It's amazing what gems are discovered when one does a little spring cleaning. Case in point, this WNCO promotional t-shirt. It's been years since I saw it last and much longer since I could wear it. (It's a men's medium) I am not featured on this shirt. When it was created I was not yet on staff. I didn't set foot in the WNCO building until January of 1980. That's when I was able to begin a sort of internship through high school. I was hired when I graduated that spring. As far as the characters named on the old-west town storefront on that shirt, I remember most of them being around when I started.
Beginning on the left you see Deb & Bruce's Saloon representing Deb Hostettler and Bruce Brodie. Then there's the shingle for the Midnight Pony Express. I've only spoken with Bruce and WNCO-sales person Marty Larsen but none of us can remember with certainty who ran the overnights. Possibly Mike Patrick? Then, on the shirt, you'll find The Teddy Bear's Den. That's for John James, our Sports Director, who went by the nickname "Teddy Bear". John's the one who gave me my start in the business. When it comes to nicknames none was more recognizable than our morning man the late Gary "Redbird" Gott. Gary was the station's Program Director and Vice President. Next on the shirt you'll see the storefront Riley's Dry Goods (That's Ed Riley) and Buckeye Lumber Company (which I believe was representing Tom Ferguson). Finally in the upper right hangs the shingle for "Doc Roberts". "Doc" was our station manager and owner, the late Walt Roberts.
We've never again created a station t-shirt that represented specific staff members. One reason could be that the turnover of personnel was so frequent. Some WNCO personalities lasted only days. Some worked with us for a few months, even years then moved on to other opportunities and adventures. Then there are the rare few like Colman-in-the-Morning, the late Gene Davis, Kelly Sheehan and myself that stayed on for decades.
This t-shirt captured a piece of WNCO history that may have been forgotten. I hope that for those of you who were regular listeners back then this brings back some pleasant memories.