From 2003 to 2014, I was the statistician for Judson High School football games on the Texas Sports Radio. Network, and during that time, is when I first met Milton Hope.
Name: Milton Hope
Job: Public Address Announcer
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AS A PUBLIC ADDRESS (PA ANNOUNCER)?
I got started as a PA announcer being in the right place at the right time. I was working at KTSA radio in San Antonio from 1992 to 1997. One of the talk show hosts was the PA announcer for Judson football. He came into the newsroom sometime around 1995 and said he was having to give it up and would any of us like to take his place. Four or five of us were sitting there and we all looked at each other and I said “Well, I’ll give it a try.”
WHERE CAN WE HEAR YOUR PA SKILLS?
I do high school football games for Judson, Wagner and Veterans Memorial. Basically anybody that plays at Rutledge stadium.
I do Judson baseball, some Judson softball and fill in at Veterans Memorial for baseball. I also do the player introductions and run the scoreboard for Veterans Memorial boys and girls basketball.
I do the All-American Bowl football All-Star game each January and I recently picked up the last few years of San Antonio high school all-star football game.
The last two years I’ve also announced the high School boys basketball semifinal games in the Alamodome for the UIL.
I help out with Texas State softball periodically when they need a fill-in announcer.
I do UTSA men’s and women’s basketball, football, and softball.
I also announce at a racetrack. The name of it is Cotton Bowl speedway. It’s about 15 minutes outside Bastrop up in Central Texas.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST GIG?
My first gig was working at a dirt track down off highway 16 on the South side called Texas Dirt Speedway. It no longer exists. But that was kind of where some things got started.
DO YOU GET TO ENJOY THE GAMES OR ARE YOU TOO BUSY WORKING?
I really don’t get to enjoy the games as a spectator too much because I don’t go to a lot of them, because I’m normally announcing! It’s really hard for me to go to a game and sit there and watch because I end up critiquing the announcer. When I do go to a game and as soon as the tackle is made, I just say that’s second and seven, third and two.
One of the most exciting games I ever announced was the 2002 state championship game in the Alamodome, which had Judson taking on Midland high school. Midland scored to take the lead with less than 24 seconds left. Judson was 75 yards away and, the quarterback threw a bomb down the middle of the field to a wide open reciever for the go ahead and winning touchdown.
The other one was the first conference USA championship title for UTSA football. It was a dramatic ending and everybody was just going crazy including me.
HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR VOICE?
I really don’t do anything special. I don’t know if it’s just natural or what. I know some announcers use honey and water and all sorts of concoctions but I don’t do anything specifically to take care of my voice.
DID YOU HAVE ASPIRATIONS OF BEING A PA ANNOUNCER AS A KID?
No, I didn’t have this announcing calling as an aspiration or a thought when I was younger. Even though I was really involved with sports in my teenage years, my father always tried to say I should be a sportscaster on tv. I told him you had to have the looks for that and I lacked what they were looking for.
So, really it was just something I accidentally picked up fell into it and enjoyed it. I mean I wouldn’t be doing it this long if I didn’t enjoy it and certainly it is led to some great opportunities. I’ve been able to announce several sweet 16 and elite 8 games for the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. I’ve also announced suite 16, elite 8 and semifinals for NCAA Women’s basketball when they all came to San Antonio during the covid year. The biggest game I got to do in that tournament was UConn versus Baylor. That was quite the experience.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SLIP UP ON THE MICROPHONE?
Yes, I think every announcer has.
One was at a Judson football game, a defensive player for the other team was injured and on the ground. He was probably 6’4 – 6’5. A female trainer came running from the sidelines and she was probably about 4’8. She tried to pick him up and help him off the field and as she was running out there I turned to my spotter and said what’s that little girl going to do? “Milton your mic’s on,” somebody told me. Oops!
WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO BE A PA ANNOUNCER?
The advice that I would probably give somebody that wanted to get into PA and announcing would be to practice speaking clearly. And volunteer to help out maybe at a middle school or a high school just get your feet in the door anyway you can. Every thing you do in the beginning might not be a paid gig but it can lead to bigger and better things if you prove yourself. People take notice of the person who’s speaking over everybody and if you can do it clearly and concisely and properly someone may tap you on your shoulder and say hey I may have a job for you.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE FREE TIME?
I play a lot of golf as it’s my favorite thing to do when I have the opportunity and some down time. Because my announcing runs from the last week of August until the second weekend of May, I don’t have a lot of opportunities to travel during that time frame. So, as soon as I get to the middle of May until the middle of August, I try to travel out west and go on several Golf Road trips at least one a month. It could range from 5 days to 2 weeks.
Golfing started because my father was a golfer. We lived in France at one time and he played an awful lot. He would take me to the golf course, give me a ball and one club, and I would just follow behind them hitting the ball while they played. One thing led to another and I picked it up as a sport as well.
I don’t have a favorite Golf course. But, the best place that I have found so far are the golf courses is St George, Utah. It is absolutely beautiful out there. Tons of great golf courses with scenic views and red rock formations all around. It is absolutely gorgeous out there.
I’ve also had the opportunity the last couple of years to go up to Central and Western Colorado which is equally as beautiful. Great golf courses, trees, mountains, and valleys. It’s very nice.
TELL ME ABOUT NEW RESTAURANT SATURDAY’S?
I try to go out to a new restaurant when I don’t have anything on Saturday night. I call it new restaurant Saturday. I just got tired of going to the same places all the time and I would just try to find a new place that I had never been to before. And there’s a lot of them.
I think the worst place I ever went to was a 24-hour diner which is now closed. I just wasn’t impressed with their food.
But, most of the time I have been very fortunate to go to good places. I look at Yelp reviews and I watch a local television show on Saturday mornings to get some ideas on where I should go. Also when I’m driving around and I see some place that I’ve never been before, I make a note of it.
I limit myself to either burgers, Mexican food or barbecue. Once or twice I’ve slipped in like an Italian place or a pizza place.
The best one I ever went to was in Brownwood, Texas. It’s called Underwood’s cafeteria. You walk down the line with your tray and they hand you your food and the little dishes. Unlimited rolls and unlimited drinks. And then while you’re eating, a lady pushes a cart around the dining room asking if she can refill or replace something. The food was outstanding and the service was great. Some friends of mine went up there for a basketball game and I told him about it they said it was the best thing they’ve ever found up there. It’s so good I would make a special trip just to go back up there and eat.
