The Letter Box: September 2008

High ratings for T-V-CNJ

I read with interest Peter Croatto’s “TVCNJ.” It reminded me of the broadcasting path I took in 1971. I left the athletics staff at Princeton U. to join the brand new New Jersey Public Television news department (March 1971). During 10 years there, it was my responsibility to build sports coverage of New Jersey’s teams and athletes. Eventually, we did many sporting events (e.g., college football and basketball games, high school football, basketball and wrestling championships, plus we covered the construction and opening of the Meadowlands Sports Complex). We televised the first college game played there in 1977 (Rutgers vs. Penn State). I recall televising Trenton State vs. Glassboro State there on campus at the old football field. Coach Eric Hamilton will remember our telecast. We gave New Jersey its first broadcasts of statewide television sports; it was a fun time doing so many sports-related programs from around the state, plus our nightly sports news segments. Following NJPTV days, I’ve continued working in sports TV and, even now, still do play-by-play of HBO boxing for overseas consumption, working for Belmonte Productions of New Jersey, the contractors of foreign boxing broadcasts for HBO. Anyway, I enjoyed Pete’s article and always enjoy TCNJ Magazine, too.

Dick Landis MEd ’66

Stuck in the ’70s

For those that wish to remember the 1970–1976 TSC years visit my Web page…. My wife graduated in ’74 from TSC, as well as my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I was the photo-editor of The Signal and The Seal for a number of years. Currently, I’m a tech coordinator at a New Jersey public school. A couple of my photos of Bruce Springsteen at TSC were published in the recent For You Bruce book. They were taken while I was the photo editor in ’73.

Mike Butkus ’76

Ed’s note: Mike’s photos of campus life during the early 1970s can be found at http://www.butkus.org/tsc/small/tsc_71-76.htm. Thanks to Mike for sharing these photos. If you have any you’d like to share with us, add a comment below or e-mail us at magazine@tcnj.edu.