Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On July 12, 1951, legendary Iowa Hawkeye announcer Gary Dolphin was born. The radio voice of the University of Iowa football and men’s basketball since 1996, Dolphin continues to provide the backing track to many great Hawkeye moments.
Born in northeastern Iowa’s Cascade, Dolphin spent his childhood working at his parents’ convenience store. After attending Dubque’s Loras College and the Brown Institute of Broadcasting, Dolphin first arrived on the airwaves in Jacksonville, Illinois in 1970. Moving to Dubuque later in the year, Dolphin served as the play-by-play voice for Dubuque radio station KDTH for Iowa's football and basketball. He moved to KDUB-TV in 1978, spending eight years as sports director and ten seasons broadcasting Dubuque prep football, baseball, and basketball games. Dolphin also served briefly as the play-by-play voice of Northwestern University basketball.
In December 1996, Dolphin, a branch manager at Mercantile Bank of Dubuque and veteran Dubuque sports announcer, beat out sixty-three broadcasters to become the one-and-only voice for Iowa Hawkeye football and men's basketball. Hawkeye radio broadcasts had been purchased by Learfield Communications, which decided to use a new one announcer format. Hired to work alongside Ed Podolak in the football booth and with Bobby Hansen courtside for basketball, a new era of Hawkeye broadcasting dawned.
When Dolphin took over the play-by-play duties, his signature football call came quickly. On Iowa’s first offensive play from scrimmage, running back Tavian Banks took the handoff and sprinted 63 yards for a touchdown. Dolphin played off the runner’s name with “Put it in the bank … Touchdown, Touchdown Iowa.” #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
Opmerkingen