After about a year of traveling across the state, interviewing some brilliant and energetic gentlemen, transcribing notes, writing, editing and designing, I have completed my first book, "Show-Me Sportscasters". For those of you who have not been following, “Show-Me Sportscasters” tells the story of 15 professional, college and high school play-by-play announcers across the state of Missouri. Each chapter is dedicated to one of these professionals and tells his story of how he got involved in play-by-play, his most memorable calls, his sportscasting heroes, and his biggest challenges and greatest triumphs. The final chapter, "Tips and Strategies from the Pros" provides advice for budding young sportscasters.
Here is an excerpt from the Introduction:
Missouri is where some of the greatest sportscasters of all time have hung their hats: Jack Buck and his son Joe, Harry Caray (even if he did cross over to the Cubs), Kevin Harlan, Bob Costas. It is home to KMOX, the legendary CBS Radio affiliate in St. Louis. The goal of this project was to feature some of the men who are keeping the legacy of sports broadcasting alive in the Show-Me State. The tradition continues with men like Greg Schmidt, who is on the cusp of calling 5,000 games; Kevin Kelly, who calls some of the toughest action in the Capital City; and Adam Winkler, the voice of eight state football titles for Webb City High School. It continues with Dan McLaughlin, whose St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most storied professional franchises in American sports history, and with Ryan Lefebvre, who survived three straight 100-loss seasons with the Kansas City Royals before they won the 2015 World Series. The list includes Missouri Sports Hall of Famers Art Hains from Missouri State and Mike Kelly from Mizzou. It includes John Kelly, the son of St. Louis Blues icon Dan Kelly, who is quickly becoming a legend in his own right, and Erik Sean at Southeast Missouri State, who cut his teeth in small towns before becoming the Voice of the Redhawks. It also features Mitch Holthus, he of the great “Touchdown—Kan-SAS City!” call that sends chills down Chiefs’ fans’ spines. Also included are gentlemen who have been in the game for decades (Brad Boyer at Truman State University and John Coffey at Northwest Missouri State) and professionals who are early in their play-by-play careers (Nate Bukaty of Sporting KC and Greg Hassler at the University of Central Missouri). And it includes an innovator in Mike McClure, who started his own internet broadcasting service.
The eBook is available for $6.50. The print version (available through Amazon.com, hopefully by the end of the week, is $12.50. I hope you'll give it a look. I am donating 90% of my proceeds to the Show-Me Christian Youth Home, so every download and purchase is going to help a very worthy cause. Thanks for considering!
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| Cover Design by Amy Kenney |
