Centralight

You are often asked "what's your formula?" How did you become Dick Enberg? That is the most common question I'm asked. I was a total nobody and this university gave me a chance to be somebody. That's what Central offers to all students. Everyone comes in as a nobody, but you all have the chance to become somebody. I grew up in Armada, Mich. I went to a one-room school with a graduating class of 33 students. At graduation, Dr. Anspach, CMU's president at the time, gave the commencement speech. Meeting him afterward, he suggested I send my transcripts to CMU. Three weeks later I received a $100 scholarship with an acceptance letter in the mail … and my college journey began. You've done a lot of talking throughout your broadcasting career yet your message to students was about silence … "the power of the pause." In controlling an audience and getting your point across, it is often what you don't say that gets their attention the most. Pause, take your time, say what you're going to say but don't hurry through it. The fact that you have taken time gives the impression that you are thoughtful in your response. I was forced to use the pause while broadcasting the 1983 Super Bowl. It was the Redskins versus the Dolphins. We were announcing the starting lineups and experienced some technical difficulties causing us to have to speak in two-second delays. I thought it was the worst broadcast I'd ever done. But everyone told me how great it was. In listening to it afterward, I learned a lesson about pausing and not filling the air with a lot of unnecessary chatter. You have found that homework is just as important now as when you were a student. Preparation and perseverance brought your career full-circle when doing your homework and research landed you an interview with your boyhood idol, baseball- hitting legend Ted Williams. Ever since I was a kid, Ted Williams was my idol. Whenever he came to Tiger Stadium, I'd hitchhike there to watch him play. I had the chance to interview him my first year as the broadcaster of the California Angels in 1969. Knowing he didn't like the press, I knew I had to find something that was going to catch his attention to land an interview. I dug around and there it was … he was the greatest hitter of all time, but he actually only pitched one game in the major leagues against the Detroit Tigers. I got Ted Williams' attention and an interview because I was the only one to ask him about that time he pitched against the Tigers in 1940. He put his arm around me and said, "come here 'meat'" – an endearing term, and he never forgot me. You have a dream, you have an idol, and with preparation and perseverance you can bring it all the way around. I am proud to say CMU was an important part in helping me reach my dreams. • centralight summer '12 5

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