The roast held a few weeks ago for this writer pulled together some of this area’s biggest radio stars.
All toiled for the sportsman Curt Gowdy who owned the stations WCGY & WCCM. The stations were originally located on Valley St. in the city. Gowdy, a Hall of Fame announcer was often seen in the city and went on to own 9 radio stations. Not bad for a cowboy from Wyoming.
He had some local heroes tending his building at the corner of Common and Franklin streets in the City. Running the company for his longtime buddy John Basset who is now retired and at the time traveled from Milton Ma where he lived. He was a tried and true Red Sox fan and would jump off the band wagon after any loss. He and the boss were real tight friends with the great Ted Williams.
Next in line was the Sales Manager Paul Seccariccio of Andover, later of WEEI sports and now retired in NH. His dad was a well-known dentist in Lawrence.
Paul can take the blame for hiring me to do sports many years ago. What a monster he created!
The saintly Bruce Arnold was next in the pecking order and he was loved by everyone who knew him. I named him the male Mary Poppins – he was that nice! God pulled another star into his galaxy when he took Bruce from us.
John Moran came from upstate New York and met and married his wife Kathy with Bruce at his best at love matchmaking. The Morans live in NH and are a leave-it-to-beaver-like family. Both John and Kathy were consummate pros and John really took me under his wing and was the most prepared announcer I’ve ever worked with and a real straight shooter.
Bob Shufrider was another big time sports guy and came from Chicago and took to the area like a native. Bob met and married Bill McEvoy of No Andover’s daughter, they live in Haverhill and he travels the country in the computer world. Bob could walk into any local bar and seem like a native MV person. Another project built by that ole matchmaker Bruce Arnold.
Dan Roche, formerly of No Andover is a famous alumnus as he stars at Channel 4 as a sports announcer. Dan graduated from NA High School where he played baseball and later attended Syracuse Communication School. He is also part of Bruce Arnold’s ain’t-love-grand-club as he paired Dan with Pam Moran a Hall of Famer at Methuen HS. They live in Andover now. Son Harry is a student at Villanova and daughter Tori is a 3 sport captain at Andover HS. Mom Pam will be inducted again at MHS as a star of one of the greatest hoop teams in the school’s history. Pam works for Bauer skates.
These former coworkers all attended the roast and all work put together by the great Bruce Arnold and I can still hear him saying “WILL YOU PLEASE?”
OH YEAH HE TRIED TO MATCH ME WITH A WOMAN THAT LOOKED LIKE BUDDY HACKETT WITH BOOBS AND THAT WAS MY TURN TO SAY, “WOULD YOU PLEASE?”
This picture was at my MHS Hall of Fame induction at The Red Tavern.
JUST THINKING
Remember when there weren’t any electric driers and people used outside lines to dry their clothes and bed wear and how clean they smelled?
Space travel was only mentioned in Flash Gordon books.
Your grandma and grandpa got married first and then latter lived together.
Every family had a father and mother.
Until you were 25 you called every man older than you, Sir. Even after 25 you still called a policeman and every man with a title Sir.
We were before gay rights, computer dating, dual careers, and day careers and day care and group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Bible, good judgment, and common sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving our country was a privilege and living in our country was a bigger one.
We thought fast food was eating a hot dog and running to meet up with our friends.
Having a meaningful relationship was getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were those who closed the front door in the evening breeze.
Time sharing meant spending time with your friends and relatives. in the evenings and weekends.
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to Jack Benny, big bands, the Shadow, Inner Sanctum and Fibber McGee and Molly, and George Burns and Gracie Allen on the radio.
Were we living a better life in those days? I don’t have an answer for you but these are surely good memories.
