Beyond Michigan football: Carl Grapentine is proud to be the voice of Michigan Stadium

The voice of Carl Grapentine booms out across Michigan Stadium reaching into the homes and streets and parking lots beyond. The crowd responds, whether it’s to "Michigan touchdown scored by Jeremy Gallon," to "ba-a–n-n–d take the field," or to the score of the Slippery Rock State Teacher’s College game.

It’s a perfect fit – football, the stadium, the crowd, the band, and the voice. For thousands and thousands, it adds up to the ultimate autumn afternoon.

On a warm day, nearby windows are left open to take in the excitement.

Grapentine is in his eighth year doing play by play of the games and his 44th year announcing for the band, the result of a trajectory began in childhood in Walled Lake. He had dreams of being a minister like his father or a music teacher like his mother, maybe even a vendor at Briggs Stadium because he was a Detroit Tigers nut and reasoned that would get him into the games free. He especially liked listening to Van Patrick’s radio broadcast of the games.

In sixth grade, the last day of school, a day he remembers well, he was chosen to announce the championship game of the school softball tournament, piped into every classroom. As another teacher told his mother later, "I think your son found his calling."

But his goal became more decidedly music and at U-M he was an oboe major in the music school and a baritone soloist in the glee club. However, with a minor in speech, the announcing pieces were inevitably coming together.

As a 21-year-old in 1970, he would hang around band rehearsals since many of his friends were members, and he became interested in being the announcer. When the position opened up, he auditioned with Dr. William Revelli. Obviously, he passed.

Thirty-five years later, game announcer Howard King was ill for three games and Grapentine filled in for him. The next year, upon King’s retirement, Grapentine was offered the job. He thought it over – briefly – before accepting. "It’s Michigan football, after all," he said. "I realized I wanted to be part of the tradition and uphold the Michigan way of doing things."

He explained that at some schools "the announcers are very partisan and scream in order to create excitement for the fans. What Howard, and Steve Filipiak before him, passed on to me was what they considered a more dignified way, that it’s possible to generate excitement by the way a game is called, not with screaming and partisanship.

"Elsewhere, the announcers don’t always mention who made the tackle for the visiting team, or who is deep to receive a kick. We do; it’s part of sportsmanship. And I use the same verbiage regardless of what team scores. I don’t want to be a cheerleader or a screamer."

That doesn’t mean Grapentine doesn’t care who wins or isn’t enthused about what he does. Far from it. "You will note more emotion in my voice when we are doing well," he said. "And when Michigan loses, especially to big rivals, I am down for a while, disappointed, though I can usually let it go in a couple days."

Grapentine operates from the fifth floor of the press box, above the south 43-yard line, windows always open even in bad weather, open to the feel of the game and the crowd. To his right sits Bill Shortt, his spotter. Dr. Shortt, of South Lyon, began as a spotter on the field during his freshman year in dental school in 1983. Three years ago he joined Grapentine in the booth. Grapentine takes care of the offense, noting the ball carrier or the pass receiver with his binoculars, while Shortt handles the defense. He points to the team chart in front of them, indicating the tacklers, so his voice doesn’t transmit over the PA system.

For the most part, Grapentine is chained to his chair for four hours when pre-game activities and the post-game band show are included. He and Shortt chat about the game between plays. Shortt said that "working with Carl couldn't be easier.

He is relaxed but very professional in what he does. The game and timeout and halftime announcements are scripted, but in reality, he is always being asked to gain 30 seconds here or stall 30 seconds there; he pulls it off without a problem. I'm just not sure how he sits so long with out a bathroom break." Shortt gets food for Grapentine during halftime.

Grapentine arrives early to prepare and to announce the opening of the stadium gates two hours prior to kickoff. "By the end of the game, I’m tired from the intensity and the need to concentrate for so long," he said. "I try to remind myself to stand up for a 30-second break occasionally. It was easier when I just did the band. Then I could relax during the game and talk with friends while I watched it. Now I’m working every minute."

Before each game, there is also preparation. Grapentine prints a two-deep roster of the opposing team to get used to the names, then checks difficult pronunciations with the team media people on Saturday. He also looks over the announcements he will be reading and makes minor changes when needed.

Getting ready for the music takes more time. John Pasquale, director of the marching band, sends him the tunes to be played at all of the home games before the season begins. Grapentine writes the script both for introducing the band and for each piece they play. On Friday afternoon and Saturday morning he is at practice to go through the routine with the band.

Writing script for music is something Grapentine does daily. He has his own radio show Monday through Friday mornings on 98.7 FM in Chicago. He plays classical music beginning at 5:58 (he gets up at 4:10) until 10:00 and includes news, weather, and an occasional interview. I am listening as I write this article, at www.WFMT.com.

Living near Chicago means a four-hour drive from his home in Oak Park to Ann Arbor, getting here early to have time with his mother and brother who live in town, and with friends.

Bloopers have been scarce for Grapentine while announcing, but he does recall one during the second game he filled in for King in 2005, against Notre Dame. Jason Avant caught a pass from Chad Henne and apparently scored. In fact, everyone thought he did and Grapentine announced that he did. When the ball was placed at the one yard line, even Bob Griese and Brad Nessler, telecasting on national TV, didn’t know what was happening. They thought it was a touchdown and remarked that the PA announcer said so. Grapentine says, "I was called out on national TV in my second game."

Another time, while giving the scores of other games, he was reading from the scoreboard, as everyone in the stadium does. When he came to CSU, he began, then stopped, not knowing what to say. "I had no idea what school it was," he said. "I later found out that it was Charleston Southern University." Of course.

Grapentine became a diehard Michigan football fan in 1964, at age 15. " I still know the names of many of the players," he said, " and the entire backfield – Bob Timberlake at quarterback, fullback Jim Detwiler, and halfbacks Carl Ward and Mel Anthony. " They were 9-1 that year and beat Oregon State in the Rose Bowl.

He still looks forward to every game, loves what he does and the reactions of the crowd. He points out that the crowd reaction is delayed for a second or two after he talks due to the stadium speakers all being inside the north scoreboard. "They roar every week hearing that they are part of the largest crowd watching a football game anywhere in America," he said. "They even like ‘we all win when we put it in the blue bin’ (referring to recycling).

"I consider it a privilege to be doing this in such a special atmosphere. At the start of the first night game at Michigan Stadium two years ago, I turned to the Notre Dame band announcer and said, 'Is there anywhere on earth you would rather be right now?' "

Bob Horning is a freelance writer from Ann Arbor.