Like father, like son

For the last 50 years, two things have been certain: the sun would rise each morning, and Richard Myers would be behind the mic at Ralston Field, calling the action for the Wilkes University football games on Saturday afternoons.

The 2009 season marks half a century that both Richard Myers, Sr, and his son Richard Myers, Jr, both graduates of Wilkes University, have been the voice of Ralston Field.
To put it in perspective, Wilkes was established as Bucknell Junior College in 1933 and started playing football in 1946. Fourteen years later, Richard Myers, Sr. took the reins of the PA system, and it has not left the family since.

Richard Myers Sr, who graduated from Wilkes University during the spring of 1960, took the reins as the public address announcer that following fall. As a student, Myers was plenty involved in the sports department of the University. During his tenure, he served as sports editor, news editor, and editor-in-chief of The Beacon and was the sports information director for the University before it was made into a paid professional position.

His talents behind the microphone were not limited to just football; he called wrestling matches, basketball games and even swimming meets. After state-owned Artillery Park was given to Wilkes University, the football team made a move from what is now Wyoming Valley West’s high school field. The move called for a new public address announcer, and that’s where Myers got his start in the press box, albeit a little less luxurious press box than one would imagine.

“There was no place to hang speakers [at Artillery Park],” chuckled Myers, Sr. “We had a local sound company come down with a system to use. They gave me a 100-yard long cord with a hand mic, pointed the speakers in the general direction of the crowd and said ‘go.’”

Two years later, Wilkes moved into Ralston Field, its first very own stadium complex, where it has been ever since. Myers, Sr. served as announcer through numerous different milestones at the University, including the dedication of the field to former coach George Ralston as well as the years of the Golden Horde, the teams at Wilkes between the years of 1965-1969 under Coach Rollie Schmidt. Those teams went 37-3 during those years, including three straight unbeaten seasons and two Lambert Bowl titles.

In 1984, after 25 years in the booth, work obligations moved him out of town, forcing him to leave his post. Wilkes now had to replace the only announcer Ralston Field had ever heard.

The vacancy in the position did not last very long.

“[John Reese] asked me where we were going to get somebody,” said Myers, Sr.. “I told him ‘if you would have taken my advice in the first place, we wouldn’t have this problem.’ When he asked, I told him, ‘I got a son waiting in the wings. He’s right under your nose.’”

Myers Jr. started tagging along with his father when he was 12 years old, learning the ins and outs of what went on behind the microphone.

“I went to the games with my father, ‘back in the day,’” laughed Myers, Jr. “I sat in the press box and spotted for years when I was  in high school.”

“He was my defensive spotter,” said Myers, Sr. “He would check all the substitutions. He would have the opposing roster and he would holler in my ear the substitutions and who made the tackle. He pretty well knew the routine and needed no on the job training. It was like second nature for him when he took over.”

Myers, Jr. has been the voice of Colonels football ever since, celebrating his 25th year this season. Throughout his time, Myers, Jr. has seen his fair share of great teams and players. A couple teams, such as the undefeated teams of 1993 and 2006, come to mind instantly when asked about his favorite memories. But it was a player whom Myers, Jr. says stands out above the rest.

“All the years [Brett] Trichilo played, that guy was incredible,” said Meyers, Jr. “They would go 10 plays, 80 yards, and it was just Trichilo right, Trichilo left, Trichilo up the middle. He was just a horse. They tried to tackle him high, tackle him low, and they would just bounce off of him. Watching him was amazing.”

Between the two, they have called well over 200 home games, and have only missed three games combined in that same period.

“I missed the first game of one season because John Reese didn’t call me,” said Myers. “That year I never got a hold of the schedule in advance and John just forgot to call me. I thought he finally got a college student after all those years. He called me right after the game and said ‘you son of a [expletive], don’t you do that to me ever again.’”

For Myers, Jr, it was a bit of a family conflict.

“My sister had the nerve to schedule her wedding date before checking the Wilkes schedule,” laughed Myers, Jr. “She got married on a home game.”

As for how long Myers will continue to be the voice of Colonel football, the only season for certain is 2010, and for good reason.

“I have to do one more year, because I’m not coming out of this with a tie,” laughed Myers, Jr. “I really wanted to do this year because I thought it would be neat to do 50 years, and I’d like to do another year just to say I did it longer than he [my father] did. I still enjoy it. It’s fun to be in the press box, fun to watch the team, and as long as they’ll have me for right now,0 I’d like to keep doing it.” 

So now the question remains, when Myers, Jr. decides to step down, will the honor stay in the family?

“I can say this, I got a son and he’s 17,” laughed Myers, Jr. “He’s been to every game that I’ve seen for the last three years. He seems to enjoy it. Let’s see where he lands after college. There is a Richard Myers, III hanging out there in the wings.”