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Over the years, I’ve enjoyed making friends with members of the Wabash Valley broadcast media.
Some have come and gone — moving to far-away markets before you could blink your eyes — while others have stayed long enough to call Terre Haute home.
In the newspaper business, we’re not in direct competition with our television and radio counterparts. Sure, we like to scoop each other on important stories. But we don’t engage in ratings wars the way WTHI and WTWO do or the way radio stations do with each other.
So when I run into TV/radio guys and gals while covering a game or pursuing a hot story, I feel no tension carrying on conversations with them.
Shoot, Channel 2 sports director Jason Pensky used to play on my slowpitch softball team at Glenn Civic Center years ago.
Many years ago.
Another one of my favorite “competitors” to shoot the breeze with at Valley sporting events is radio veteran Jimmy Kendall. He doesn’t look old enough to have been calling games since 1995, but that’s when the 31-year-old Kendall debuted.
Actually, Kendall called in high school football reports to WSDM-FM in the fall of ’95 when he was a student at Terre Haute South. He made $15 a report, he said.
“I was pretty much calling in South games,” he admits now.
Kendall didn’t become a real broadcaster until the 1997-98 basketball season when he and Kevin Lanke teamed up to do high school games on what was known then as WTHI-AM 1480. The energetic Kendall, a student at Indiana State University, was gaining valuable broadcasting experience for the future.
In the fall of 1998, Kendall and Mike Telezyn combined to call games on WBOW (which could be heard at 640 on the AM dial at the time).
Kendall also worked football, basketball and baseball games for student station WISU-FM 89.7 before he received degrees in radio-television film and social studies education from ISU in 2001.
Not limited to the traditional “ball” sports, Kendall said he really enjoyed describing the 2000 Terry Ray-Rod Bensonhaver pro boxing match — won by Ray in a 12-round unanimous decision — with WBOW partner Scott Gant inside Terre Haute’s Zorah Shrine Temple.
Not all has gone perfectly in Kendall’s broadcast career. He acknowledged that he’s been given some “time off” over the years, not necessarily by his choice.
In 2000, for example, WBOW 640 went off the air because of a legal issue. When the smoke cleared, he returned to the airwaves for what is now known as ESPN Radio (which includes WBOW-AM 1300 and WSDX-AM 1130) in the fall of 2001.
Kendall learned of another unexpected break before the 2003-04 high school season when ESPN Radio management informed him that it would not need his services.
“They went in a different direction [by using a different primary broadcaster],” Kendall recalled. “It was kind of a mystery to me.”
Much to his relief, Kendall was called back to his old duties in the fall of 2004. He also was asked to host a high school coaches show on Thursday nights.
During the 2000s, when high school baseball became part of the ESPN Radio schedule, Kendall was grateful to work side-by-side with such fun partners as Walter Gordon, Pete Emmert, John Brush and Mike Gant in addition to those previously mentioned.
One of Kendall’s favorite moments to report live was Chris O’Leary’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer, which enabled Terre Haute North’s boys basketball team to defeat Plainfield in the Class 4A Martinsville Sectional in 2008.
“That was probably the wildest I’ve ever gotten on a call,” he admitted.
Kendall also mentioned South’s run to the Class 4A state championship in girls basketball in 2002 as a fond memory.
“That was a phenomenal experience,” he reflected. “We probably covered a dozen of their games that year. By the time they reached the championship game [in Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse], we were very familiar with these girls.”
Although Kendall doesn’t do this for free, his motivation for broadcasting Valley sporting events isn’t money. In case you didn’t know, he’s worked as a full-time social studies teacher at Booker T. Washington High School since 2002.
“That’s what pays the bills,” Kendall emphasized. “I’m perfectly content calling games on the side.
“I love calling the games. I do it because I love sports and I’m a high school teacher and I like to talk up youths who are doing well in the community.”
Kendall said he’s not sure what his broadcast future holds, so we don’t know if we’ll still get to hear him yell “perrrfect!” when someone hits a 3-pointer next basketball season.
“Fifteen years in radio have been great,” he told me last week.
Sixteen would be even better.
• Congrats to Panthers, beware of lightning — Riverton Parke’s 1-0 softball victory over Indianapolis Lutheran for the IHSAA Class A state championship Saturday was my favorite event to cover since I returned to work in late March.
Great job, Panthers and coach Joe Cox.
Now if the weather cooperates, I’ll hopefully get to cover an event equally as fun — Terre Haute North beating Hamilton Southeastern for the Class 4A softball title — as action resumes with the score tied 1-1 in the fourth inning at 5 p.m. today at Ben Davis’ field in Indianapolis.
One scary thing that Todd Golden, Dennis Clark and I noticed from different locations Saturday night was how nonchalantly fans reacted to the deadly lightning that caused postponements of central-Indiana sporting events, including the North-Hamilton Southeastern game.
Let me offer four words of advice for when this happens again: Please take it seriously!
I speak from experience. I was present at Riverton Parke’s baseball diamond April 8, 1995, when a bolt of lightning struck and killed North Vermillion left fielder Kirk Gentrup during the championship game of the Banks of the Wabash Classic. Most spectators, including myself, didn’t think the lightning was close enough to pose a threat.
We were wrong.
When lightning approaches again, take cover in your car and don’t make jokes about it. Don’t be the subject of the next Tribune-Star “lightning claims innocent victim” story.
• Personal note — On Monday afternoon, for the first time since early 2009, I jogged 1 mile around the track at Woodrow Wilson Middle School.
It was probably the slowest mile I ever ran (more than 13 minutes), but the temperature was 92 degrees, I’m 51 and I’m recovering from semi-recent, cancer-related surgeries. So give me a break.
By the way, this Saturday will mark the one-year anniversary of the nine-hour surgery I had in the University of Cincinnati Hospital to remove what my surgeon called “a good-sized tumor” from my abdominal region.
Man oh man, it’s been a looooong journey back to relatively good health.
David Hughes can be reached by phone at 1-800-783-8742, Option 4, or at (812) 231-4224; by e-mail at david.hughes@tribstar.com; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.
Hughes News & Views
Hughes News & Views: Kendall’s had strong run in radio business
- Hughes News & Views
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Hughes, News & Views: Terre Haute ‘hacker' accomplishes Mark’s Par Three first
It’s no secret that Mark’s Par Three is not the most difficult golf course in Vigo County.
But it’s enjoyable for beginners and golfers of modest skill levels and it doesn’t lack for activity during warm-weather months.
Open since 1964, it’s had its fair share of players test their skills, probably several better than 43-year-old Brian Brown of Terre Haute. -
Hughes, News & Views: Pacers, 500, NFL on mind of curious columnist
One previous time, I believe, my annual May questions column ran one day late into June.
Can you forgive me for this being the second time?
With apologies out of the way, below are questions that have been taking up valuable space in my head lately.
Some are serious, some not so much. Most are sports-related, but don’t blame me if a few are not. After all, newspaper sportswriters don’t eat, sleep and breathe sports 24/7 (contrary to what my Lisa might tell you).
Here we go:
• How funny will the reaction of the national media be when the Indiana Pacers knock off the unbeatable Miami Heat tonight and Monday to take the series and head to an NBA Finals showdown with the San Antonio Spurs? Hint: Several ESPN “experts” will need to change their underwear next week. -
Terre Haute runner sets up race to help Boston
Having competed in the Boston Marathon once before in 2003, 35-year-old Majel Wells of Terre Haute thought she should give it another try in 2013.
“My goal was just to finish and enjoy Boston,” she reflected this week. “I had an injury [runner’s knee] beforehand, so I wasn’t too worried about beating my time from 2003 [4 hours, 10.20 seconds].
“But nobody cares about what your time is at Boston anyway.”
From what I’ve heard over the years, she’s right. Unless you’re a super-serious runner, the Boston Marathon has been more about taking in the atmosphere and having fun than placing in the top 50, although Wells was pleased that she beat her previous time by finishing in 3:55.19 on April 15.
Obviously, her race time wasn’t the most vivid memory that Wells took away from her 2013 Boston experience. -
Former South players to play in Saylor benefit game
I had my first phone conversation with Mike Saylor since mid-February on Thursday and he sounded good.
The former Terre Haute South High School boys basketball coach, who’s been battling cancer this year, has been traveling back and forth to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for chemotherapy treatments. -
Recent South swimmers Roach, Bray heading to DI nationals
I’m sure most of you with office jobs can relate.
When work gets busy, sometimes it’s easy to skim over our emails. After all, how many times do we need to read the same nonsense from alleged Nigerians wanting to make us rich if we’ll send them several thousand dollars first?
So after having three consecutive days off, that almost happened to me when I returned to work Tuesday. Then I realized that the message from Jeff Thompson, Terre Haute South High School’s boys and girls swimming coach, contained significant news. -
NCAA Division III basketball tournament returns to Rose-Hulman
The last time Rose-Hulman served as host for the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament, its game was played inside an old World War II airplane hangar.
You “old-timers” should know the building I’m talking about and the matchup wasn’t really that long ago — March 6, 1997, to be exact. -
DAVID HUGHES: Childhood friends use faith, sports to get them through
When I learned in February 2009 that a rare form of appendix cancer would devastate my life and cause me to miss work for several months, Mike Saylor was among the first to offer assistance.
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Book review: Thumbs up for ‘Trophies and Tears’
Now might be too late for giving Christmas presents, but the book “Trophies and Tears: The Story of Evansville and the Aces” is a fascinating read for longtime Indiana basketball fans, particularly those older than 40.
Written by award-winning Kyle Keiderling of Henderson, Nev., and released in hardcover format in mid-December, the 480-page “Trophies and Tears” documents the rich tradition of the University of Evansville men’s basketball program through recent interviews and research of old yearbooks and newspaper/scrapbook clippings.
The book contains many cheery moments — behind-the-scenes details of all five NCAA College Division (now known as Division II) championships won in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s by the Purple Aces and their legendary coach Arad McCutchan — although some of those moments don’t seem so cheery from an Indiana State perspective when the Sycamores found themselves on the losing end of scores. -
Hughes, News & Views: Wishing for Colts-Broncos playoff matchup from Santa
There’s plenty of tragedy in the world to bring us down if we let it, so let’s have a light-hearted column today — my annual Christmas gift requests for Santa Claus.
I already know one of my gift wishes is becoming less likely to happen. That would be for the Indianapolis Colts to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoffs. -
Colts' loyalty tested by Manning, Broncos
We’re approaching the halfway point of the NFL season and so far it’s been surprisingly enjoyable.
I wasn’t sure how I would handle following two favorite teams — 1a.) the Indianapolis Colts and 1b.) Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos — but the new arrangement hasn’t caused me any loyalty conflicts yet.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Sorting out the sports air waves
My name isn’t attached to them, but I’m the one who usually puts together the “Sports on the air” television/radio listings that appear daily on this newspaper’s Scoreboard Page.
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Hughes, News & Views: North junior ready to go racing
When we last visited 16-year-old Rachel Gutish, she was finishing sixth in the Women’s Enduro X race in the nationally televised Summer X Games at Los Angeles.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Yelovich still striking the ball long on LDA Tour
In June 2011, I wrote a feature story about former Indiana State basketball center Mick Yelovich making a name for himself as a golfer on the Long Drivers Association (LDA) Tour.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts? Broncos? Maybe there’s more than enough room for both
I’ve got a longtime buddy who I’m fairly sure rarely, if ever, reads this column.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Point of Jones’ return
Since May 14, Indiana high school basketball fans have wondered why Jim Jones would want to come out of retirement at 74.
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HUGHES, NEWS & VIEWS: Questions abound for Indy 500, Manning, baseball sectional
Phones are ringing less frequently in the Tribune-Star sports department this week.
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Hughes, News & Views: Hutson getting ready for final stretch toward Olympic Trials
If Kylie Hutson were a cross-country runner, she’d be approaching the final stretch of her biggest race in about three weeks.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose basketball alumni offer advice to current team
Bryan Egli and Joe Puthoff, both Rose-Hulman basketball starters I covered in the late 1990s, took their degrees from the prestigious engineering institute and found successful careers in the Indianapolis area.
Egli, also a former West Vigo High School multi-sport standout, lives in Carmel and works for Thieneman Construction in Westfield. Puthoff lives in Indy and works for Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines. -
DAVID HUGHES: Super Bowl odds getting stranger and stranger
Today’s annual “Super Bowl odds column” feels special to me because I’ve been a diehard NFL fan since 1967 and next Sunday will be the first time the big game takes place in our great state of Indiana.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Coach’s book a chance to remember North Vermillion state champs
Almost 10 years ago, February 2002 to be exact, the New England Patriots upset the high-powered St. Louis Rams to win Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, the Winter Olympics entertained spectators in Salt Lake City and Terre Haute South High School’s girls basketball team started its tournament run toward a Class 4A state title.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Plenty of sports-related gifts for columnist's wish list
Last week, I was all set to beg Santa Claus to give the Indianapolis Colts a certificate good for one NFL regular-season victory.
Then the 2011 Colts decided to play like the 2009 Colts and clobber the Tennessee Titans on Sunday for their first win of the season. So that present won’t be necessary. -
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: WTHI defends decision not to show Colts
When your favorite NFL team is threatening to finish 0-16, you have to figure a few fans will jump off the bandwagon.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Former South coach Rady makes it look easy
Jack Butcher, Howard Sharpe and Bill Stearman.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Wheldon's genuine personality a devastating loss to racing
Lori Wood, the Tribune-Star’s Indianapolis 500 correspondent since 2000, planned to visit a friend in California and take in the IndyCar Las Vegas 300 as a ticket-buying fan last weekend.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Past greats proud of ISU’s recent improvements
Indiana State football alum Chris “Big C” Hicks will turn 58 Saturday and he knows exactly what he wants for his birthday.
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HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose-Hulman hungry for first football victory of season
The Engineers have not endured a losing season since 2004. But they’ve opened this season at 0-2, causing Sokol to admit they’re desperate for a win.
“We’re all very hungry for a victory,” he said after practice Thursday. “We all want to taste victory really, really bad.” -
Valley semipro football team reaches championship of IFL
The West Central Wildcats’ semipro football team from Terre Haute has been written about before in this column space over the last two years.
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HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts cheerleaders glad to get back on field
When I heard the NFL lockout finally ended this week, I looked for someone affiliated with the Indianapolis Colts to get a reaction.
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Amateur boxing card set for outdoors at Show-Me's
We all know what Show-Me’s sports bar is famous for around Terre Haute, right?
Chicken wings, of course. -
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Porter’s persistence keeps his boxing career going
When I walked in Sweatbox Gym through the alley door Wednesday, I wondered if a time machine had taken me back to the 1950s, the glory days of boxing.
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Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Tiger on Sergio: 'It's Time to Move On'
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Raw: Heat, Spurs Back on Court Ahead of Game 7
Fmr. TWA Flight 800 Investigators Want New Probe
Raw: NASCAR Driver Jason Leffler Dies in Wreck
Rain Damages Brazil Soccer Stadium
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Police at Patriots Tight End's Home for 2nd Day
Car Crash in NYC's East Village Injures 8
Raw: Massive Protests Fill Brazilian Streets
Falling Cable Hurts 10 NASCAR Fans
Family Tweets Say Kim Kardashian Gives Birth
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Aug. Trial Set for Ohio Man in Triple Kidnapping
Failed Cuba-to-Florida Swimmer Won't Try Again
Paula Deen Admits to Using N Word
Rihanna Hits Fan With Microphone
Men's Wearhouse Founder Fired
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Miss Utah Explains Rambling Response
Exclusive: Locklear & Seymour Lock Lips
Miami Heat Wins in Overtime
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Fists, chairs fly in restaurant brawl
Journalist Michael Hastings Dies in Fiery Hollywood Crash
Hairy Leg Stockings Aim to Deflect Male Attention
Inside Kim Kardashian's Premature Labor
Three Charged for Enslaving Mother and Daughter
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Spurs' Popovich has no problem with Spurs' intensity
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach
Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane
Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber
