Remembering Bill Grigsby

Though I listened to Bill Grigsby and his elongated "be-you-ti-ful" weather pronouncement as he broadcast Kansas City Chiefs games over the years, I only met the former Joplin Miners broadcast one time, when he was in Carthage in June 1998 to broadcast the KOM Old Timers Game.

So I am leaving it to this area's foremost custodian of the lore and knowledge of minor league baseball, former Carthage Cubs batboy John Hall to recall the inimitable Mr. Grigsby, who died today at age 89. The following comes from Hall's KOM Report:

Yours Truly first knew of Bill Grigsby when he announced the Joplin Miner games in 1950 on WMBH radio. He had one of those voices that you never forgot and over the years I heard him on radio broadcasting major league sports in Kansas City.

In 1998, a dream came true for Yours Truly. The largest of all KOM league reunions was held in Carthage. WMBH radio promoted the event and even volunteered to carry the old-timers game at that event, live, if I could find an announcer. Immediately, I got on the telephone and asked Grigsby if he’d like to return to “the scene of the crime.” When he found out that a lot of the former KOM leaguers also played for the Joplin Miners and/or in Western Association, he was happy to drive down from his Parkville, Mo home.

Oh, one more thing. He insisted that I be his play-by-play color man. That was more than I could have ever anticipated. When the time for the game arrived I still had the choice of remaining on the field and participate in the old-timers game, as a batboy, or going to the press box and joining Grigsby for the broadcast. The press box was my choice and it was filled with former writers for the KOM league teams or people connected with the league in some respect.

A tape machine was placed in a strategic place for Yours Truly to record the game. The radio signal from Joplin to Carthage, while only 20 air miles away, at most, was not that strong. However, I was able to capture the game on tape and what startled me was WMBH never paused for station identification in a broadcast that lasted over two hours. That day I learned the secret of radio. The announcers can create verbal scenes that have nothing to do with reality. In one segment on that tape I’m heard asking Grigsby what he estimated the attendance to be and he replied “Probably, between 30 and 35 thousand. I can only imagine motorists on I-44 and Highways 66 and 71 hurrying to get past Carthage before that large throng began filling out the stadium. There may have been 300-400 people at the stadium that day and most of them were former players. (For verification purposes the readership is encouraged to check the story through Jim Ellis of the Miami, Oklahoma News-Record for he almost drove off the road, on his way back to Miami, when he heard it on his car radio.)

At the end of that broadcast he asked if I’d like to say anything and I recall mouthing this unrehearsed disclaimer. “This broadcast is authorized under the authority granted by the KOM league and its President, the late E. L. Dale, solely for the enjoyment of the listening audience. Any reproduction, description or other use, of this broadcast without the express written consent of Mr. Dale, or the KOM league Inc. is strictly prohibited.” The only comment Grigsby had when I finished was “Man you’re crazy.” And, not only was he a great broadcaster he was very perspicacious.

During that reunion Grigsby made a speech to kick off a banquet telling the assembled throng (yes, they were throngs back then) how blessed they were to have played the game in the era they did and how great it was for them to have a chance to assemble and remember those days. One of the regrets I have of those reunions is that Grigsby’s remarks were not recorded. I had someone who was supposed to be doing that with a camcorder but they were asleep at the wheel.

As much as I like Len Dawson and Mitch Holtus, Chiefs' broadcasts have not bee the same since Mr. Grigsby retired in 2009 after broadcasting the team's games for 47 years. Though in his last few years, he mostly did pre-game material (and those great Williams Chili Seasoning commercials), his voice still added a special element to the Chiefs' games.

(Photo: Three Kansas City Chief champions- Len Dawson, Hank Stram, Bill Grigsby)