Valley sports make Cappy happy

By Greg Gulas

The longtime broadcaster got his break in 1968 and has been here ever since.

BOARDMAN – To serve as a successful sports talk-show host, one must be able to formulate an opinion on a wide variety of topics of which a caller might want to discuss.

Serving as a play-by-play voice for more than 2,500 high school, college and professional broadcasts, and hosting a talk show for five decades, John Caparanis is qualified to give an opinion.

Speaking Monday to the Curbstone Coaches during their weekly gathering at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, the sports director of WBBW-AM (1240) wasn’t shy when sharing his view on a myriad of sports topics.

“Sports in the Valley over the past century has been our one positive. From major league baseball’s Jimmy McAleer at the turn of the 20th century to most recently the exploits of Austintown Fitch wrestler Tony Jameson, our area has had plenty of which to boast,” he said.

A native of Yorkville and a graduate of Ohio University, he teamed with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Joe Tait on many Athens-area sports broadcasts before receiving his break in the business.

“Back in 1968 I showed up at WSOM radio with a r sum and tape looking for a job. It was the height of the Vietnam War and I was awaiting my orders, so very few stations would bite on me knowing that I would soon be shipped off to the Army.

“It was two days before high school football season was to begin and little did I know back then, but the previous day their sports director had quit and was headed to WHBC radio in Canton. Jim Shipley, the station GM at the time, didn’t like football so he hired me on the spot.

“He said he would sit with me during the first half of the game that I would broadcast Friday night, just to make sure I would be all right. He left after the first quarter was over so I think I had his approval after that first quarter of action,” he added.

Caparanis said the Federal Reserve will need to open two more branch offices when the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez pays his taxes this year, noting sarcastically that the Pittsburgh Pirates have already been eliminated from the postseason despite their current three-game win streak.

His love for Cleveland sports is most evident and while complimentary to some of their teams, staff and players, his frustration with others is transparent.

“I really believe that Phil Savage is doing a great job with the Browns. He sees the problem, isolates it and then goes about fixing it. That is why I feel he is one of the best GMs in the NFL today,” Caparanis said.

“As for the Indians I like manager Eric Wedge, but I am not a big fan of general manager Mark Shapiro. Last time I looked pitching was 80 percent of the game and that was supposed to be the Tribe’s strength this season. To date, even though it is still early in the season, that area to me is a big concern,” he added.

“About the Cavaliers, LeBron James is banged up and that is a concern for everyone from the fans to their front office. Mike Brown does not appear on my list of best coaches in the NBA because anyone can sit on the bench and yell ‘Get the ball to LeBron.’

“They are the worst team in the league in creating opposition turnovers and that has to be a concern come playoff time,” he said.

Noting that role models like middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, professional football player Brad Smith and race car drive Dave Blaney, among others bring positive press to the area, the push to boost baseball with inner-city youth is a necessary step in bringing the diamond game to those youths disconnected to the nation’s pastime.

Next week, Dana Balash, sports director of WFMJ-TV will be the guest speaker.