Celebrating Johnny Parks

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Celebrating Johnny Parks i

Summary

For fifty years, Johnny Parks broadcast sporting events

ranging from baseball and football to horse races and

tennis.

CELEBRATING JOHNNY PARKS is an occasion to remember Parks

body of work as a sportscaster. His portfolio, summarized

from two sporting events, reveals the depths of his

abilities to tell stories which effect listeners.

Characters (in Order of Speaking)

Sam Jackson Longtime announcing partner of Johnny

Parks. Age: Late sixties to early

seventies.

Kate Dougherty Inspired by Johnny Parks work and how

it eased the pain of her ailing father,

she started a career as a play-by-play

announcer. Age: Mid-thirties.

Vendors Hotdog, Programs, and Peanuts Present for

the Sparrows baseball game, they sell

programs, hot dogs, and peanuts.

Johnny Parks Deceased announcer whose recorded work

is being commemorated. Age: Late

seventies at time of death.

Teammates Other members of Todd Blacks team, theSparrows.


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Celebrating Johnny Parks 1

Beat 1) Introduction1MUSIC: ESTABLISH THEME FOR SPORTS BEAT PROGRAM. UNDER TO2

BED AND OUT.3

JACKSON: Welcome back to Sports Beat of Roberts County.4

Im Sam Jackson.5

DOUGHERTY: And Im Kate Dougherty. Our closing6

segment is the bittersweet news of the passing of7

Johnny Parks, legendary radio sportscaster of8

Roberts County. Parks death is a sad moment for9

everyone whos ever enjoyed a baseball game,10

tennis match, or horse race. Sam, you and Johnny11

worked together for the last thirty-five years?12

JACKSON: Thirty-nine, actually. Didnt matter what the13

sport was, listening to Johnny was the next best14

thing to attending the event. His announcing put15

listeners in front row seats to hear, and16

experience, sports.17

DOUGHERTY: For the next few minutes well replay a18

couple of Johnnys greatest sports moments and19

discuss the impact he made.20

Beat 2) The No-Hitter21JACKSON: Johnny believed history was made when few people22

were watching. And its hard to imagine less23


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won two games while losing four. However, his two47

victories are in his last three starts. Plus, his48

fastballs regaining its heat. But, hes got a49

tough opponent today. Hes facing the50

Thunderbolts and they have the best hitting51

lineup in the league. (PAUSE) Blacks warm ups52

are done and he throws his first pitch . . .53

SFX: BASEBALL STRIKING MITT.54

PARKS: For a strike.55

Beat 4) Back to the Studio56SFX: ESTABLISH STUDIO LOCATION.57

JACKSON: Todd Blacks first pitch smoked across the plate58

for a strike. Nothing remarkable, even for a kid59

recovering from cancer. The sparse crowd was just60

settling into their seats and barely noticed.61

DOUGHERTY: But seven innings later, with no one62

getting a hit off him, there was a growing energy63

in the stadium. And a growing audience.64

Beat 5) Seventh Inning65SFX: ESTABLISH BASEBALL PARK LOCATION WITH MORE FANS.66


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VENDORS: (ALL CALL OUT) Peanuts. Peanuts and popcorn.67

Programs. Get your programs here. Hot dogs and68

french fries.69

PARKS: (WITH SOME URGENCY) We welcome listeners from the70

Tri-County Sports Network, Raritan River Network,71

and September Baseball Network to Sportsmens72

Field and our game in progress between the73

Sparrows and Thunderbolts.74

PEANUT VENDOR: (CALLS OUT) Roasted peanuts. Roasted75

peanuts and popcorn.76

The Sparrows Todd Black has faced 20 Thunderbolts and77

gotten all 20 out. No hits and no walks for the78

leagues best-hitting team. Hes been perfect so79

far and hes pitching to the twenty-first batter.80

With two strikes, hes into his windup and81

theres the pitch . . .82


PARKS: (BITE CUE: SOME ENTHUSIASM) Strike three. Blacks84

masterpiece continues.85

Beat 6) Back to the studio and a back story86SFX: ESTABLISH STUDIO LOCATION.87

DOUGHERTY: As the game progressed, fans poured88

into the stadium. The sparse crowd Parks couldve89


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put in his pickup at the games start was now90

thousands of cheering fans.91

JACKSON: And even more tuned in. Four hundred miles away,92

a 27-year old widow and mother of two sat with93

her father and listened to the game in Warren,94

Ohio. That listener was our own Kate Dougherty.95

DOUGHERTY: My Dad was pretty sick and bed-ridden96

with cancer. Barely able to speak above a97

whisper. We tried different medicines to ease the98

pain but he was never comfortable. And he99

insisted we didnt tell anyone. Said he didnt100

want people feeling sorry for him.101

JACKSON: Thats a tough situation.102

DOUGHERTY: But as he listened to Blacks no-103

hitter, the pain disappeared. Dad talked about104

all the great players, teams, and games hed seen105

growing up. He talked all the way through the106

seventh and eight innings and the first two107

batters of the ninth.108

JACKSON: Then what happened?109

DOUGHERTY: He sat up in his bed. He had barely110

moved for six months, but he sat up, put his feet111

on the floor, and leaned toward the radio. With112

each pitch Johnny called, Dad cheered like a kid.113


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Beat 7) Ninth Inning114SFX: ESTABLISH BASEBALL PARK LOCATION. LARGE CROWD115

CHEERING. UNDER TO BED.116

PARKS: (WITH HEIGHTENED ENTHUSIASM) Ladies and117

gentlemen, young Todd Black, pitching in only his118

seventh game after returning from cancer119

treatment, has battled through the Thunderbolts120

hitters and is one out away from a perfect game.121

His teammates are on the top dugout step and122

cheering.123

TEAMMATES: (CHEERING) Come on, Todd. Another124

strike. One more. Just one more.125

SFX: CHEERING.126

PARKS: The crowd is on its feet and roaring with each127

pitch. With two balls and two strikes on the128

batter, Todd goes into his windup and theres the129

pitch . . .130


PARKS: HE STRUCK HIM OUT. A perfect game for Todd Black.132

SFX: SUSTAINED CROWD CHEERING. UNDER TO BED.133

PARKS: (MORE REASONED PACE) Fans are standing and134

cheering for Todd Black. The Thunderbolts have135


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anyone. Dad listened and didnt say much but the159

next day he called his friends and asked them to160

stop by the house. He apologized for not161

returning their calls and told them about the162

cancer.163

JACKSON: That's a somber moment.164

DOUGHERTY: More laughs than tears. They compared165

Blacks no-hitter to the great pitchers. Twenty166

old guys arguing whether Sandy Koufax was better167

than Juan Marichel or Bob Gibson. At his funeral168

a few weeks later, his friends continued their169

debate. (PAUSE) My Dad felt better after170

listening to Johnny and I try to leave listeners171

the same way.172

Beat 9) Gardenia Derby173JACKSON: Speaking of better, our celebration of Johnny174

Parks ends with his call that literally changed175

the culture of Roberts County and surrounding176

areas.177

DOUGHERTY: In the nineteen eighty-four Gardenia178

Derby, on the second to last Monday in May, three179

superb horses ran for the Champions Wreath 180

Marvelous Son, Beautiful Flowers, and All Aboard.181


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All three had outstanding records and each was182

capable of beating the others.183

JACKSON: Another seven horses were entered with varying184

chances to win. But the eleventh horse was a185

scrawny affair with a spotty record nine races186

with one win, no shows, one place. Its name was187

Desperate Times. The horses owner once ran him188

in a claims race, but no one claimed him.189

DOUGHERTY: In eighty-four, the local economy was190

suffering. People were losing jobs, factories191

were closing, and families were leaving the192

county. Desperate Times seemed appropriately193

named for running in that years Gardenia Derby.194

JACKSON: Johnny Parks, track announcer for the day, was in195

the middle of the action.196

Beat 10) Start of Gardenia Derby197SFX: ESTABLISH RACE TRACK LOCATION. VARIOUS CHEERS FOR198

MARVELOUS SON, BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS, AND ALL199

ABOARD.200

PARKS: (BEGIN ECHO-Y) The horses are loaded into their201

stalls, the riders are getting set, and . . .202

theyre off. Marvelous Son, Beautiful Flowers,203

and All Aboard break to the inside. Theres a204


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pack of seven horses behind them and trailing the205

parade is Desperate Times.206

Beat 11) Back Stretch207SFX: ESTABLISH STUDIO LOCATION.208

JACKSON: For the next half of the race, Marvelous Son,209

Beautiful Flowers, and All Aboard fought for the210

lead. But around the far corner, a funny thing211

happened on the way to the Champions Wreath.212

Beat 12) Home Stretch213SFX: ESTABLISH RACE TRACK AMBIENCE: CHEERING CROWD.214

PARKS: Into the far turn they go. Marvelous Son,215

Beautiful Flowers, and All Aboard are neck and216

neck and neck and Desperate Times may need a taxi217

to finish this thing. He isnt even in the same218

zip code. Desperate Times is . . . hold on.219

Desperate Times is moving on the field. Cancel220

the cab, Desperate Times has caught the pack and221

knifes through them.222

SFX: CROWD CHEERS ON DESPERATE TIMES.223

PARKS: (PAUSE: OVER SFX) Desperate Times has Marvelous224

Son in his sights and gives the big boy a black225

eye. Beautiful Flowers wilts under Desperate226


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Times relentless attack. Theres only one horse227

left between Desperate Times and victory.228

Desperate Times is flying over the track and All229

Aboard is desperately trying to hold on. All230

Aboard inches ahead but Desperate Times answers231

the challenge. . . . AND HERE COMES DESPERATE232

TIMES.233

SFX: CROWD ENTHUSIASTICALLY CHEERS ON DESPERATE TIMES.234

PARKS: (PAUSE: OVER SFX) All Aboard cant believe hes235

being caught and Desperate Times is anything but.236

Its All Aboard and Desperate Times. . . . All237

Aboard is holding on for dear life but Desperate238

Times is a freight train, an express train, that239

wont stop until it wins. Coming to the wire and240

its All Aboard. Desperate Times and All Aboard.241

All Aboard and Desperate Times. Crossing the242

finish line and its . . . DESPERATE TIMES.243

SFX: CROWD GOES CRAZY WITH CHEERS. UNDER TO ESTABLISH244

STUDIO LOCATION.245

Beat 13) Closing Commentary246JACKSON: Desperate Times come from behind stretch run247

electrified the crowd. Four times the trainer led248

the horse to its paddock and four times the crowd249


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demanded a curtain call. A week later, Desperate250

Times led the Roberts County Memorial Day parade.251

The streets were ten deep with fans.252

DOUGHERTY: Everyone cheered and everyone wanted a253

picture. One participant dared to remind a friend254

that it was only a horse race and things were255

still tough.256

JACKSON: The friend roared back, Desperate Times?257

Anything but! That call and response . . .258

DOUGHERTY: (BITE CUE) Desperate Times? Anything259

but!260

JACKSON: (BITE CUE) . . . Became the countys motto. More261

plants closed and more jobs were lost. But with262

every bit of bad news, one person would ask,263

Desperate Times?264

DOUGHERTY: And someone would answer, Anything but! and an265

animated discussion of Desperate Times victory266

would ease the pain. Well wrap our celebration267

of Johnny Parks with the last moments of his call268

of the nineteen eighty-four Gardenia Derby.269

Beat 14) Reprise Gardenia Derby Call270SFX: CROWD CHEERS ON DESPERATE TIMES.271


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PARKS: (PAUSE: OVER SFX) All Aboard inches ahead but272

Desperate Times answers the challenge. . . . AND273

HERE COMES DESPERATE TIMES.274

SFX: CROWD ENTHUSIASTICALLY CHEERS ON DESPERATE TIMES.275

PARKS: (PAUSE: OVER SFX) All Aboard cant believe hes276

being caught and Desperate Times is anything but.277

Its All Aboard and Desperate Times. . . . All278

Aboard is holding on for dear life but Desperate279

Times is a freight train, an express train, that280

wont stop until it wins. Coming to the wire and281

its All Aboard. Desperate Times and All Aboard.282

All Aboard and Desperate Times. Crossing the283

finish line and its . . . DESPERATE TIMES.284

SFX: CROWD GOES CRAZY WITH CHEERS. UNDER AND OUT285

Beat 15) The End286

Celebrating Johnny Parks

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