End of an Era!

On Monday, one of the most recognizable voices in sports decided to retire. Georgia’s legendary play-by-play radio announcer, who will turn 86 this weekend, decided to hang up his microphone on Monday after 43 seasons of calling the Bulldogs’ football games. I grew up listening to Larry call the games. To this day, I take a radio into the stadium to hear Larry’s call; it just made the game day experience even better. Due to his declining health, Larry’s last game on the air was the Central Michigan game two weeks ago. He stopped doing the Georgia away games last year and only did the home games until this week. Scott Howard will move one chair over and become the play-by-play guy and former Dawgs QB and Marietta High grad; Eric Zeier will take over the color commentary. Athletics director Damon Evans could not say whether Howard and/or Zeier will take over permanently.

Larry, came to Atlanta to call Braves games in 1966, but was soon hired by the University of Georgia to call their football games. Larry has been on the air for over 60 years and just didn’t call Dawgs games, he called all sorts of sporting events through his years, but will be remembered best at the always pessimistic homer for UGA. Here are a few examples of his legendary calls:

After Georgia scored the winning touchdown in the final seconds against Tennessee in 2001, he said: “We just crushed their face with a hobnail boot. We broke their nose.”

• When Herschel Walker scored his first touchdown as a freshman against Tennessee in 1980. “He’s running over people. He just ran right through two men … My God, a freshman.”

• When Georgia clinched a Sugar Bowl berth with a win over Auburn in 1982, he cried, “Oh look at the Sugar falling out of the sky! Look at the Sugar falling out of the sky!

• When Buck Belue connected with Lindsay Scott on a 93-yard game-winning pass against Florida in 1980, he pleaded with Scott to get to the end zone: “Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott, run Lindsay, run Lindsay.” After Scott crossed the goal line he confessed, “I just broke right through a metal steel chair.”Larry cannot be replaced! He will just be succeeded. I was really hoping he would make it through the rest of the year before he retired, because he deserves to go out with a great season. All Georgia fans will miss him, as he became as much a part of Saturday’s in the fall as tailgating!

Larry, thanks for all of the years. You will always be the voice of the Dawgs to me!