Larry Munson

They say that memories and feelings are often associated with smells or sounds and I have to agree.  All it takes is a warm day with the smells of Fall and fresh cut grass and I am carried to memories of football games and the sights and sounds associated with them.  I can remember when I was just a young kid getting so excited when someone produced a football and wanted to play.  At my house we were Bulldog and Falcons fans and there were ALWAYS footballs lying around for us to throw.  (This is one thing that I made sure to duplicate when I started my own family.)  We hated Tech, anybody from Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and anybody who liked them.  I don't know if I have ANY memories of a Georgia game without a radio blaring "The Voice of the Georgia Bulldogs" calling the plays and painting the picture!  It would be a sad day when many years from then he would retire and I would be forced to listen to others attempt to do what he had done effortlessly.

I remember a Saturday afternoon when I was a young boy.  My dad and I were out at an archery club in Hazlehurst.  It was a warm sunny day and while my Dad was working on a project I was shooting my bow and listening to the Georgia game on the radio.  Larry Munson was calling the game with his sideline announcer Loran giving us the "inside" scoop down on the sidelines.  I remember hearing about a freshman running back being put in the game and then Larry had one of his "moments".  Everyone knows what happened next.  Herschel Walker proceeded to run over Tennessee players and made his initial entrance into Georgia folklore.  Larry called it the way I felt.  I think that is what made him so special.  I loved Georgia.  He loved Georgia. We both hurt when they lost and celebrated when they were victorious.  He could convey the passion that we felt about the game in a way that wasn't forced or scripted.  It was like he was sitting next to you in the stands and he was one of your 80,000 closest friends.  I am not one to want anyone's autograph.  I could care less about a signature and to my knowledge do not have a single one but I always wanted one from him.  He died last night.  I feel like I lost more than my chance for his autograph.  I feel like I lost a part of my childhood.