It’s time to disclose recollections, laughs and loopy occasions from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a automobile subsequent Sunday along with his spouse, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood home that’s been in his household since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new residence in Greenville, S.C.
“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he mentioned.
He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He obtained his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball video games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a sport. It started an journey of a lifetime.
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he mentioned.
Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV video games.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick had been amongst his knowledgeable commentators when he did play by play for school basketball video games. He referred to as volleyball on the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s labored greater than 100 championship highschool occasions. He did play by play for the primary and solely Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 gained by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”
He carried out interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s labored with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He referred to as video games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio sales space for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship sport at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.
Randy Rosenbloom, left, along with his volleyball broadcast companions, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
He was the voice of Fresno State soccer and basketball. He additionally did Nevada Las Vegas soccer and basketball video games. He referred to as bowl video games and Little League video games. He was a public handle announcer for basketball on the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.
Nothing was too small or too massive for him.
“I loved everything,” he mentioned.
He referred to as at the least 10 East L.A. Classic soccer video games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship sport on the Coliseum on a San Pedro landing with one second left.
Probably his most notable story got here when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 school bowl sport in Montgomery, Ala.
“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he mentioned. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”
Did Rosenbloom inform the viewers what was occurring?
“I stayed calm,” he mentioned.
Then there was the time he was in the press field at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and hooked up itself to the wood press field proper subsequent to him earlier than flying away after he mentioned, “UNLV wins.”
Recently, he’s been placing collectively highschool TV packages for LA36 and calling journey ball basketball video games. He’ll nonetheless maintain doing a radio playing present from his new residence, however he’s slicing ties to Los Angeles to maneuver nearer to grandchildren.
“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he mentioned.
Hopefully he’ll proceed through Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.
He’s a true skilled who’s versatility and work ethic made him a dependable rent from the age of 18 by his present age of 74.
He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He as soon as threw the shot put 51 toes, 7 1/2 inches, which is his declare to fame at North Hollywood High.
One time an ESPN graphic earlier than a present spelled his title “Rosenbloom” then modified it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was value a good chortle.
He at all times adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to take pleasure in his time in South (*55*), however he higher be careful for tarantulas. They appear to love him.