I caught up with an old friend last week, at a totally unexpected time and place.
Which makes it that much more enjoyable.
I was working at the Butler game at Hinkle Fieldhouse last Wednesday. It was about an hour before tipoff and things were going normally.
I was doing stats inside at the announce table instead of out in the truck, and it was the calm before the game storm.
And this was literal, as Butler was playing St. John’s, whose nickname is the Red Storm…
Anyway, I was just sitting there, going through some game notes and stats, when there was a recognizable voice beside me.
“Well, if it isn’t Jeff Nelson.”
It was a voice I hadn’t heard in about 35 years, connected to a guy I hadn’t seen in about 35 years.
It is also a voice that you oldsters might remember, but you had to be paying attention way back then and have a good memory.
It was John Minko.
And you very properly say “Who is John Minko?”
Well, John did football play by play for WCVL-WIMC way way back when.
It was for one season, so that meant it was only about 10 Friday nights.
John was working for WIRE radio in Indy back then, doing daily sports reports, and some game work. He was also with the crew that reported on action at the Motor Speedway during the month of May, when lots of folks did lots of reports all month.
John was at that time a new Butler grad, and through whatever contact met the station manager and got hired to do some football games.
That was when Harvey Keller was doing Crawfordsville games on the AM station every Friday, and I worked with John doing either a North or South game.
Well, anyway, John and I had a blast covering games on Friday, but it was for only one season, as ownership changes took the Indy station in a new direction, and John had to go in a new direction as well.
So he went east, like New York.
He got hired at WFAN, which is the biggest sports station in New York, and he became one of the best-known voices in the biggest market in the nation.
He also became the radio voice for St. John’s basketball, and just a month ago celebrated his 500th game. He has also recently retired from full-time sports work on the radio.
Well, anyway, back to Butler and last Wednesday.
John was on the other side of Hinkle, and was talking to the Butler PA guy, who happens to be Dave Peach and who happens to be a Butler grad (and knew John back in those early days) and happens to be the General Manager of WCVL-WIMC-WCDQ here in Crawfordsville.
They struck up a chat, and John told Dave about doing games in Montgomery County way back when.
He also said he remembered his stats guy, Jeff Nelson.
Dave said, “Well, he is sitting on the other side of the floor,” as he pointed my way.
John walked to the other side of the court, we caught up, and it was a great night.
We talked about how hot it was in the Southmont football press box back then. It faced directly west. We talked about doing games at North and even one game at Crawfordsville, when there was a county matchup.
John has been incredibly successful, and has done some incredible things over the years. It was great to catch up with him, and even better that he remembered his stats guy from a long ago.
He was also impressed when he found out I had stayed in the stats business, and have done okay for myself on that level too.
We talked about him maybe coming back to do a game this fall. I know I will make a Friday night available to work a game with him. We also have three new football press boxes to show off, wherever he lands for a game. He will love the air conditioning at South.
It was a trip down memory lane, and there is no better place to do that than Hinkle. You great readers know that nostalgia is one of my topics of choice, and being able to go back to the late 80’s and a hot Friday night at a county football game with a great announcer was just what the doctor ordered.
There are lots of basketball games on the schedule, with the college seasons coming to an end. There are also plenty of Pacers games. I’ve spent a chunk of the last couple days starting to plan travel for spring football, as the UFL is starting at the end of March. There are a lot of details being worked out, enough for a couple columns down the road. I might be on both coasts this season…
I have to close with another condolence, this to the family of Dennis Lynd. Dennis was a softball dad down at Elston. His daughter has played for many years, and Dennis and I had many conversations at games went on. He was a devout Christian, and a history guy, He spent a lot of time and energy figuring out the exact route that Moses led his people out of Egypt. It was a lot of fun listening to him and talking to him. Our thoughts go out to his family.
Safe travels as March rolls on.
