Here in late August, it’s an exciting time for those of us who love High School football games with all the excitement, bands and cheerleaders.
Years ago, during my high school years, football didn’t begin till after Labor Day, but things do change over the many years as shown by many local Northern Kentucky schools that began on August 21.
As we are knocking on the door to the month of September, teams everywhere are well into their yearly schedule at home and of course, games on the road.
Teams today throughout Kentucky usually have coverage of their games via newspapers, radio and even games that are streamed online.
For me, I began calling high school football with the late Ken Jones and our coverage of the Russell Red Devils all the back to1 965 on WIRO. By the mid 70’s, I joined Tower Cablevision Channel 12 to call the play-by-play of the local teams of Boyd and Greenup counties. You could call us “pioneers” for sure as we used one black and white camera, no instant replays and usually two announcers with replay of the games on Saturdays. The fans and the respective schools loved it because of the exposure they gained locally.
My 1975 memories are very strong of when cameraman – Richard Friley and I traveled 8 hours to Paducah to cover the Ashland Tomcats vs Paducah for the KHSAA State title. However, bad news hit us after taping Ashland’s huge win as Richard and I jumped in our van at about 10:30 p.m. and began our 8-hour trek back home to Ashland. A major problem popped up – the heater went out on the van, and we virtually froze during the 8 hour trip back home.
Our mission was to get the tape of the game back for Saturday morning’s replay to the huge audience awaiting Ashland’s state championship game. We made it, but felt like snowmen as we walked into Tower Cablevision Channel 12’s studios.
During the coming years I moved back to radio, calling local high school football for several teams’ home and away. The key word “away” sometimes created situations that we never expected.
In my first book “You’re On the Air” from 2010, one of the chapters was entitled – “THE INVADERS” for very good reasons. High School press boxes for the most part today are larger and have the amenities that are needed to provide visitor services. Features such as telephone and internet hook ups for the visiting announcers who are there to cover the game. Many schools did not have radio coverage and as such, there was no media space provided for one or two announcers within the small press box to complete the coverage of the game.
Usually, the local folks utilize the respective seats and get comfortable – that is, until two visiting announcers arrive and need their seats. This is when the visiting radio announcers actually become “THE INVADERS.” Make no mistake, some local folks simply do not want to lose their usual Friday night space to visiting invaders regardless of who they may represent. In fact, they will tell you so.
Here is an incredible true accounting of what once occurred at at road game when we had set up for a broadcast and were virtually “on the air.”
Over these many years, the memory still resonates of these provocative words that were spoken directly to me: “MOVE OR I WILL GET THE POLICE!” My partner, the late Jim Forbes and I were calling the Greenup County Musketeer games years ago for WLGC. We arrived early at the press box and Jim found our phone line so we began sitting up things to begin our broadcast in just a short time. Jim sat on my right and from my chair I noticed that on the counter were 2 packs of cigarettes, lighter, and some keys. I moved them to my left and began preparations to go on the air at 7:45 p.m. Moments later, I began the broadcast with our opening comments when an upset woman walked up to me and shouted “You’re in my seat – MOVE!”
I was trying to concentrate, but she pulled at my left arm and shouted – “I’m talking to you – Move!” At this point, I motioned for Jim to take over the broadcast, I took off my headsets and told her I could not move, I was already on the air. She then shouted – “If you don’t move, I will get the Police!” She returned with two deputy Sheriffs who instructed me to stand up and show some identification. She told the officers that she wanted me arrested for criminal trespassing.
Keep in mind, that I was a sworn Police Officer with the City of Ashland, Kentucky at that time. I explained to the deputies that I was broadcasting the game and I could not move due to our phone line location and we already on the air. I let them know that her charge had absolutely nothing to do with the elements of criminal trespassing. I then proceeded to show the Officers my Police ID and with that, she then calmed down quite a bit. She then explained that where I was sitting in her special seat and it wasn’t designated for radio or anyone else.
The deputies wisely told us to work it out the best we could and they didn’t want to return. We both agreed. So, the bottom line, she permitted me sit in her “special” seat, but sat elbow to elbow next to me the entire game and every so often, pushed from time to time.
This incident was a perfect example of radio invaders being on the road to visiting press boxes and encountering resistance for the necessary seating.
Yet, here’s another example of encountering opposition for press box seating, this time with signage that declared: NO RADIO HERE!
Jim and I had just arrived at a small press box for a Friday Night game and in minutes found our phone line location. In plain view was a sign made from toilet paper with a red lip stick message spread over the seats and on the wall proclaiming “radio people” were indeed prohibited. Once again, the radio invaders were met with a threat that concerned us. I quickly found the person in charge of seating for the press box, and he personally took the toilet paper down and apologized saying usually those seats are used by press box media. Laughing, he agreed it must have been some locals who put up the sign and for us not to worry about it. Thankfully, we finished the game without further incident.
More recently, a few years ago when Denny Wright and I were in Pittsburgh to call a college football game there in 95-degree heat. There wasn’t any “invader” animosity, but even worse – we had to contend with “Murphy’s Law”. That’s when everything that can go wrong – usually does.
Our ancient broadcasting mixer died that day as well as the air conditioning which was inoperative in a very small room of the press box. There were no fans and to add to that; the windows did not open giving Murphy a reason to smile. We were advised that air conditioning unit for the small room had been broken for the past two years. We improvised by using an old touchtone phone and took turns going out to the air conditioned hallway to cool down. We persisted and overcame it all.
It should be noted that these three incidents and several more over the years were extremely rare.
Usually, we were always met with handshakes, smiles and if we needed anything at all, just let them know.
When it’s like that, those road trips were indeed a pleasure and so was the privilege and honor to don our headsets and bring the game to you back home.
After all, that’s what it was all about.
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.