Announcers 'book' football gig in Aurelia library
By Tim Gallagher | Posted: Sunday, October 26, 2008
Simon Fuller, 25, and Billy Bezoni, 39, take a break during half-time of a prep football game featuring Remsen St. Mary's and Aurelia on Thursday in Aurelia, Iowa. St. Mary's prevailed 41-20. Fuller and Bezoni called the game for radio station KCHE from the Aurelia Middle School Library. (Photo by Tim Gallagher)
AURELIA, Iowa -- In my skips across the Siouxland landscape on Football Friday Nights I've seen lots of things through the years.
I met a team manager in Holstein, Iowa, who scheduled her own kidney transplant during the summer so she wouldn't miss a game.
I watched two members of the Omaha Nation Chiefs team sing their nation's anthem before kickoff in Macy, Neb.
I've saluted a flag raised over a field at Alcester, S.D., the very flag that covered the coffin of a former prep football player killed in action in Vietnam. The flag flies only four or five times per year -- at Alcester-Hudson games.
But until this week, I'd never seen or heard a football game announced on the radio from the middle school library.
"Welcome to Aurelia Middle School," said Billy Bezoni, the likeable play-by-play voice of KCHE Radio in Cherokee, Iowa. "This is our radio booth. It's great. Nobody bothers you."
Bezoni and partner Simon Fuller peek out two third-floor windows of the 1920 school building and call the action below for those tuning in to the "Voice of the Valley."
"It's really a great view," said partner Simon Fuller. "Other than a sideline area near midfield where the press box obstructs our view, we can see everything. Plus, it's warm up here!"
With the press box above the bleachers cramped with the public address announcer, scoreboard operators and assistant coaches, Fuller and Bezoni "check out" the library. It works because Valor Field is only 50 yards from the school. Aurelia is also a great place for spectators to watch a game as school officials allow fans to stand right next to the field.
Those fans and listeners got their money's worth Thursday (the game was played one night earlier than normal, allowing Aurelia to find an officiating crew) as Remsen St. Mary's broke open a tight 8-man contest to defeat the host Bulldogs in Coach Myron Radke's final game.
The 41-20 victory allowed the visiting Hawks to advance to the substate round Wednesday. (The game was 21-20 in favor of St. Mary's midway through the fourth quarter.)
Back to my announcer friends in the nonfiction section of the library. Bezoni, the station's music and program director, graduated from Aurelia High in 1988. He played tackle on the 1986 Bulldogs' squad that earned the Class A runner-up trophy after dropping the state title tilt to Paton-Churdan, 6-0.
"I've had a lot of good memories from that field," said Bezoni, 39. "I love coming back to do Aurelia football."
But, in the library?
"Even though Billy went to school here, he'd never been in the library until he came to do a football game," cracked Fuller.
"That's not true," Bezoni responded. "I did some detention in here a few times. I remember I was listening to AC/DC once when I was supposed to be doing my homework. They sent me here."
While he had to hush himself in this room 20 years ago, there was no such "gag order" for a football game. Bezoni called touchdowns for both teams with great enthusiasm while Fuller, who played football for Denison-Schleswig as a prep, supplied analysis and statistical backup.
When Billy Steichen of Remsen St. Mary's tackled Kody Pinkerton of Aurelia, Bezoni said, "Steichen just bulldogged him to the ground. Wow! That's the kind of tackle you'd see at the Cherokee Rodeo!"
And until this week, I never expected to hear something like that blurted out in a library.
See video and listen to Billy Bezoni describe his library sports suite at www.siouxcityjournal.com
I met a team manager in Holstein, Iowa, who scheduled her own kidney transplant during the summer so she wouldn't miss a game.
I watched two members of the Omaha Nation Chiefs team sing their nation's anthem before kickoff in Macy, Neb.
I've saluted a flag raised over a field at Alcester, S.D., the very flag that covered the coffin of a former prep football player killed in action in Vietnam. The flag flies only four or five times per year -- at Alcester-Hudson games.
But until this week, I'd never seen or heard a football game announced on the radio from the middle school library.
"Welcome to Aurelia Middle School," said Billy Bezoni, the likeable play-by-play voice of KCHE Radio in Cherokee, Iowa. "This is our radio booth. It's great. Nobody bothers you."
Bezoni and partner Simon Fuller peek out two third-floor windows of the 1920 school building and call the action below for those tuning in to the "Voice of the Valley."
"It's really a great view," said partner Simon Fuller. "Other than a sideline area near midfield where the press box obstructs our view, we can see everything. Plus, it's warm up here!"
With the press box above the bleachers cramped with the public address announcer, scoreboard operators and assistant coaches, Fuller and Bezoni "check out" the library. It works because Valor Field is only 50 yards from the school. Aurelia is also a great place for spectators to watch a game as school officials allow fans to stand right next to the field.
Those fans and listeners got their money's worth Thursday (the game was played one night earlier than normal, allowing Aurelia to find an officiating crew) as Remsen St. Mary's broke open a tight 8-man contest to defeat the host Bulldogs in Coach Myron Radke's final game.
The 41-20 victory allowed the visiting Hawks to advance to the substate round Wednesday. (The game was 21-20 in favor of St. Mary's midway through the fourth quarter.)
Back to my announcer friends in the nonfiction section of the library. Bezoni, the station's music and program director, graduated from Aurelia High in 1988. He played tackle on the 1986 Bulldogs' squad that earned the Class A runner-up trophy after dropping the state title tilt to Paton-Churdan, 6-0.
"I've had a lot of good memories from that field," said Bezoni, 39. "I love coming back to do Aurelia football."
But, in the library?
"Even though Billy went to school here, he'd never been in the library until he came to do a football game," cracked Fuller.
"That's not true," Bezoni responded. "I did some detention in here a few times. I remember I was listening to AC/DC once when I was supposed to be doing my homework. They sent me here."
While he had to hush himself in this room 20 years ago, there was no such "gag order" for a football game. Bezoni called touchdowns for both teams with great enthusiasm while Fuller, who played football for Denison-Schleswig as a prep, supplied analysis and statistical backup.
When Billy Steichen of Remsen St. Mary's tackled Kody Pinkerton of Aurelia, Bezoni said, "Steichen just bulldogged him to the ground. Wow! That's the kind of tackle you'd see at the Cherokee Rodeo!"
And until this week, I never expected to hear something like that blurted out in a library.
See video and listen to Billy Bezoni describe his library sports suite at www.siouxcityjournal.com
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 2 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
billy bezoni wrote on Oct 27, 2008 2:32 PM:
Craig Bowen wrote on Oct 26, 2008 10:13 AM:
Made me think back to our 1972 season.
Thanks Journal for the story. "