Jan. 8, 2010

The date was Sept 9, 1978 and Lamar was opening the 1978 football season at Northwestern State.

Dave Hofferth and fellow sportscaster Al Caldwell were in Natchitoches, La. to call the first game of an association that has lasted for more than 30 years.

Now fast-forward 32 years to Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 and Hofferth will slide on the headset and microphone at the University Center in Hammond, La., for his 900th Cardinal basketball broadcast. Add in more than 100 football games and countless baseball games and the University of Houston graduate can lay claim to having described the action on well over 1,000 events in Lamar's athletics history.

"It's just worked out that way," Hofferth said of his run as the `Voice of the Cardinals.' "The equipment has changed over the years but you are still dialing a phone line and describing what you see.

"There will be times when fans or former players will come up to me after a game or around town and say how much they enjoy hearing the games, so that makes you feel good because there is always that voice in the back of your head wondering if anyone is listening to you night-in and night-out."

Hofferth feels fortunate to have called some of the greatest moments in Lamar's history from Mike Olliver's 50-point game against Portland State, the upset for fifth-ranked Oregon State to reach the 1980 NCAA Sweet 16, LU's first baseball NCAA regional victory in 1979, the baseball team's 1993 and 1995 Sun Belt Conference tournament titles, the women's basketball squad's magical run to the 1991 Elite 8, the last-second win over Baylor in 1981, the men's hoops run in the 2000 Southland Conference Tournament as a seven seed and the 2008 SLC regular-season championship.

"I vividly remember when Mike Olliver hit that half court shot at Portland State for his 50 points - and he might have had 60 if they had the 3-point shot back then," he said with a chuckle.

And many other people have remembered Hofferth's calls and his affinity for various Lamar players and coaches through the years, including current LU head coach Steve Roccaforte who grew up in Port Arthur and graduated from Lamar.

"Dave is the best sports play-by-play man of all time! Pro, college, etcetera," said current LU head coach Steve Roccaforte. "No one does it better than Dave. I grew up listening to him and always felt like I was in the middle of the action. He is a gem to Southeast Texas and we should thank him everyday for his talent and commitment to the university."

Some of the games Roccaforte remembers Hofferth calling included some battles against some of the best players in NBA history who played at various SLC schools in some of the older and more unique facilities.

"Everyone had unique arenas back in the 1980s," said Hofferth. "Arkansas State had their old Indian Fieldhouse that was usually filled to the rafters and at USL (now known as Louisiana-Lafayette) they played in Blackham Coliseum which was an old rodeo arena with the floor raised up 18 inches or so with the dust and dirt down below.

"And of course you have the stage in Arlington. We also had some of the more exciting and meaningful games against Louisiana Tech and McNeese and USL when those schools had players like Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, Andrew Toney and so many others."

But as enjoyable as those games in `enemy' territory were, Hofferth has always had a soft spot for calling games in Beaumont, whether it was at McDonald Gym, the Beaumont Civic Center and now the Montagne Center.

"It always seems like the greatest games have been at home," he said. "The (80-game) winning streak was so much fun but we didn't realize just how long it was until it got around 70 games, mainly because Kentucky's national record is at 129."

That was about the time Sports Illustrated came to town for a feature on the streak, which ended as the seventh-longest in NCAA Division I history.

And for as many people who have listened to games for the thrill of victory, there have been a select few who have used the audio call on KLVI to aid them in their jobs of telling the story after the game was over.

"I have been listening to college basketball on the radio since I was seven or eight years old, be it college, or or any other level, and as I got older I consider Dave as good a play by play man as I've ever heard," said Bob West, the longtime sports editor of the Port Arthur News. "He has terrific knowledge of the game, obviously knows Lamar players very well and paints a clear and concise picture for those who are tuned in.

"I listen to his broadcasts different from the average fan, because I rely on him on road games to gather information to write a story. Thanks to Dave, that job is a lot easier. Bottom line, Lamar University is blessed to have someone as talented and professional as Dave to call its basketball games."

You can find similar praise about Hofferth from media members across the region but one who has known him and accompanied him on more road trip and games then just about anyone is Caldwell, his longtime partner on the calls.

Since 2003 Hofferth has been a one-man show on the broadcasts following Caldwell's retirement but says he has never forgotten how meticulous Caldwell was in acting as the duo's `travelling secretary.'

"I still keep an extra seat warm for him at the Montagne Center. He always had the flights taken care of and was the man behind the wheel on road trips and I could just relax and enjoy the ride."

Caldwell and Hofferth each received the Big Red Award in 1997 for their dedication and service to Lamar athletics..

Hofferth still keeps a regular Friday golf game in his routine and most times you can find longtime friend and Lamar athletics administrator Rush Wood on the links with him. Wood has known Hofferth almost as long as Caldwell and has many fond memories of their time together as friends, member of the media and co-workers.

"Whether it's on the golf course, reporting on high school football for KLVI Radio or KBMT-TV, doing the research for his Fantasy Football team or perched behind the mic at Lamar basketball games, Dave Hofferth is as steady as a rock. I've listened to Dave while stationed alongside him at press row; from faraway places such as Hawaii; on the road as we've traveled the highways of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, and as he has articulated on many subjects other than sports.

"The constants are that Dave is accurate, deliberate and reliable. You can count on him telling you exactly the way it is. Dave has been a true friend to his profession, to Southeast Texas, to Lamar University athletics and to me for many years, and I'm sure he'll continue to do so for at least 900 more games."

No matter hat sports he is working with, Hofferth feels they all contain their own little niche in society.

"They are all still games going on," he said. "Just like Lamar football and Lamar baseball. I really don't have a favorite sport. I even got to do a couple of hockey games before the Wildcatters left town and they have all been fun. As long as I am having fun with it I don't see any reason to slow down."

Here's to Dave as he celebrates his 900th on Saturday and m any more in the years to come.