Jerry Geehan [photo courtesy of the Tacoma Public Library archive] began his broadcasting career at KVI Radio in 1932. In 1937, he became the first broadcaster for the Tacoma Tigers of the Western International League. In 1938, he joined KMO Radio as Tacoma’s first play-by-play broadcaster handling WIL baseball and PLC and CPS games. He also had a daily sportscast.
Geehan became KMO’s sales manager in 1943, and two years later moved up to the station’s general manager post. In 1952 he served as general manager of Channel 13 TV. He was owner and general manager of KTAC Radio from 1952-69 and was Chairman of the Board of the Washington State Association of Broadcasters.
Many of Tacoma’s great sportscasters got their start under Geehan, including Clay Huntington, Rod Belcher, Doug McArthur, Bob Robertson, Don Hill, Art Popham and Bill O’Mara.
Clay Huntington, voice of Tacoma Tigers baseball 1946-1951;] Huntington’s early sports broadcast career includes stints at KTBI, KTNT and KMO radio stations and both KTVW and KTNT television. All of this, as well as sports broadcasts on a 14-station network that covered Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. His vast record of community involvement includes helping to fund the construction of Cheney Stadium in 1960 and bring Triple A baseball back to Tacoma.
Don Hill [pictured at the KTAC microphone] was for many years Tacoma’s voice of baseball. He was the regular announcer of the Tacoma Giants and Cubs games from 1960-1971. Don Hill had a record broadcasting career that spanned 50 years. “How About that Giants Fans” -Tacoma News Tribune; 1984
Bob Robertson – From 1958-68 he was the TV voice for the Seattle Rainiers and for 11 seasons he did Tacoma Giants, and Tacoma Cubs television play-by-play. Bob served 16 years as the radio voice for the Tacoma Tigers and Rainiers from 1982-1998 and was the last announcer to recreate a baseball road game from the home radio studios. – oldtimerbaseball.com
Art Popham – While serving as batboy for the Kansas City Athletics, Art earned the 1968 “Hustle Award” for always performing his duties at high speed and with gusto. He became the team’s public relations director at age 20 and, when Athletics owner Charles O. Finley moved the team to Oakland, Art followed the team to the Bay Area. He proudly wore the Athletics’ 1972 World Series championship ring. In 1976, Art left the Athletics to become the voice of the Pacific Coast League’s Tacoma Twins on KMO Radio, serving in that position from 1976-84. During that time, he broadcast games for the Twins, Yankees, Tugs and Tigers. In addition to calling PCL games, Art also worked University of Puget Sound and high school games. He and Doug McArthur also created the “Live from the Leaf” sports program, which aired from the Cloverleaf Tavern every Friday night from 1977-81. – oldtimerbaseball.com
Jerry Howarth-Tacoma Twins baseball broadcaster from 1973-75. Jerry is the only broadcaster from Tacoma to make it to the major leagues as he is currently the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. – tacomasportsmuseum.com
