by Malcolm Butler
I was four years old when Dave Nitz started his broadcasting career at Louisiana Tech.
I can recall many a day and night listening to those vocal cords painting a real life picture of my favorite sports teams as I lived and died with every Bulldog win and loss through the eyes and the voice of Dave.
Then as a young, wet-behind-the-ears broadcaster in 1999, I turned to Dave for pointers as I began my journey behind the mic, calling more than 20 years of Lady Techster basketball games before taking over for football and men’s basketball when Dave decided to call only baseball starting in 2021.
And now the legendary Hall of Fame voice will be signing off the air for one last time following a 50-year Tech career when the final out is recorded on the 2024 Bulldog baseball season.
They say there is no crying in baseball. Well, we may have to make an exception for Tech fans everywhere when that time comes in the way-too-soon future.
Let’s just all hope that happens somewhere deep in the month of June in Omaha, Nebraska at the College World Series. That would be a fitting end to his storybook career.
However, yesterday Dave was honored for his five decades of service behind the mic following Tech’s 7-1 series sweeping win over WKU.
Surrounded by family and bookended by University President Dr. Jim Henderson and Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey, Dave received both a framed #50 jersey and a standing ovation from the Bulldog faithful at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
And rightly so. He has earned every recognition and award the man has received and probably some he hasn’t.
After all, there will never be another Dave Nitz at my alma mater.
The proud Milton, West Virginia, native stood at home plate yesterday and waved to the crowd as the public address announcer read a script that could never truly do the man justice.
He is Louisiana Tech Athletics to so many of us.
“Dave is one of those old time announcers,” said former Tech track and field star and current Bulldog supporter John Allen. “Old people like me really have an appreciation for him. He makes you see the game. He is an old style guy like what we grew up listening to. College ball. Pro ball. Everything. He has that ability to make you see what is happening.”
Ironically, Dave’s first Tech broadcast was an NCAA regional game in Arlington, Texas way back in 1974. Who knew it was the start of a 50-year career in Ruston.
He said even he didn’t.
“I would have said you are crazy,” said Dave when asked if he thought he would have been at Tech for five decades. “I told my wife when we first moved to Ruston in 1974 to give us about three years and we will be back in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina … somewhere like that. Here we are 50 years later at one place.
“Tech has meant a great deal to me. When you have been at a place for 50 years — I did football and men’s basketball for 46 years and now finishing up 50 years of baseball. The fans have been great to me. They have been very receptive to me.”
It’s very possible his last broadcast could coincidentally be a postseason Bulldog baseball game if Lane Burroughs and the Boys can play their way into an NCAA Regional for the third time in the last four years.
Burroughs talked about Dave’s impact on Bulldog baseball.
“I am honored and humbled to be a small part — eight years — of his legacy,” said Burroughs. “I grew up in Mississippi, and we had Jack Cristil at Mississippi State. That was the voice of my youth. I know there are tons of Louisiana Tech fans that he is the voice of their youth. You hear that voice and you go back to being a young person. He has meant a lot. He knows the game, and he is important to all of us.”
Dave’s career at Tech includes close to 5,000 broadcasts of games, not to mention countless coaches shows — both radio and television. He was inducted into the Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. Both of the home radio booths at Joe Aillet Stadium and J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park are named in his honor.
They have been a home away from home for Freeway Dave.
We all have our favorite Dave Nitz moments. From the call of the 29-28 win over Alabama in 1999 which landed in the book titled “Heart Stoppers and Hail Mary’s” to the countless memorable calls of iconic Bulldogs wins in basketball and baseball, Dave has been the man behind the mic for Tech fans. He even called more than 250 Lady Techster basketball games early in his career.
Although he was honored yesterday, his career isn’t quite complete. He will be behind the mic when the Bulldogs will host the 2024 Conference USA baseball championships May 22-26 at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park and then for any and all postseason games as well.
So although the sun begins to set on his broadcasting career, Tech fans young and old still have a few more opportunities to soak up the audible tones of Dave’s tonsils.
“It has been quite a ride,” said Dave. “It’s been a fun ride. I’ve seen a lot of ups and I have seen some downs, but today culminates everything I think.”
Here is hoping the Diamond Dogs can provide one final chapter for Dave and for all of us. And a few more opportunities for the man, the myth and the legend to belt out, “Ya gotta love it!”
