It was a packed house at Swan Lake Thursday night during the 88th Annual Plymouth Chamber of Commerce dinner. Folks enjoyed a special guest appearance from a familiar radio personality from long ago.
Keeping true to the Chamber’s theme, “Embracing the Past, Moving Towards the Future,” they honored all living past Board Presidents, many of them attended the event. A brief review of the 2011 activities was followed by the presentation of the Program of Works for 2012.
The evening concluded by announcing the Chamber awards. The Chamber Ambassador or the Year: Tammy Boys – Teacher’s Credit Union. The Walter Glaub Business of the Year: Miller’s Senior Living Community. The Chamber Individual of the Year: Jackie Wright – Marshall County Council on Aging
The 2012 Annual Dinner was headlined by former WTCA sportscaster, Rick Derf. Mr. Derf spoke about his time spent in Plymouth, sharing many life lessons and memories along the way.
He started off his speech with a “Go Big Red” cheer getting the crowd involved early. Derf explained how the Plymouth community helped him through his journey in life leading up to tonight.
“To be here tonight is a great honor. When they asked me to come back home to speak at this event, I never thought twice about it.”, said Derf. “Plymouth has helped me in my life’s relationships, spiritually, and adapting to other communities later in my life. For that I’m grateful.”
Rick Derf was born in Plymouth, the middle son of three boys of Dick and Hattie Derf. The family had become a well known name in Plymouth, as Rick’s grandfather, E.V. Derf, founded Derf Jewelers in 1929 and the entire family worked in the business.
Derf said, “Growing up I always wanted to become a professional baseball sportscaster. I remember playing wiffle-ball in the backyard, keeping a scorebook, and doing the play-by-play all at the same time by myself. I had found my calling at the age of five years old.”
“As I grew older, I developed a love of music. I remember going to the old Schemburger’s Music Store in Plymouth and buying those 45’s.”, said Derf. “I remember as a teenager, Russ Teal would come over to my house a sift through my collection of 45’s that were all boxed up and I couldn’t get him leave then.”
It was Derf’s love of music and sports that eventually led him to his career into radio. Derf left for broadcast school to receive his license. After graduating and getting his license, fate led him back to Plymouth when his father told him a job opening was available at WTCA. In 1968, Derf was hired by the WTCA General Manager, Ken Kunze….and the rest they say is history.
“I even met my wife Marty at WTCA. She was a copywriter at the time. I had asked her to marry me several, several times before I finally got her break under pressure and say yes. And here we are 45 years later together. I had some incredible times working in radio”, said Derf.
Derf recalled his early sports broadcasts in which he and his partner Corky Lingle covered the Rochester Zebras for two years. Derf and Lingle “graduated” into calling Plymouth games only in 1970.
“I have been blessed to meet some really amazing kids, Scott Skiles, Pete Buchannon, Bruce Grimm to name a few. I also had the privilege to call games for three future NBA stars. Rick Fox (Warsaw), Shawn Kemp (Concord) and Scott Skiles (Plymouth).”, said Derf.
“I remember Cybil Nixon once asked me, how I was able to be from Plymouth but still be able to do Rochester games. It must be hard? I said not really when you get to know these wonderful kids. Yea, they may have been from Rochester, but they were great kids none the less. The same held true when I came over to broadcast Plymouth games. Our kids were great, the support was great. I loved my job.”
Still till this day, you cannot speak about WTCA’s sports broadcasters involving Rick without adding “Cork” to the conversation. Corky Lingle was Derf’s Color Anaylist during the years behind the microphone. The dynamic duo brought excitement, laughter and passion to every broadcast of Big Red Sports.
“If I was having a bad day at work and I brought it to the game. It wasn’t thirty seconds of seeing Cork, that I was back laughing and forgetting that bad day. That’s how Corky is. He made you enjoy your work. He made your smile. He was my right hand man. That’s what made the broadcasts fun to do and listen to.”, said Derf.
The night ended with Derf thanking everyone for coming, but mostly thanking them for letting him be part of their lives.
Rick went on to broadcast over 1500 high school football, basketball, and baseball games over 20 years with WTCA.
