If Ken were still with us, and still on the radio, then ohhh… boy.. it would have been a doozy I am sure. For those who don’t know, longtime Washington D.C. sports radio legend Ken Beatrice passed away over the weekend. He was 72.
Ken was a true sports radio original, doing sports radio before there even was the CONCEPT of sports radio. His call-in show on legendary signal WMAL AM-630, was the soundtrack of my youth growing up here. Ken was a master of the craft of radio. And he was a gentleman and a kind soul.
I was lucky enough to have intersected with him for about a year at WTEM 980 around 2000. This week Andy Pollin (who knew him even better, and longer) and I give you the complicated “Behind the Music” on Ken. There are some stories and angles you may have never heard.
Rest in peace, Kenneth. May St. Peter bellow out in a deep Bostonian growl at the pearly gates…. “Yoooooouuurrrr NEXT!”
This Week’s “Sports Reporters Back from the Dead Podcast” Topics
– Ken as the “unimpeachable” oracle of facts and figures
– He was a vintage bullshitter, but how that only made me respect him more
– The real reason had callers call him “in his office” after the show
– How the internet and cable TV, basically ended Ken’s style of show
Then… we deal with the Redskins disaster against the Cowboys
– Why Czabe is bitterly disappointed but not mad
– Andy on Desean’s punt return blunder
– What it will take to win this crappy division
It’s all there for your waiting ears. Just sit back and hit play. And thank you for listening!
Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson (11) fumbles the ball on a kickoff return setting up a Dallas Cowboys touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Monday, Dec. 7, 2015. The Cowboys defeated the Redskins 19-16. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
2 Comments
HozelRockit
Two great Ken Beatrice memories:
1) I was sitting around the house listening to him on a boom box one night because a storm had knocked the power. Decided to call and try and stump the band with a professional bowling question. Not only did he take the call, but he stated up front that he did not know much about the subject. He took the question, asked a few questions of his own and then gave a well thought out opinion.
2) We called his office from work once to settle a basketball argument. Much to my surprise, especially since my boss at the time was a very religious man, Ken curses like a sailor when not on the air. We got a very astute and colorfully worded opinion from Ken on our argument.
Good Times. Rest In Peace, Ken.
Droo
What sports nut of the right age, in the DC area, hasn’t impersonated his “You’re next!” I got through to him twice. Once to discuss Loyal Marymount and Hank Gathers’ NBA potential(before they became national phenoms and Gather’s passed away). The other, to assert that there was no way Muggsy Bogues would get past the Lakers as Magic’s backup(neither of us suspected the Bullets would draft him) and fall to the 2nd round. Going against his knowledge and opinion was risky, for he was ‘the man’ of Washington sports radio.