Mike Tussey: Reliving the emotional memories associated with Thanksgiving Day, sad and happy

In our lifetimes there are events, days and times in which time cannot erase.

These are emotional memories which are the result of a cued recall such as the anniversary of a loss. There is a good reason for these strong memories that seemingly arise when coupled with an exact time of reference.

In this case, the date is NOVEMBER 22.

I don’t have the answer as to how and why these emotional memories of our lifetime become indelible, but they absolutely do.

For me, there are two incidents that fit the aforementioned elements of emotional memories with the commonality of sharing the same calendar day: NOVEMBER 22.

The first, deals with the loss of our President of the United States-November 22, 1963.

The second deals with the conclusion of a 59 year career in broadcasting with my retirement – November 22, 2022

#1 NOVEMBER 22, 1963 – If you were around on that Friday 60 years ago today, chances are, you vividly remember like it happened yesterday.

John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas. Kennedy was in an open limousine with his wife, Jackie, Texas Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie, when he was fatally shot from the nearby Texas School Book Depository by a former Marine, Lee Harvey Oswald. The motorcade rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital where Kennedy was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after the shooting. Governor Connally was also wounded in the attack, but recovered.

Vice President Lyndon Johnson assumed the presidency upon Kennedy’s death.

I was working at the 2nd National Bank Drive In window in Ashland, Kentucky, that morning when Alta McClure drove to my window to make her deposit. She looked very distraught and asked if I had heard the news that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. I asked her to repeat her words as her speech was broken and muffled. She indeed stated that JFK was shot and was crying as she drove away.

I turned my radio up and sure enough, the shooting was all over the news. It was determined that a former Marine, Lee Harvey Oswald was the shooter. He was arrested 70 minutes later and also charged with the murder of Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit as he attempted to stop the fleeing Oswald in a traffic stop. By now, on every television screen in America and likely the world, the story unfolded minute by minute. JFK’s death impacted America from the large cities to the small towns across the country.

I took my lunch break at a packed downtown restaurant where it looked like time had stood still. No one was enjoying lunch; the waitresses were just standing in a daze and listening to a radio. I even noticed that many of the women were crying loudly. It was an incredible feeling that’s very difficult to explain.

On Sunday, November 24, Oswald was being taken from jail by the Dallas Police.
At 11:21AM Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner, shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald in front of a large crowd. Ruby was arrested and subsequently convicted. In 1967 he died in prison.

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson upon the death of JFK, became President aboard Air Force One and soon thereafter, formed the Warren Commission for a complete investigation. The rest is history.

#2 NOVEMBER 22, 2022 – The day I made my “Final Call” at courtside concluding 59 incredible years behind the microphone with my retirement. Through the nearly 6 decades, it’s likely I called over 2,000 games of basketball, football and baseball.

The venues were many, from high school gyms to calling the first game at the new Yum Center in Louisville; to calling the Championship game of the 2008 NCAA DII Women’s Basketball Tournament in Kearney, Nebraska. The travel was immense from as far North to Michigan, South to Florida, East to Pennsylvania and West to Nebraska.

I proudly became a member of ESPN+ in the fall of 2020 at Morehead State University assigned to call the Play by Play of the Eagles’ Women’s and Men’s game of the Ohio Valley Conference basketball in Johnson Arena.

My final game was November 22, 2022 exactly one year ago today at Morehead State.

There comes a time in any career, when your skills and talent begins to fade, especially after nearly 60 years. You know it and you feel it. It was time to step aside and move along with life. But, what a ride it really was.

So, November 22, 2022 at Morehead State University, the curtain came down on my long broadcasting career. One year later to the day, I certainly understand I was blessed in so many ways with the talent, skills and voice to have excelled within my profession.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. You can bet this octogenarian has a ton of things to be thankful for as I am sure you do as well.

Thanksgiving Day is very special like it is at your house as it should be. While Mrs. T is busy with the feast, a Thanksgiving Day tradition begins with tuning in at 9 a.m. for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our family begins to arrive and the magic of the day captures us all amid the entertaining Macy’s Parade and our pending feast. At 11:55 Santa Claus officially will begin the 2023 Christmas season waving at the thousands in New York and the millions watching the parade at home. Next Up-NFL Football at 12:30 with the Detroit Lions vs the Packers of Green Bay.

Every year I get a very warm feeling of love as we give the Good Lord our thanks for all of our blessings we have received.

My broadcasting career may have ended a year ago today; but another door opened widely with another blessing, as I proudly became a weekly columnist for the Northern Kentucky Tribune. My sincere thanks to Judy Clabes of the Tribune for making it all happen. I certainly consider it an honor and privilege to bring you my weekly column each Wednesday.

Thanks so much for your weekly comments.

So, from our house to yours on this Thanksgiving Day Eve, may it be the very best Thanksgiving ever.

Santa will officially declare it’s the Christmas Season today by bellowing out these three chuckles: HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Mike Tussey has “retired” from a 60-plus-year career as a legendary play-by-play announcer for over 2000 football, baseball, and basketball games, including most recently for ESPN+. His career also includes a stint in law enforcement, teaching and coaching, and writing books, including the “Touchdown Saints.” He grew up in Eastern Kentucky and now lives in Florence with his wife, Jo. He has opened another “Door of Opportunity” and is now a regular columnist for the NKyTribune.