University Daily Kansan / Monday, September 15. 1986
Sports Monday
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Max Falkenstien
The familiar voice of the Jayhawks
Wilfredo Lee/KANSAN
Max Falkenstein announces for the Jayhawk Network during the pre-game activities of the Kansas-North Carolina football game Saturday in Memorial
By PAMELA SPINGLER
Sports writer
Falkenstien, the vice president of Douglas County State Bank, relaxes while he organizes his notes and sips a Coke.
In a crowded cubicle on the second floor of the Memorial Stadium press box, Max Falkenstein awaits the quiet voice of Bob Newton, producer and engineer for the Jayhawk Network, to tell him he's on the air.
Falkenstien puts on his headset and adjusts the mouth piece.
"Fifteen seconds to go." Newton says.
"Five, four, the mikes are on,
three, two, one, go..."
"This is the Jayhawk Network," Bob Davis, the play-by-play commentator says. "I'm Bob Davis with Max Falkenstien, high above Memorial Stadium on a glorious opening day for Jayhawk football."
Saturday Davis and Falkenstein began their third year as commentators for the Jayhawk Network, but Falkenstein has been around longer.
Falkenstien, sometimes called the voice of the Kansas Jayhawks, has broadcast the Jayhawk football and basketball games for more than 40 years.
As Newton transferred to a taper interview of Wayne Ziegler, KU free safety, for the pregame show, Newton commented on how good Davis and Falkenstien sounded.
"It's a good thing we don't practice." Davis said jokingly, "We would probably never get it right again."
Falkenstien agreed.
Falkenstien, who was born and raised in Lawrence, started broadcasting as a part-time announcer at WREN, a Topeka radio station, while in high school.
After World War II, he returned to WREN as a sports announcer and attended KU. He said he chose to study mathematics because he already had earned credit hours in math during his Air Force experience.
He said he just wanted to finish college so he could continue with his broadcasting career. Falkenstein, a 1948 graduate, said most of his experience in broadcasting came from practice in the field.
"There was not much academic training in broadcasting when I was going to school." he said
When he first started broadcasting,
he was "scared to death" to be on the air, but he quickly overcame that fear.
Stadium, Falkenstein has been the "voice of the Jayhawks" for more than 40 years.
There was no technical failure Saturday, and Falkenstien calmly commented on plays of the game.
"I don't get nervous anymore," he said. "Now the only time I get nervous is when there is a technical failure."
But it's not always calm in the radio booth. Newton said.
When they are on the road, Davis said he and Falkenstein are on a constant search for great barbecue.
"Since Max has been around so long, he knows practically every one of the visiting broadcasters, and it gets fun," Newton said.
"We have had a lot of great times," Davis said. "Max is a great guy to work with."
Newton said that many times the broadcast teams would hold signs against the window between the two booths.
"A few years ago, we went all over Louisville looking for barbecue and we got lost," Davis said.
Falkenstien said he liked the atmosphere of the Jayhawk Network and he enjoyed his colleagues. He said he also enjoyed the association with the coaches and the athletes.
"I have a treasure chest of memories from my times with them." he said.
One of his best memories was broadcasting the Jayhawk win in the 1952 National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball championship game in Seattle.
"It was a really special time," he said. "It wasn't broadcast until late, 11-11:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, so folks went to bed early and got up later so they could listen.
"It was a lot of fun because when we got home we had a parade down Massachusetts Street in open fire trucks at 3 a.m." Falkenstien said. "There were hundreds of people cheering and celebrating."
He said he also enjoyed the association with KU students.
"When I go into Allen Field House, they stand up and clap and say 'Hey, Max' and it's really gratifying," he said. "I think we understand each other."
Falkenstein has made a name for himself as well as others. The Topeka Zoological Park named a gorilla after Max. It was the first gorilla in Kansas. Sports Information Director Dou Vance also named his Boston Bull Terrier after Falkenstein.
"I like to think I entertain the people who are listening on the radio."
Isobel Falkenstien, his wife, said the thought people really appreciated her husband's work.
"I've always been proud of him and of his work," she said, adding that there were a lot of drawbacks to us job also.
"I spend a lot of lonely nights but I've never known anything different," she said. "I never see him. He's always in the garden or at work."
Eric Starr, Tail Heel tailback, eludes the grasp of Jayhawk safety Wayne Carolina's win over the Jayhawks on Saturday Kansas will have an opportunity Ziegler, Starr rushed 11 times for 71 yards and one touchdown in North for its first win Saturday against Utah State.
Valesente is victim of first-game curse
For the last half century, each new Kansas head football coach has faced an opening game curse, and Bob Valesete was no exception.
By ANNE LUSCOMBE
Sports writer
Debut debacles
Since 1939, Kansas has had 12 head football coaches. Only one in that time defied the curse and won his opening game. In 1971, head coach Don Fambrough, during his first coaching stint at Kansas, shut out Washington State, 34-0.
"I just fit in with the rest of them, just part of the crowd," Valesente said yesterday. "I would have liked to have been another exception to the rule."
The season opener for Kansas and Valesente's coaching debut ended in disappointment for the Jayhawks.
| Head coach | Year | Result |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Gwinn Henry | 1939 | L Drake | 12-6 |
| Henry Shenk | 1943 | T Washburn | 0-0 |
| George Sauer | 1946 | T Texas Christian | 0-0 |
| J.V. Sikes | 1948 | L Texas Christian | 14-13 |
| Chuck Mather | 1954 | L Texas Christian | 27-6 |
| Jack Mitchell | 1958 | L Texas Christian | 42-0 |
| Pepper Rogers | 1967 | L Stanford | 21-20 |
| **Don Bambrough** | **1971** | **W Washington State** | **34-0** |
| Bud Moore | 1975 | L Washington State | 18-14 |
| Don Bambrough | 1979 | L Pittsburgh | 24-0 |
| Mike Gottfried | 1983 | L Northern Illinois | 37-34 |
| Bob Valesente | 1986 | L North Carolina | 20-0 |
North Carolina blitzed Kansas, 20-0.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half -- the only score was a 25-yard field goal by Lee Gliarmis
— but the Tar Heels exploded for 17 points in the second-half.
The third quarter began brutally for the Jayhawks as North Carolina
started to wear down the Kansas defense.
Tar Heel quarterback Jonathan Hall hit a wide open tailback, William Humes, on a 55-yard scoring pass. The Jayhers were double-teaming the wide receivers and that left linebacker Stacy Henson to cover the fleet-footed runner. Giarris added the extra point.
Eight minutes later, North Carolina made it 17-0 when Starr scored from two yards out. The 72-vard drive took eight plays.
Gliarmis finished the scoring with a 35-yard field goal with 3:10 left in the game.
The Kansas offense did everything but score.
Valesente said junior quarterback
See N. CAROLINA, p. 10, col. 1
Seattle hangs on to beat KC 23-17
United Press International
SEATTLE — Dave Krieg threw for 203 yards and tackled on Durt Warner rushed for 80 yards and a score yesterday to help the Seattle Seahawks to a 23-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Krieg connected on 21 of 35 passes. Steve Largent collected five receptions to extend his pass-catching streak to 125 straight games, the second longest in National Football Conference history. Harold Carmichael holds the record of 127.
Kansas City closed within 13-10 in the third quarter on Todd Blackledge's 70-yard touchdown strike to Carlos Carson. Norm Johnson, who kicked three field goals, converted a 53-yarder and Warner scored on a one-yard run to give the Seahawks a 23-10 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Kansas City narrowed the final margin on a one-yard touchdown run by Jeff Smith with four seconds to play
Seattle, 2.0, intercepted Blackledge twice, including a 24-yard return by safety Kenney Easley to the Chiefs 5-yard line that led to Warner's scoring dive. Blackledge completed 15 of 29 passes for 179 yards and a
Seattle moved to the Chiefs 17-yard line in six plays, but the drive stalled and Johnson converted a 34-yard field goal.
Johnson's 35-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter tied the score 3-3. Herman Heard then fumbled on the Chiefs 35-yard line and Seattle linebacker Greg Gaines recovered.
On Seattle's next possession, the Seahawks moved from the Chiefs 47 to the 24-yard line before Krieg teamed with Largent on third-and-8 for a 16-yard gain that moved the Seahawks to the 8-yard line.
After two Warner running plays netted two yards, Krieg lofted a six-yard scoring pass to Turner.
touchdown for Kansas City, 1-1.
Orta, Jackson homer in Royals' 10-3 romp
Kansas City running back Mike Pruitt carried six times for 28 yards. The 11-year veteran moved past the 7,000-yard barrier with 7,013.
United Press International
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jorge Orta homered and drove in four runs and Bojackson hit his first major league home run — a 475-foot shot thought to be the longest ever hit at Royals Stadium — to help the Kansas City Royals to a 10-3 rout of the Seattle Mariners yesterday.
Seattle bounced back to a 13-3 lead at halftime on 35- and 34-yard field goals by Johnson and a 5-yard scoring pass from Krieg to Daryl Turner in the second quarter.
Kansas City scored on its opening drive of the game when Nick Lowery kicked a 42 yard field goal with 10:31 left in the first quarter.
It was the sixth victory in seven games for Kansas City.
Mark Gubicza, who gave up both Seattle runs, gave up six hits in six innings to improve to 10-6 on the season. David Cone pitched the final three innings for his first major-league save.
Both of the Kansas City home runs came in the fourth inning when the
Major League results p. 10.
Mike Moore, who gave up the home run to Jackson, dropped to 10-12 with the loss. Orta's eighth home run of the season came off Mariners reliever Mike Truillo.
Royals put the game away with five runs.
Greg Pryor and Buddy Biancala then chased Moore with consecutive hits and Rudy Law got one run home with a ground out. Mike Kingery singled before another run scored on another ground out. Orta then made it 8-0 with his home run.
Kansas City took a 3-0 lead into the fourth when Jackson shot the inning with a towering shot that landed just below the top of the left-field terrace.
Kansas City had scored two other runs on ground-outs earlier in the game. Orta got the first RBI of the day when he grounded to first and Kinggery knocked in another run in the third with a grounder to second. Orta made it 3-0 later in the third with a run-score single.
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Seattle got two runs in the fifth on a base hit by Harold Presley. The hit gave Presley 99 RBI for the season.
The Royals reached double figures in the seventh with a two-run triple by Ron Johnson.