Announcer interviews

[jballscalls]

Hey guys,

I'm doing a little project on my blog with interviews of different announcers and trying to ask some fun/different questions that folks might find fun. First guest is John Dooley from FG/AP.

Let me know if you guys have any callers you'd like to hear from or different questions you might find interesting. I'm trying to keep it fun and lighthearted.

Hope you guys enjoy.

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/07/behind-the-mic-guest-john-g-dooley/

[v j stauffer]

Hey guys,

I'm doing a little project on my blog with interviews of different announcers and trying to ask some fun/different questions that folks might find fun. First guest is John Dooley from FG/AP.

Let me know if you guys have any callers you'd like to hear from or different questions you might find interesting. I'm trying to keep it fun and lighthearted.

Hope you guys enjoy.

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/07/behind-the-mic-guest-john-g-dooley/

Wish I was an announcer. I'd love to participate.

[Stillriledup]

Wish I was an announcer. I'd love to participate.

We miss you Vic, hopefully something will come open soon. Hopefully those same tracks realize you're out there and available.

[Johnny V]

Vic, Keith Jones, Dave Rodman, John Imbriale.

[jballscalls]

Vic, Keith Jones, Dave Rodman, John Imbriale.

Our mutuel Manager at PM is named Keith Jones, so for a split second I thought you meant him LOL

And Vic,

The River Downs job just opened up and I already put in a good word for you! I'll even give you a break on rent in my condo in downtown Cincy!

[Ocala Mike]

With a name like Stauffer, you'd do well in the Rhineland, Vic.

[v j stauffer]

Our mutuel Manager at PM is named Keith Jones, so for a split second I thought you meant him LOL

And Vic,

The River Downs job just opened up and I already put in a good word for you! I'll even give you a break on rent in my condo in downtown Cincy!

Thanks Balls! Go Reds!!!

[dirty moose]

There's a "few" announcers that, I'm sure some of us wouldn't mind you taking over for.....

[aardvark]

Wish I was an announcer. I'd love to participate.
I wish you were goofing around on the roof again as well. And I will always appreciate the chance to go up to your booth at HP last June and get a very different view of the proceedings.

[Mystic]

There's a "few" announcers that, I'm sure some of us wouldn't mind you taking over for.....

No doubt! There's a couple that I have to have on mute the whole time. They are just horrible!

[JimG]

I think Tampa would be a good fit for Vic.

[thespaah]

Hey guys,

I'm doing a little project on my blog with interviews of different announcers and trying to ask some fun/different questions that folks might find fun. First guest is John Dooley from FG/AP.

Let me know if you guys have any callers you'd like to hear from or different questions you might find interesting. I'm trying to keep it fun and lighthearted.

Hope you guys enjoy.

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/07/behind-the-mic-guest-john-g-dooley/
Please ask...Where John got his start. What interested him in race announcing. Has he done any other sports. Any amusing anecdotal stories?
Has he had any offers to do say , national broadcasts for major races?
Or has he had an interest in doing these. Does he like to handicap races for betting purposes...I do know that some announcers will do this to prepare for their calls.
John has a unique style. Please ask him if there are any announcers from which he has taken 'style pointers' from.
I enjoy John's calls because he is a bit different.
I like some of his phrases such as "Last but one"...."Away and running in the two o'clock opener"...Cool stuff.

[jballscalls]

Please ask...Where John got his start. What interested him in race announcing. Has he done any other sports. Any amusing anecdotal stories?
Has he had any offers to do say , national broadcasts for major races?
Or has he had an interest in doing these. Does he like to handicap races for betting purposes...I do know that some announcers will do this to prepare for their calls.
John has a unique style. Please ask him if there are any announcers from which he has taken 'style pointers' from.
I enjoy John's calls because he is a bit different.
I like some of his phrases such as "Last but one"...."Away and running in the two o'clock opener"...Cool stuff.

did you read the interview? It had a lot of that stuff in there :) Love the suggestions though, thanks!

I remember John showing me his little notebook at Arlington one time and he told me he was watching CNN and said George Bush had said something about how "we have to be resolute" in the pursuit of the enemy. John said he wrote down resolute and used it in a call the next day with a horse that wouldn't give in!

[Ray]

I'd really like to find out more about Ed Burgart... Can't find a single person to say a bad thing about him and does an amazing job. Michael wrong seems like a really fun guy I think he would also be an interesting subject as well

[Stillriledup]

I think Tampa would be a good fit for Vic.

Yes, it would. Maybe Tampa could pretend theyre Oaklawn one of these days.

[thespaah]

did you read the interview? It had a lot of that stuff in there :) Love the suggestions though, thanks!

I remember John showing me his little notebook at Arlington one time and he told me he was watching CNN and said George Bush had said something about how "we have to be resolute" in the pursuit of the enemy. John said he wrote down resolute and used it in a call the next day with a horse that wouldn't give in!
No.. I didn't know the interview was published or posted.
I would imagine that if it were myself conducting the interview, those are some of the questions I may have asked.

[NY BRED]

In my world, when Tom Durkin elects to retire , Vic would be the
the ideal replacement , and not by:

"a flaring nostril"


:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

[Pensacola Pete]

Ayers Ratliff.

[thespaah]

:ThmbUp: # :1:

[jballscalls]

I'd really like to find out more about Ed Burgart... Can't find a single person to say a bad thing about him and does an amazing job. Michael wrong seems like a really fun guy I think he would also be an interesting subject as well

I'd like to know more about both of them as well!

[jballscalls]

Here's the next interview...this time with Mountaineer's Peter Berry!

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/13/behind-the-mic-guest-peter-berry/

[thespaah]

Here's the next interview...this time with Mountaineer's Peter Berry!

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/13/behind-the-mic-guest-peter-berry/
Can you tell these guys about PA and ask them if they's be willing to post here?

[wisconsin]

Can you tell these guys about PA and ask them if they's be willing to post here?


Peter Berry is already a posting member.

[jballscalls]

Can you tell these guys about PA and ask them if they's be willing to post here?

I believe Peter does post here.

[thespaah]

I believe Peter does post here.
Cool! BY what name?

[PaceAdvantage]

Cool! BY what name?Strangely enough, Peter Berry.

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/member.php?u=3075

[jballscalls]

Here's the latest interview with "Delta" Don Stevens!

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/15/behind-the-mic-guest-don-stevens/

Gonna start including some of your guys' question suggestions in the next round of interviews! Thanks for reading!

[jballscalls]

Here's today's interview with Vic Stauffer! Hope you guys enjoy!

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/17/behind-the-mic-guest-vic-stauffer/

[Racetrack Playa]

:ThmbUp:Nice Interview , enjoy them all, thanks for sharing.

[olddaddy]

Since you interviewed a race caller thats not currently calling, any possibility of getting in touch with Phil Georgeff?


I hope Vic changes his mind and moves on to keep calling, he is very good.

[jballscalls]

Since you interviewed a race caller thats not currently calling, any possibility of getting in touch with Phil Georgeff?


I hope Vic changes his mind and moves on to keep calling, he is very good.

To be honest I don't know much about Mr. Georgeff as he retired when I was just a kid. I probably wouldn't be the best person to interview him. Also I believe he has a book about his life.

And couldn't agree with your second comment any more. Vic rules

[wisconsin]

To be honest I don't know much about Mr. Georgeff as he retired when I was just a kid. I probably wouldn't be the best person to interview him. Also I believe he has a book about his life.

And couldn't agree with your second comment any more. Vic rules

Phil Georgeff is in his 80's, lives in Fair Hope, AL. Began calling Arlington in the late 50's. I remember when my dad owned harness runners in the '70's he called Maywood and Hawthorne at night as part of a twin-track announcing doubleheader.

[jballscalls]

Here's today's interview with Louisiana Downs announcer Travis Stone

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/19/behind-the-mic-guest-travis-stone/

[jballscalls]

Here's today's interview with Michael Chamberlain of Turf Paradise and formerly of Sam Houston.

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/02/24/behind-the-mic-guest-michael-chamberlain/

[FiveWide]

Any chance you'll be interviewing John Lies, announcer of LS? It's my home track so it'd be neat to hear what he has to say. Plus he's pretty good in my book!


-Five

[andtheyreoff]

Thanks for the interviews, Jason!

[jballscalls]

Any chance you'll be interviewing John Lies, announcer of LS? It's my home track so it'd be neat to hear what he has to say. Plus he's pretty good in my book!


-Five

That's a great idea! I'll email John tomorrow!

Coming up soon are John Imbriale from NYRA and Jonathan Horowitz from Zia/Arapahoe

[wisconsin]

That's a great idea! I'll email John tomorrow!

Coming up soon are John Imbriale from NYRA and Jonathan Horowitz from Zia/Arapahoe


I would love to hear John Imbriale's take on his venture to Arlington in 1982 after Phil Georgeff was fired. He was booed mercilessly. Especially at the running of the Arl-Was Futurity, which at the time, was covered by WGN-TV, and 18,000 people booed the entire call...I was there, and it was quite loud.

[Hoofless_Wonder]

Phil Georgeff is in his 80's, lives in Fair Hope, AL. Began calling Arlington in the late 50's. I remember when my dad owned harness runners in the '70's he called Maywood and Hawthorne at night as part of a twin-track announcing doubleheader.

I'd want to ask Phil how often he wagered on the races he called. Sometimes it seemed that as the horses came "spinning out of the turn", there was a drop off in the enthusiasm level of the call as an outsider who was prominent early faded.... :)

[olddaddy]

I'd want to ask Phil how often he wagered on the races he called. Sometimes it seemed that as the horses came "spinning out of the turn", there was a drop off in the enthusiasm level of the call as an outsider who was prominent early faded.... :)


Id like to know if he ever called a race saying a horse was "still there" and the horse lost, except The Bart.

[jballscalls]

Here's today's interview with John Lies of Lone STar Park and Kentucky Downs


http://jasonbeem.com/2014/03/02/behind-the-mic-guest-john-lies/

[jballscalls]

Here's today's interview with Zia Park and Arapahoe Park announcer Jonathan Horowitz

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/03/07/behind-the-mic-guest-jonathan-horowitz/

[olddaddy]

You do very good work. I really enjoy reading these interviews, keep up the good work.

[jballscalls]

Here's a quick interview with NYRA's John Imbriale!


http://jasonbeem.com/2014/03/12/behind-the-mic-guest-john-imbriale/

[jballscalls]

Here's today's interview guest..the great Michael Wrona! Racing!!

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/03/19/behind-the-mic-guest-michael-wrona/

[jballscalls]

Going to be starting up this interview series again, but this time with TV Hosts/Paddock Handicappers.

First in the new series is my friend Jessica Paquette, the analyst from Suffolk Downs

http://jasonbeem.com/2014/06/21/behind-the-mic-guest-jessica-paquette/

[BettinBilly]

Glad you are doing that. I think adding Hosts and Cappers will add to the interest.

I was just thinking;
I spent a few years in Radio and did some national commercials. I've got that small skill for talking into a microphone.
I took track announcers for granted and with minor regard until I watched Conan O'Brien's spoof at Santa Anita. I had no idea the announcer had to memorize jockey color to horse name. That's not a skill I'd possess easily. I could probably do it, but it would take practice. After watching that spoof, I have a lot more respect for the Announcer.

Looking forward to more of your interviews.