After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy

It’s time to reveal reminiscences, laughs and loopy instances from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his spouse, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood home that’s been in his household since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.

“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.

He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He acquired his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball video games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a recreation. It started an journey of a lifetime.

“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.

John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick have been among his professional commentators when he did play by play for faculty basketball video games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s labored more than 100 championship high faculty occasions. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 gained by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.

“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”

He performed interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray (*55*). He’s labored with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called video games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio sales space for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship recreation at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.

Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast companions, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.

(Randy Rosenbloom)

He was the voice of Fresno State soccer and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas soccer and basketball video games. He called bowl video games and Little League video games. He was a public deal with announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.

Nothing was too small or too big for him.

“I loved everything,” he said.

He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic soccer video games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship recreation at the Coliseum on a San Pedro landing with one second left.

Probably his most notable story got here when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 faculty bowl recreation in Montgomery, Ala.

“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”

Did Rosenbloom inform the viewers what was taking place?

“I stayed calm,” he said.

Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and connected itself to the picket press box proper next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”

Recently, he’s been placing together high faculty TV packages for LA36 and calling journey ball basketball video games. He’ll still keep doing a radio playing show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to transfer nearer to grandchildren.

“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.

Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.

He’s a true skilled who’s versatility and work ethic made him a dependable rent from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.

He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 ft, 7 1/2 inches, which is his declare to fame at North Hollywood High.

One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his identify “Rosenbloom” then modified it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was price a good snigger.

He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to get pleasure from his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They appear to like him.