Munson

[Madsnooker]

Reading the More then a voice thread got me thinking about Munson.

I know all you pup fans loved him. For a Buckeye fan that didn't grow up listening to Bulldog games my journey growing to love listening to him has a special place for me.

It started with my first trip to ga deer hunting many years ago. Back then there wasn't satellite radio. After the morning hunt my Dad liked to take us over to Macon County to the amish restaurant for lunch and kill time between hunts. As college football fans we would find a game to listen to and it usually was a Bulldog game on one of the few channels we could find in rural ga. Lol

At first Munsons voice was scratchy and frankly wasn't that appealing to me. Over many trips thru the years on those beautiful fall days in South ga he grew on me. Not sure if it was his great calls or just knowing when I heard him it meant I was in my happy place hunting with my Dad as well as with my oldest son riding those back roads on a cool crisp sunny day!!! It just became something that meant alot to me. I think thats why I grew to like the pups. I found myself always rooting for them. The better they played the better Munson was.

Anyway, I miss those days hearing him and hearing his voice for the first time in a long time in that trailer in that other thread brought back those memories I just shared.

Munson was one of a kind!!!!!

 

[DSGB]

He would have turned 99 a couple days ago. Here's a good commentary that some of you may have heard. Ignore the video and just listen to Munson tell it.......

 

[JustUs4All]

Larry was old school. He called games for radio listeners. Usually he started the game with a description like - Look at your radio, the bridge is on the left and the trestle is on the right. The Dogs will receive the opening kick off from the right and be moving toward the trestle. He gave the down and the yardage to gain on every play. If you walked into the room in the middle of the game it wouldn't take over a couple of minutes to learn what the score was, and what the situation was on the field.

All the old time announcers did something similar both baseball and football their commentary was filled with useful information. It is now a lost art and Munson was one of the best at it.

 

[MudDucker]

I got to go fishing with Munson once or twice. It was a wonder we caught any fish, because he gabbed non-stop and I laughed non-stop at him. He was one of a kind!

 

[ddavis1120]

For most people older than 40 Munson was about the only way to take in a Dawg game most of the time. Younger people just don't understand that most games weren't available on TV so it was radio or in person. My parents were too cheap to actually take me to a game so my first game was as a student at UGA.

He was from Minnesota; I assume his Midwest accent and delivery appealed to you Snook!

 

[westcobbdog]

Few of my favorites from Larry:

Look at the SUGAR falling from the sky!

Just driving and running over people with those big thighs, my God a freshman!

Run Lindsay, 15, 10 5 TOUCHDOWN!

 

[MCBUCK]

The conversation would often go LLE this;

“Turn down the tv
Turn up the radio.
Find 98.9
Is Munson on yet?”

 

[mrs. hornet22]

We even carried radios in the stadium to listen to him. He made the game so much MORE! I sure do miss him. It's impossible to listen to Scott Howard now days with digital TV's.

 

[ClemsonRangers]

i remember him saying stuff like buck belue sits them down, hands off to walker, hes got 5, 7 yards, almost broke it

then say 2nd and 6

 

[mrs. hornet22]

Larry was old school. He called games for radio listeners. Usually he started the game with a description like - Look at your radio, the bridge is on the left and the trestle is on the right. The Dogs will receive the opening kick off from the right and be moving toward the trestle. He gave the down and the yardage to gain on every play. If you walked into the room in the middle of the game it wouldn't take over a couple of minutes to learn what the score was, and what the situation was on the field.

All the old time announcers did something similar both baseball and football their commentary was filled with useful information. It is now a lost art and Munson was one of the best at it.

"Get the picture". Dawgs in red jerseys with silver britches.

 

[Madsnooker]

He was from Minnesota; I assume his Midwest accent and delivery appealed to you Snook!

I never would have guessed he was from Minnesota. His delivery was great.

 

[elfiii]

Munson was one of a kind!!!!!

Yes he was and you're a gentleman and scholar for recognizing it. He was one of the last Old School college football game announcers. Lots of colleges had announcers like him but they didn't endure. He did. He was so loved by the fans he pretty much dictated how things went and all he wanted to do was the play by play for the Dawgs.

Lindsay Scott's "Immaculate Catch" is probably one of the best play by play calls of all time and certainly Munson's best. I still get excited every time I listen to it.

"Man is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight!"

 

[king killer delete]

Never a Dawgs fan but loved to listen to him on the radio

 

[mrs. hornet22]

Yes he was and you're a gentleman and scholar for recognizing it. He was one of the last Old School college football game announcers. Lots of colleges had announcers like him but they didn't endure. He did. He was so loved by the fans he pretty much dictated how things went and all he wanted to do was the play by play for the Dawgs.

Lindsay Scott's "Immaculate Catch" is probably one of the best play by play calls of all time and certainly Munson's best. I still get excited every time I listen to it.

"Man is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight!"

We were staying in St. Simons and H22 broke the sliding door. Not the glass and not on purpose, but it cost him the deposit on the condo.

 

[elfiii]

We were staying in St. Simons and H22 broke the sliding door. Not the glass and not on purpose, but it cost him the deposit on the condo.

He can be forgiven for such excesses. They were warranted under the circumstances and St. Munson approved it in advance.

 

[Madsnooker]

Yes he was and you're a gentleman and scholar for recognizing it. He was one of the last Old School college football game announcers. Lots of colleges had announcers like him but they didn't endure. He did. He was so loved by the fans he pretty much dictated how things went and all he wanted to do was the play by play for the Dawgs.

Lindsay Scott's "Immaculate Catch" is probably one of the best play by play calls of all time and certainly Munson's best. I still get excited every time I listen to it.

"Man is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight!"

Yep that was a great call of the play and one liner right after.

 

[TinKnocker]

The conversation would often go LLE this;

“Turn down the tv
Turn up the radio.
Find 98.9
Is Munson on yet?”

Yep! My early years as a Dawg fan were in front of a muted TV with Munson making the calls on the radio. I spent 10 years knowing the Dawgs in that fashion. Finally got to go to a game when I was 15 and even took a portable radio and headphones into the stadium so I could listen to Larry tell me what my eyes were seeing.

Quite a gut-punch the day that man passed. Never met him but felt like a huge part of my childhood. To this day I choke up when I hear the "Hobnail Boot" call replayed.

 

[ddgarcia]

I, unlike many of you, was not raised on Munson and Bulldog football. I moved to Ga in '01 and really became a Dawg fan for three reasons. First, my wife is from here and was already a Dawg so I figured it would help keep peace in the home. (Happy wife, Happy life) Second being from nowhereville People's Republic of Commiefornia I did not "have" a college team. Grew up on pro ball because it's what dad watched and college ball there is not what it is in the South. Third that was the year UGA hired CMR, you couldn't miss it in Athens and the more I listened to him talk I really came to like the man and what I envisioned him bringing to the program, and more importantly, the young men in it.

My first encounter with Munson was one of the first games of '01, I don't remember exactly which one it was, but I had drawn a weekend shift and couldn't watch the game so I found it on the radio. I tuned in as the pre game was coming to an end and they were preparing for the opening kickoff.


Something about the broadcast sounded strange to me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Now I had heard several of my wife's friends tell me about Munson, always with awe and reverence, and I was unable to understand it. I had rarely listened to sports on the radio, as pro football was really the only one I ever was in to, and it was on at 10am on Sunday's and we didn't go to church so it was must see tv.

As the game went on for a few minutes, I remember thinking " What is this guy doing????!!!" as he was talking in "We" and they" and "us and them", talking up the Dawgs while subtly insulting the opposition. And it was "Dawgs" not "Dogs" as you all know and even as a first time listener it was clear to me. I had only ever been exposed to "national" broadcasts of games, never a "home town/team" broadcast.

The longer I listened, the more the realization came to me that a "home town/team" broadcast is what I was listening to hence his verbiage. As that realization sank in I began to listen as a "fan", newly minted as I was, and slowly the surprise/shock of what I was hearing for the first time faded and I began to take in the experience. And an experience it was.

It didn't take long and I was mesmerized by his voice and drawn into the broadcast as it sunk in that he was doing his level best to put me in that box beside him as lover of not only "our" Dawgs but as a lover of the game as well.

I will always revere the man for the joy he brought me and millions of fellow Dawg fans with his passion for the game and the Dawgs and the skill with which he shared it week after week.

RIP Sir, always will you live on in our hearts.

 

[elfiii]

I, unlike many of you, was not raised on Munson and Bulldog football. I moved to Ga in '01 and really became a Dawg fan for three reasons. First, my wife is from here and was already a Dawg so I figured it would help keep peace in the home. (Happy wife, Happy life) Second being from nowhereville People's Republic of Commiefornia I did not "have" a college team. Grew up on pro ball because it's what dad watched and college ball there is not what it is in the South. Third that was the year UGA hired CMR, you couldn't miss it in Athens and the more I listened to him talk I really came to like the man and what I envisioned him bringing to the program, and more importantly, the young men in it.

My first encounter with Munson was one of the first games of '01, I don't remember exactly which one it was, but I had drawn a weekend shift and couldn't watch the game so I found it on the radio. I tuned in as the pre game was coming to an end and they were preparing for the opening kickoff.


Something about the broadcast sounded strange to me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Now I had heard several of my wife's friends tell me about Munson, always with awe and reverence, and I was unable to understand it. I had rarely listened to sports on the radio, as pro football was really the only one I ever was in to, and it was on at 10am on Sunday's and we didn't go to church so it was must see tv.

As the game went on for a few minutes, I remember thinking " What is this guy doing????!!!" as he was talking in "We" and they" and "us and them", talking up the Dawgs while subtly insulting the opposition. And it was "Dawgs" not "Dogs" as you all know and even as a first time listener it was clear to me. I had only ever been exposed to "national" broadcasts of games, never a "home town/team" broadcast.

The longer I listened, the more the realization came to me that a "home town/team" broadcast is what I was listening to hence his verbiage. As that realization sank in I began to listen as a "fan", newly minted as I was, and slowly the surprise/shock of what I was hearing for the first time faded and I began to take in the experience. And an experience it was.

It didn't take long and I was mesmerized by his voice and drawn into the broadcast as it sunk in that he was doing his level best to put me in that box beside him as lover of not only "our" Dawgs but as a lover of the game as well.

I will always revere the man for the joy he brought me and millions of fellow Dawg fans with his passion for the game and the Dawgs and the skill with which he shared it week after week.

RIP Sir, always will you live on in our hearts.

Excellent tribute and you are one DGD dd.

 

[mizzippi jb]

We never listened to the TV broadcast if we weren't at the game during my time in Athens. Munson was a staple. It was like listening to your grandpa telling a great story for 3 or 4 hours.