Dick Nichols, Larry McMillan Team Up Again on KGY to Announce Tumwater’s Playoff Game

dick nichols
Dick credits his "gift of gab" for his success on the radio during sporting events.
0 Shares

 

By Gail Wood

dick nichols
Dick credits his “gift of gab” for his success on the radio during sporting events.

They’re back.

After a two year absence, Dick Nichols and Larry McMillan, the voice of South Sound sports for 32 years, will announce Tumwater’s 2A semifinal playoff football game at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Tacoma Dome for KGY 95.3 FM

“I’m excited about doing it,” McMillan said. “Obviously, our history is long. We’ve been at many state championships over the years for football and basketball.”

In November 1979, Nichols and McMillan first teamed up to broadcast a game for KGY. McMillan was a fill-in for Olympia High School’s football playoff game at Mark Morris in Longview.

“Dick’s broadcast partner couldn’t make it,” said McMillan, who remembered that game played 35 years ago in detail. “Olympia went down to Mark Morris and a guy named Allan Peterson ran for 300 yards and 5 touchdowns and they just beat the snot out of them.”

Their reunion, made possible by KGY, is a moment for South Sound fans to cheer.

“I’m so pleased Dick and Larry have agreed to rejoin us at KGY for the high school playoffs this season,” said Kevin Huffer, KGY’s program director. “They’re announcing of ball games is legendary, not least because of the years of local knowledge they bring to the games.”

In the fall of 1980, Nichols and McMillan teamed up full time, beginning their long run together on KGY that stretched until 2012. Nichols, 78, began calling play-by-play of high school sports for KGY in 1961 and was needing a color commentator in November 1979. He gave McMillan a call.

tumwater football radio
Dick Nichols teamed up with Larry McMillan in 1980 to begin calling sports events on the radio.

“I knew Larry. I had met him,” Nichols said. “In talking with him you could see how articulate he was. He had played football and baseball in high school. He had a great knowledge. I got to thinking this is a guy who knows sports, who can talk out loud. If you put him in front of a mic, he probably wouldn’t die.”

McMillan survived the audition and became Nichols’ permanent sidekick on KGY.

“We just clicked right off the bat,” said Nichols, a 1954 Shelton High School graduate. “He really knew the games and he was articulate. I was a fan with a microphone. He was a guy who knew the game. Larry knows ten times more about athletics than I do.”

Nichols has the ability to see something and quickly describe a play with detail, painting a picture so the listener can see the quarterback drop back for a pass or the running back burst through the line.

“I felt it worked pretty well, right off the bat,” Nichols said.

Each one understood their role.

“We very quickly developed an on-air relationship,” Nichols said. “Larry knew this was my gig. He didn’t get on me. He didn’t jump on my lines when I was talking. But I also knew when it was time to stop and let an expert on the game make a comment. We never actually had an agreement on how it was going to actually work. We just kind of innately knew it.”

dick nichols
Dick Nichols called high school sporting events for 50 years. He is back on KGY 95.3 on Saturday afternoon.

So, McMillan, who is 71 and is a 1961 Elma High School graduate, knew when to step in and talk and when not to talk. From the start, it worked out very well.

“He was a great partner over the years,” Nichols said.

And now they’re partners again, teaming up to announce Tumwater’s semifinal game against Sedro Woolley. Even after not announcing a game for some time, Nichols and McMillan are excited and preparing for their return.

“I may have lost a step, but I’ll give it a try,” Nichols said. “I’m trying to put together rosters and team information. We’ll get it done. I’ve done this enough times that I’m sure I’ll pull it together by Saturday.”

Preparation, knowing about the teams and the players, has always been a big part of the responsibility.

“I’m a little nervous,” Nichols said. “You do have your pride. What I want to do is a good job. You can’t do everything from nostalgia and memory. I’m going to have to deliver. I’ll be doing a lot of mental preparation so I can be as sharp as I can.”

Over the years, announcing games for KGY meant more than talking about a game for both Nichols and McMillan. It meant making friends.

tumwater football radio
Larry and Dick will be calling Tumwater High School’s playoff football game on KGY 95.3 Listen in at 1:00 p.m.

“We made great relationships over the years with coaches and kids,” McMillan said. “Our relationship between is pretty strong, too. Dick is a great guy.”

McMillan talked about his admiration for Sid Otton, Tumwater’s long-time football coach who has his team back in the playoffs and two wins from another state championship.

“I was thinking about the impact he’s made on the lives of his players over the years,” McMillan said. “It has nothing to do with football. Just life’s lessons, being involved in their community, and drawing on never give up, never give up, when things are going tough. In the larger scheme of things, Sid probably doesn’t know the impact he’s really had.”

Because of KGY’s commitment to high school sports, Nichols and McMillan will get a chance to team up again and be the voice of South Sound sports for at least another game. If Tumwater wins, they’ll be back at the Tacoma Dome for the 2A state championship.

Listen to KGY Radio at 95.3 FM beginning at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 29.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
0 Shares