Who remembers Jay Howard?

[-Sammy-]

For many of us, erstwhile play-by-play man Jay Howard was the first 'voice of the Spurs'; he was the Spurs' radio PBP announcer from 1989-2001, and his was a familiar timbre in an era when many homes (including mine) only had one TV and basketball junkies couldn't always commandeer the set to watch games (and there was no internet, let alone a computer to access it on). Many's the night I sat up in my late grandfather's studio (also known as the attic) listening to games while doing homework; many's the night my buddies and I would listen to Jay give the call while we drove home from our own high-school games or drove around town, looking for playgrounds to catch some pick-up action on.

Something I recall vaguely is a promotion WOAI (the San Antonio radio station that has long carried Spurs basketball) ran one Christmas, probably in 1994 or 1995. For a small price-- perhaps $10 or $20--, listeners could purchase a customized five-minute recording of Howard calling an imaginary Spurs game with the fan's name being announced as though he (or she) were a member of the team. It was advertised to be complete with queued crowd and arena sound, and it came delivered on a state-of-the-art cassette tape. I didn't order one, but I thought it was a very cool idea and always hoped I'd meet someone who bought one or received one as a gift that Christmas. I wonder how many the radio station actually sold.

Who else remembers Howard's distinctive baritone play-by-play? Let's hear some thoughts and memories about the man.