KRFO Announcers Have Been Trapped Like Uecker

While chuckling over Bob Uecker's recent dilemma of being locked in the broadcast booth, a few memories of similar situations came to mind.

During a state semifinal football game for Owatonna at Lakeville North a year or two ago, Brad Fischer and I found ourselves on the wrong side of a locked fence. As we wrapped up the expanded post-game show of a Huskies victory, all the lights were turned off at the stadium. In complete darkness, we made our way down the bleachers and across the field to the gate we had come in. As we got there the custodian, who was making one last check of the lock on the gate, saw us and let us out. Had he not been there it would have been quite a challenge to climb the chain-link fence and get the bags of radio equipment over them as well.

Years ago, hockey broadcasts at Winona originated from the roof of the lobby area. This required a climb up a ladder and a careful walk across the expanse on support beams. During one broadcast one of the parents felt it would be funny to remove the ladder after we made it to our perch. The ladder was returned shortly after the game ended. Thankfully, the lights remained on during this time.

While traveling with the Southern Minnesota Express hockey team a number of years back, I was stranded at a rink in Springfield, Ill. The bus had left for the hotel without me. I went to where the bus should have been. When I didn't see it, I called the coach and asked where the bus was. He paused for a moment, then said, "We'll be right there." From that point forward, the trainer's job description included keeping track of the radio guy. I made it easy by being one of the first people on the bus after each game from then on.