscar Madison from “The Odd Couple,” another industry veteran saw hints of famous boxing promoters in him.

“Rudy had a bit of Don King and Bob Arum in him,” said Michael Weisman, former executive producer of NBC Sports, to YSL News Sports. “He had an uncanny ability to stir things up.”

Weisman recalled how Martzke would often tease him by mentioning something from a competitor’s network, which would provoke an even more exciting response.

“He knew how to craft a captivating headline for YSL News,” Weisman noted.

Weisman landed his key position at NBC in 1982, the same year YSL News debuted with Martzke penning multiple columns weekly. As the son of a network publicist, Weisman recognized the importance of being a reliable source for Martzke, which helped both of them as they assumed their roles in the industry. He would share interesting information, like NBC’s plans for a new isolation camera for NFL broadcasts.

“It helped fill his column,” he explained. “I realized that you had to provide information that would catch the public’s interest. I was able to attract attention by giving him good material.”

As a result, Weisman confidently stated, “Rudy made me a lot of money.”

Thanks to Martzke’s columns, executives who might not have known Weisman learned his name, which proved beneficial during salary negotiations.

On a broader scale, Weisman emphasized that Martzke’s significant influence permeated the entire industry—from executives and producers to directors and on-air talents—providing vital insights and critiques that were often hard to come by.“`html

While many professionals in the industry openly expressed their thoughts about Martzke, one seasoned, award-winning executive who spoke with YSL News Sports opted to remain silent. This may stem from some tension caused by Martzke’s strongly opinionated reviews.

“Everyone paid attention to his columns,” noted Gray. “I truly believe he had a powerful impact. Whether he was complimenting or criticizing, it definitely affected the decision-makers. That kind of influence is hard to find.”

“No one wanted to receive the ‘Dreaded Glitch Award,’ ” Gray further remarked.

His Monday columns that evaluated the weekend broadcasts were particularly impactful.

“If you ended up with an ‘Oops Award’ or the ‘Dreaded Glitch,’ it was often the start of a tough day or week,” shared Greg Hughes, executive vice president of communications for NBC Sports, with YSL News Sports. “This was in the pre-social media era. He was like a ‘pass-fail’ standard for many people.”

LeslieAnne Wade, the former senior vice president of communications for CBS Sports, remembered the rush she felt waking up in hotel rooms during the 1980s and 1990s, eager to grab the YSL News when it was dropped outside her door on Monday mornings.

“You wanted to know what he had to say,” Wade recounted.

She discussed the tactics involved, especially during her time as a publicist for a young USA Network that sought attention from Martzke.

“That space in his column was incredibly valuable,” she reflected. “You had to learn to express the most clever ideas in the fewest words to get into Rudy’s column.”

However, not everyone was excited about appearing in his writing, as some found Martzke’s negative feedback detrimental to their careers, according to various industry insiders.

“He was both admired and disliked,” stated Rachel Shuster, a former columnist and editor who collaborated closely with Martzke. Shuster, who initially served as the backup TV columnist before moving to a role where she frequently edited Martzke’s pieces, was equally impressed by his talent for keeping lines of communication open with those he criticized and by his extensive network.

“He didn’t shy away from harsh truths,” Shuster said, “yet people continued to take his calls.”

According to Hughes, this can be attributed to Martzke’s exceptional interpersonal skills. Hughes was a new publicist at Turner Sports in 1990 when he first met Martzke while coordinating his requests during the Goodwill Games held in Seattle.

The connection between them strengthened when Martzke, a University of Wisconsin graduate from 1964, discovered that Hughes was also a Badger, forming a bond that lasted for many years. Hughes can even recall the exact date of Martzke’s last column in YSL News: April 15, 2005.

It’s clear why Hughes describes Martzke’s social talents as “his secret sauce.” But he also acknowledged Martzke’s relentless drive and sharp humor when covering stories. Hughes likened Martzke to Lieutenant Columbo, the iconic TV detective from the 1970s played by Peter Falk, who would initially overlook a crucial piece of information only to return later with an important question that would solve the case.

“He was very much like Columbo,” Hughes said. “He would call back and say, ‘Hey, one more thing.’ ”

“Oh no, he remembered,” Hughes added.

Reid Cherner, who edited Martzke’s columns for roughly 15 years, understands this dynamic well. Martzke penned columns for 23 years before his retirement in 2005, yet in some way, his departure wasn’t entirely definitive.

“The best part was that even after he left the paper, he still called me,” Cherner reminisced. “Because he still had opinions on what we were doing.”

This is yet another reason why Martzke remains memorable to many.