Former Rutland Broadcaster, WBZ's ‘Batman,’ Dead At 94

By Ted Cohen

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Donald H. Batting, the longtime, widely popular WBZ NewsRadio reporter affectionately known as "Batman," has died.

Batting was a beloved fixture in Boston broadcasting, known for his signature fedora and three-decade career delivering the morning news.

His storied career is marked by several notable highlights, including the "Batman" nickname.

Batting earned the nickname "Batman" because of his long-running practice of reporting live from his bat-shaped remote broadcasting booth on the morning commute.

Starting his career in Rutland, Vermont, Batting spent more than 30 years as a prominent newsman at WBZ, working alongside other Boston icons like Dave Maynard, Gil Santos, and Gary LaPierre.

In recognition of his contributions to Massachusetts broadcasting, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2015.

Born and raised in New England, he graduated from the Leland Powers School of Voice and Theater and then went to work in Rutland.

Batting spent two years in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Germany.

Upon returning, he earned a BA from Boston University's School of Public Communication.

Following stints in Connecticut, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Virginia, he joined WBZ Radio in 1965.