Page 6A
Friday, November 15, 1996
Bird's EyeView
Voice of the Jayhawks
Max Falkenstien talks with Kansas Gov. Bill Graves during Kansas' football game against Kansas State. Falkenstien has not missed a Jayhawk football game in his 51-year broadcasting career.
Edmée Rodríguez/KANSAN
By Spencer Duncan
t's a streak that would amaze Cal Ripken Jr. Ripken, the Baltimore Orioles shortstop, has played more consecutive games than anyone in major league baseball history. But even Ripken would be astonished by Max Falkenstien's record.
Falkenstien has broadcast University of Kansas sporting events on the radio for 51 years. He has never missed a football game and has missed only four basketball games.
"What Max has done here is amazing," said Kansas Athletic Director Bob Frederick. "He has been a part of this school for a long time, and he has become a part of Kansas athletic history."
Falkenstien is making history and has seen Kansas athletic history made. In his career, Falkenstien has talked with Wilt Chamberlain, eaten with Gayle Sayers, watched Jim Ryun run the mile, urged on Danny Manning as Manning led Kansas to a national basketball championship, and seen John Riggins before he was the MVP of Super Bowl XVII. If it has happened in Kansas athletics since 1946, chances are Falkenstien has seen it.
"He's like a history book," said John Hadl, a longtime friend of Falkenstien's and a former Kansas halfback and quarterback. "He knows more than anyone what has gone on because he has been there."
Max Falkenstion will be signing his book,
Max and the Jayhawks, which costs $19.95, at the following bookstores:
Raven Bookstore
8 East 7th St., Lawrence
7 to 9 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 2.
Barnes and Noble 4751 West 117th St. Leawood, Kan. Thursday, Dec. 12.
B. Dalton
Westridge Mall
Wanamaker Road
Topeka, Kan.
Friday, Dec. 13
Barnes and Noble 345 North Rock Road, Wichita, Kan. Saturday, Dec.14
The Book
Doug Vance, assistant athletic director, thinks of Falkenstien as a wealth of Kansas sports history. Vance wanted to preserve that history.
"Ive always told him that there is no record of what has gone on since World War II," Vance said. "I wanted to get those things down on paper before the opportunity was lost." Two weeks ago, Max and the Jayhawks, written by Falkenstien and Vance, hit the bookstores. The book is filled with Falkenstien's memories of his years behind the microphone and remembrances of the good times, the bad times and the people who created them. Vance and Falkenstien spent a year talking to past and present Kansas coaches and athletes. Memories from Roy Williams, Glen Mason, Don Fambrough, Bob Timmons, Dick Harp, Monty Johnson and Frederick are in the book.
"Max felt that there wasn't enough to fill a book, but I felt that there definitely was," Vance said. "My feeling
was that Max should do a book, and as we got started, he began to remember things that he hadn't thought of in a long time."
Vance always knew Falkenstien was filled with knowledge about Kansas sports. But even Vance was amazed at how much Falkenstien knew.
"He just kept coming up with these stories," Vance said. "He knows so many things and so many people that it is overwhelming."
Falkenstien and the gorilla
Not many guys have had a gorilla named for them.
In the late '60s, Falkenstein helped the Topeka Rotary Club raise $5,000 to buy a gorilla for the Topeka Zoo. Because of Falkenstein's help, the gorilla was named after the broadcaster.
One of Falkenstien's most dishartening moments occurred last year when Max the gorilla went to the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Max Falkenstien talks to Dennis Holt, Overland Park resident, before a recent football game. Falkenstien, who has broadcast KU sports for 51 years, collaborated with Doug Vance on the book, Max and the Jayhawks.
Edmée Rodriguez/KANSAN
"I brought him to Kansas in my arms," Falkenstien said. "I was very sad when unilaterally they just decided to ship him to Santa Barbara, almost in a secretive fashion. It came out just two days before he was going, and then, Bang! he was gone."
"I was told by the zoo officials in Topeka that he was going to head up a gorilla family, but my sister, who lives on the West Coast, has been to the zoo there. And she said he is the only gorilla there and he looks sad and lonesome. I feel bad about that whole thing."
rutenstien will be remembered in Kansas history as a radio broadcaster, but as the gorilla story shows, there is more to Falkenstien then radio.
Falkenstien remembers
When he started his broadcasting career 51 years ago, Falkenstein was station manager of WREN Radio in Topeka. He became manager of the news and sports operations at WIBW-TV in Topeka.
He also broadcast the game of the week for the Big 8 Conference Television series. "I did the game of the week when it was really the game of the week," Falkenstein said. "At that time, we were the only thing to watch."
In 1971 he went into the banking business. For 22 years he was senior vice-president of the Douglas County bank.
But broadcasting was in his blood.
"I never wanted to or had to give up my broadcasting of the KU games," Falkenstien said. "That continued uninterrupted through all those years. Broadcasting was not my primary profession after 1971. That was kind of unusual in a way."
College sports has shaped most of Falkenstien's life. It is his true professional passion.
years, and Falkenstein has seen most of them.
What has happened to football?
"When I first started doing the game, guys played both ways. You had an 11-man football team," Falkenstien said. "In many ways I liked the game better than I like it now. It's become so specialized now. You got to see guys like Charlie Hoag who were fantastic on both offense and defense. You don't see that anymore."
And what has changed in basketball?
"Obviously size," Falkensien said. "Players are bigger. When Clyde Lovellette showed up at 6-foot-9 in 1948, he was just an absolute giant in the game and just towered over everybody. That carried us to the national championship."
The biggest change Falkenstien remembers, however, transcended sports.
"Blacks entered the game, and that was a huge change in basketball," Falkenstien said. "They started playing around'52 and'53, and they began to be accepted into major college competition. They changed basketball more than they changed football. It was a great thing for everyone, and
it was wonderful to see that kind of history."
"He's like a history book. He knows more than anyone what has gone on because he has been there."
— John Hadi, longtime friend of Falkenstion's and former Kansas halfback and quarterback
a wonderful to see that kind of history. Falkenstien not only remembers the changes and the people, but he is friends with the people who are in his memories.
And what has been one of the most difficult things about being a recognizable broadcasting legend?
"I just wouldn't trade the friendships that I have made," Falkenstien said. "Al Carrel, our first black captain, is one of my best friends. Bob Hill, Larry Brown, John Cooper and Dick Tome and Terry Donahue. I had great times with them and played handball with them, and it has been a great experience. I still see them all."
"A lot of people like to talk to me, and I like to talk to them," Falkenstein said. "But sometimes I will be down on the floor during a basketball game and people will start talking to me. The problem is, I am usually on the air. That is kind of awkward."
Falkenstien was happy to recall Kansas' sports past for a book, even if it did take some coaxing.
"I didn't think there was enough for a book," Falkenstien said. "But we turned in over 300 pages to the publisher, and he told us it was about time to stop. I think I could come up with enough stories for another one now that I have gotten started."
As for his place in history, Fallenstein is almost overwhelmed. He said he tried not think about it, but after 51 years, it was hard not to consider.
"It's a great accomplishment, I know that. But times change, and in Time I will be forgotten." Falkenstent said. "But nobody else will ever come close to matching it. It just can't be done."
come close to matching it. It just can't be done.
Not even by Ripken.
.
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