Pomeroy' triple-threat sports announcer has five decades of experience

POMEROY-Over five decades, spectators and participants of football games at Lybecker Field and basketball games at Pomeroy High School's gym have cheered along to John Gates' booming voice as he announced players' names and actions. In the past decade, baseball and softball players at Shepherd Fields have also been recipients of Gates' skill.

Gates, a life-long Pomeroy resident, recalled how no one announced games when he attended Pomeroy High School (PHS) until Bill Stanley set up a system to announce football games. When Stanley graduated, he passed the reins to Gates, who began his football announcing career in the fall of 1967 in the stands with electrical cords strung through the crowd. "Every game somebody would kick the cord and cut the power," Gates said. When the field got its first press box, built by PHS shop teacher John Booth, Gates recalled that it was not secured to the foundation, had entrance by a fire escape ladder, and a gap between box and bleachers. He recalled that it tipped into the bleachers one night during particularly strong winds. "When they built the new press box, that was nice," he said.

In the fall of 1970 Pomeroy's undefeated football team had a game in Timberline and asked Gates to come announce. They hauled their speakers and cords up to Timberline, to the confusion of several people in the town. "You could see them scratching their heads, the visiting team announcing the game?" Gates said. He has since announced football games in several towns, including a Desales vs. Selkirk game at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho. "The kids were small we all sat in the press box in the Kibbie Dome. It was a treat," Gates recalled.

Gates credited the Pomeroy/Colfax rivalry for his start in basketball announcing, stating that in 1971 the Colfax team brought their announcer to a Pomeroy game. Not to be outdone, Pomeroy brought Gates to their game in Colfax that year. Gates became a fixture at Pirate basketball games, particularly his drawled "Tha-a-at's a three-point basket for..." announcement, which Gates claimed he did to direct the attention to the player's name at the end, for anyone who might not have seen what happened. He has announced basketball games in over a dozen gyms. "I always went over to the other team to ask the pronunciation of the kids' names," Gates said, regarding his long-standing stance of being an impartial announcer. "I always tried to do the same for both teams, and I've always appreciated the Pomeroy people wanting the announcer to be fair both ways."

Gates began announcing at Shepherd Fields approximately 10 years ago, purchasing a portable PA system to do so. He recalled announcing the baseball lineup, then turning the speakers around to do the same for the softball game. He also remembered wanting to announce whiffle ball games as a child. "It's the first one I wanted to do, and the last one I did," he said. Due to chemotherapy treatment, Gates has stepped down from announcing both at PHS gym and Shepherd Fields, but continues his 57 year streak at Lybecker Field. "In 57 years, I haven't missed a regularly-scheduled home game," he said.

He couldn't pinpoint a favorite moment from his announcing career. "There's been a lot of them," he said. Gates said that the double overtime game last fall against Charlo, Montana was "right up there with the best of them," particularly recalling the moment when Pirate player Oliver Severs caught the game-winning pass in the end zone. He also remembered a game when lightning struck in the Crystal Springs Golf Course, as well as having announced several three-generation groups in the list of names he has announced.

Gates has lived in Pomeroy his whole life, owning and operating Gates Insurance for 44 years. He has a wife, Barb, and several children.