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KNOD Radio - Harlan, Iowa - May 10, 2022 - A Celebration of Life Service for 72 year old Ron Novotny of Harlan will be held 7 pm Wednesday, May 18th at Vet's Auditorium in Harlan with burial at the Holy Trinity Cemetery in Protivin. Ron passed away Saturday, May 7th at his home. Survivors include his siblings: Pat Sir of Lourdes, Linda Baltes and husband Don of Rochester, MN, Randy Novotny and wife Pamela of Protivin and Sue Cutsforth and husband Len of Lawler; nephews: Chad and Troy Cutsforth, Brian and Steve Baltes, Michael Novotny...
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KNOD Radio - Harlan, Iowa - May 10, 2022 - A Celebration of Life Service for 72 year old Ron Novotny of Harlan will be held 7 pm Wednesday, May 18th at Vet's Auditorium in Harlan with burial at the Holy Trinity Cemetery in Protivin. Ron passed away Saturday, May 7th at his home. Survivors include his siblings: Pat Sir of Lourdes, Linda Baltes and husband Don of Rochester, MN, Randy Novotny and wife Pamela of Protivin and Sue Cutsforth and husband Len of Lawler; nephews: Chad and Troy Cutsforth, Brian and Steve Baltes, Michael Novotny and Tom Sir; nieces: Amy and Ashley Baltes, Missy Brevig and Meagan Sobolik and many great-nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held 5 to 7 pm Wednesday evening, May 18th, at Vet's Memorial Auditorium in Harlan. The Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan is in charge of the arrangements.
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1950 United States Federal Census
Name: Ronald Novatny
Age: 0
Birth Date: abt 1950
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Iowa
Marital Status: Nev
Relation to Head of House: Son
Residence Date: 1950
Home in 1950: Protivin, Howard, Iowa, USA
Household Members Age Relationship
Ernest Novatny 26 Head
Helen Novatny 23 Wife
Ronald Novatny 0 Son
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Legendary KNOD Broadcaster Ron Novotny Passes Away at age 72
(5-9-22) - The "Voice of the Harlan Community Cyclones" has gone silent.
KNOD Sports Director Ron Novotny, who covered Harlan Community and KNOD-area sports for decades, has passed away. Ron was 72 years old.
Ron became the voice of the Cyclones and other area community schools starting in the mid-80's. His unique style of broadcasting, excitement, and catch phrases entertained coaches, players, and listeners through generations in the KNOD-listening area. Ron did broadcasts current players, the parents, and their parent's-parents.
"He was also never afraid to speak his mind about an officials call," said KNOD News Director Michele Andersen. " I honestly believe that Ron lived and breathed Cyclone Sports and we will dearly miss him."
Ron was a Harlan Booster Club Hall of Fame Inductee.
In his final interview with KNOD, Ron talked about how getting a transistor radio for Christmas at a young age led him into broadcasting.
"Now you had the whole world in your hand," Novotny told KNOD. "I used to go around and I would listen to sporting events sometimes all night long on that little transistor radio and that's where I got interested."
Ron's final interview in its entirety on our KNOD Sports Podcast link.
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Novotny calling it a career after 52 years of broadcasting
HARLAN TRIBUNE - HARLAN, IOWA - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2021
"And the Sow is Out of the Barn" - By Bob Bjoin, Editor
HARLAN – The most well-known phrase heard on KNOD-FM Radio during most Harlan Community football games the past three decades has its roots dating back to an early 1990s Saturday morning wrap-up interview sports director Ron Novotny held with then head coach Curt Bladt. These popular weekend conversations about the game the prior night have had Cyclone fans tuning in to 105.3 FM every Saturday morning at 8:15 a.m. for more than 33+ years. It doesn't matter where Coach Bladt, or now his son, Todd - the current head coach - happen to be at the time…..they always have called in to talk with Ron. "Every Saturday morning (Curt) would call me from somewhere," Ron recalled. "He made sure wherever he was, he'd call me. Todd has taken over and does the same thing." Like the time Curt and his wife, Jill, were heading to Duluth, MN to watch Todd play ball one very snowy Saturday. They searched along the way somewhere north of the border, looking for a phone. "He couldn't find a phone booth inside, so he found one of those outside booths, you know you drive up to with your car?," Ron explained. "He couldn't reach it so he had to stand out in a snowstorm; do the interview from that phone booth. "That's the type of guy he is. He was going to get it done." Curt remembers those days. He made it a point to call Ron no matter where he was traveling or how late he was up studying film from Friday night. "I always had to talk with Ron on Saturday morning, and you can't believe where I talked to him from," Curt joked. "We would be going to Todd's games at South Dakota, which was a short trip, and I could usually (take Ron's call) in the morning and we could still get there, but when (Todd) was going up to Mankato and places like that, we'd call him on the road. "That was always an interesting thing to have happen, and it was always a pleasure to talk with him on those nice early Saturday morning calls… especially since we had probably been up 'til three or four o'clock in the morning doing scout tapes. It was a good deal." On one of these early morning wrap-up shows "the phrase" emerged. As both Ron and Curt remember it, the discussion was about the bruising running back Chad Shuff from Le Mars, and how the Cyclones were able to shut him down the night before and win the game. "We had to stop him if we were going to have any success...and we did," Ron said. "The next morning… I asked Curt how did we handle Mr. Shuff? He said, 'Well, he ended up with 108 yards. But he got 100 of them after the sow was out of the barn.' "I just picked up on that right away." So Ron says he guesses he "stole" it from Curt. "Nothing original from me on that one. But it has kind of stuck."
Started in Waverly
Harlan Community fans had a chance to hear Ron's final sports broadcast Dec. 21 when the Cyclones took on Clarinda in a boy/girl doubleheader at the HCHS gymnasium. After a 52-year career in radio, 36 of which has been in Harlan, Novotny has announced his retirement. His last day is December 31. "It's just kind of time, I feel," Ron said. "I'm 72, my bones are starting to get old and it's harder to get around." It's been quite the adventure for the long-time sports junkie. Ron has come a long way from the 1960s when he used to take his transistor radio to school in Protivin, IA, a small town of about 300 southwest of Decorah, to catch a ball game. "The World Series was always daytime when I was back in school," Novotny said. "I went to a Catholic school. The nuns would take it away from me sometimes." After high school graduation in 1967, Novotny headed to the Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minneapolis. "I was always interested in radio and broadcasting sports," he said. "I got my first job in Waverly….. KWVY, now KWAY. I was there until August of '85 and then I came to Harlan." The first game Ron ever broadcast was a football game in Waverly. "I got the teams backward on the kickoff," he laughed. "I was wondering what the heck was wrong with the program because the numbers weren't corresponding." By the end of that first series he had it figured out. There have been snowstorms, thunderstorms and tornados to navigate, either when covering a game or when trying to get home afterwards. One time at Underwood the sirens blared and everyone ran for cover. "I had to pack up all my stuff and put it away first," he said. "It just poured." He remembers a district track meet in Treynor, and in attendance was Clarinda Academy, a residential behavioral and academic health treatment facility for adolescent males. According to Ron, they had a great relay team. "The anchor on the relay crossed the finish line and he just kept going," he said. "Ran right out of the stadium." Authorities picked the youth up a short time later. Current Lewis Central Athletic Director Jim Dermody had a scary moment while playing basketball for the Trojans at Tri-Center (Neola) back in the day. "He went up for a shot and got his teeth caught in the net," Novotny remembers. "That was painful." There have been plenty of "oops" moments, he said, like the girls basketball game he had to broadcast from outside the gym in an adjacent music room via a monitor and taped feed. "It was still old reel-to-reel tape," he said. "In the third quarter the tape ran out. The screen went blank. I just kept going. I made it up." A couple minutes felt more like 10, he said. "I could tell by the crowd noise….if the crowd was loud it was this team. If it was a little quieter it was the other team. You could figure out who was scoring the points." Eventually the feed returned, after the tape was rewound and started over.
Thrilling Moments
More so are the thrilling and fantastic moments Ron has been a part of in western Iowa. "There've been a lot of great teams in our area," he said. He's covered as many as 17 schools during his tenure. He remembers fantastic softball and basketball teams from Elk Horn-Kimballton and IKM-Manning, even as far back as when it was just IK (Irwin-Kirkman), and some playoff AHSTW football teams. It was exciting when he took over announcing Harlan football from the dynamic duo of Dave Koos and Larry Miller. Joining him was Joe Heese, and the two became a great team on the radio. "Joe is the only one (I've broadcast with)," Ron said. "I usually worked alone, but when I started with football, then I was with Joe." Heese said it's been quite a ride with Ron. "Well, obviously, he's the man and I try to stay out of his way the best I can," Heese said. Traveling to games and hanging out on the drives has been fun, he said. "There have been a lot of different people who have been in those vehicles. There have been a lot of stories," he said. "There's not a game that Ron doesn't remember every player – sometimes it might be 60 years ago. This last week he was telling me he called a game that Bob Bowlsby played in. He remembers everything about (almost) everybody he ever announced." Ron's witnessed his fair share of half-court shots and buzzer-beater basketball wins, most recently Connor Frame's tip-in at the end of a substate contest vs. Denison- Schleswig in 2020 that sent the Cyclones to state with a 60-58 win. The Cyclone girls' back-to-back volleyball and basketball titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively, were something special, he said. By far the best had to be what came to be dubbed the Cyclone Slam, said Novotny, back in 2003-04. He can pretty much spell it out in detail for anyone. "We won the track, baseball, football and basketball in succession," he said. "Every one of those (contests) came right down to the wire." On the track it was the final 4x100 win that sealed the title for the boys team. On the diamond the Cyclones came from behind to beat Knoxville in the semis and then Waukee in the championship after trailing 3-0 in the first inning. Football rallied to beat Mount Vernon 38-35 after trailing in the second half in a classic Class 3A championship at the UNI-Dome that fall, and the basketball team came from behind in the fourth quarter against Crestwood (Cresco) to win the state title the following March. "Nobody has done that in the whole United States," Novotny said.
Coaches
Working with the fantastic coaches is something he'll definitely miss. "I go back a long way with (HCHS Boys Basketball Coach) Mitch (Osborn)," Novotny said. "When I started he was at Elk Horn." Like Curt Bladt, he always has been very accommodating. "He'll be in the middle of an auction on Saturday, and he'll set down the gavel to do a five minute interview," Novotny said. Osborn said Novotny has been a huge part of the Cyclone community and added much to the athletic programs. He's a hall of fame broadcaster who has called great games such as the 2004 and 2006 HCHS state basketball title games. "Ron knew our players inside and out, and I know he could have been a great basketball coach if his career would have taken him that direction," Osborn said. "He always did great interviews with our coaching staff at Harlan Community and kept things positive even if it was a tough game where we did not come out on top." Novotny highlighted players and was an ambassador for HCHS sports, Osborn said. "Whether it was football, basketball, softball or baseball, Ron was the very best at his craft," Osborn said. Bladt echoed Osborn's comments, saying Ron has always been a champion for the kids and coaches. "Whether it be football or basketball or softball, or whatever it was, he was on top of it and knew his stuff," Bladt said. "You had to kind of wait until he got down from his excitement and then he'd tell you what had happened!" He called Ron a good friend who would get something on the radio immediately; always willing to help if needed. During a broadcast, you always knew whose side he was on, Bladt said. "Never said a bad thing about an official in his life," Bladt said with a chuckle.
Fulfilling Career
There's a winning culture and tradition among the sports teams Ron has covered for decades and it's been fun to witness. Take Harlan Community, for example….when it first saw football success back in the 1980s, it became infectious. "I think that just kept carrying over into other sports," Novotny said. "Parents got behind it….and the community. Getting the kids involved at a young age, and year round has been key. "The kids get it and have a winning mindset. You never see someone from Harlan Community not play hard. They play hard all the time." Novotny said he'll miss announcing games, but still plans to hit up some local contests. It will take some getting used to not having statistics right at his fingertips. "I've met so many great people, not only in Harlan, but all over," he said. "I've been sitting in the same spot for 30-plus years in some of these places. "It's been very fulfilling. Thanks to all the people who've listened and commented on the games." Heese said he'll miss the history and stories they've shared, and the excitement Novotny brought to the games. "His love for our area and Harlan Community in general is uncanny," Heese said. "I remember a couple state tournament games and a couple regular season games where I literally reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt because I thought he was going out of the press box face first…I thought he was either going out the window of the press box or falling to his death in the Dome on a couple different occasions… always during big plays. "I know specifically it was one of those Osborn-to-Applegate [touchdowns against Mount Vernon in the 2003 title game]. I know I grabbed the back of his shirt because I thought he was gone." Mike Oeffner, long-time sports editor at the Harlan Newspapers who also recently announced his resignation, said Novotny's voice is one of the most recognizable in all of Iowa. He called it the perfect hybrid of legendary baseball announcer Harry Carey and Boston Celtics announcer Johnny Most, with maybe a little Howard Cosell mixed in for good measure. "He combined elements of sports knowledge, history, humor and unabashed excitement into his broadcasts, and to a fault, he was never afraid to tell it like it was," Oeffner said. Often covering the same games as Ron, Oeffner didn't get to hear that many of his broadcasts, but Ron would share some of his best "lines" from the day on the drive home. One that he will never forget, even if embellished a tad, occurred during the 2005 State Baseball Tournament in Des Moines. "Walnut was playing Kee that day and the temperature on the field was well over 100 degrees," recalled Oeffner. "It was the first state tournament game ever played at Principal Park and the late Hall of Famer, Bob Feller - aka 'The Heater from Van Meter' - was called on to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. "Longtime Iowa umpire Roger "Smokey" Barr was the director of officials for the Iowa High School Athletic Association at the time and was likely in the vicinity when Feller (then 86 years old) wiped his brow and delivered the pitch." Oeffner didn't actually hear it but can only imagine how it sounded from Ron. "Weeelll……we were blessed with the presence of legendary Hall of Famer Bob Feller today at Principal Park. About 10 minutes ago, Feller threw out the first pitch to kick off this year's state baseball tournament… 100 degrees outside… and Smokey Barr called it a ball! "Enjoy your retirement, Ron. You have definitely earned it."
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Ron Novotny Quips
"Tick, Tock, Goes the Clock"
Credited to Ron's four-year-old great-niece. At Christmas time the family had to clean up after dinner first before opening presents. It was taking a little longer than anticipated, said Ron. "She was sitting by the clock, just staring at the clock and she said 'Tick, Tock, Goes the Clock.' Ron thought he could use that one….we've heard it many times as the clock winds down in a game.
"Sacked like Potatoes in Idaho"
On a trip to see Iowa play in the Rose Bowl, Ron and his group kept getting asked where they were from. When they said "Iowa," Californians said 'Oh yeah, where the potatoes are grown.' "That's how I picked that one up," said Ron, who has used it when a quarterback gets sacked in the backfield. "I'm going to let those people know if they're ever in Iowa," it's not Idaho and we don't grow potatoes.
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Ron Novotny was recognized in between the boys and girls basketball games vs. Clarinda Tuesday night, Dec. 21 for his years of
service as The Voice of Cyclone Activities. Presenting a plaque to
Novotny, long-time sports announcer for KNOD FM 105.3, is HCHS
Girls Head Basketball Coach Zach Klaassen. HCHS Boys Basketball Coach Mitch Osborn paid tribute to Novotny in a short speech before the boys game, thanking Novotny for his coverage of Cyclone activities. The inscription on the plaque reads "We are forever grateful for your years of dedicated coverage." (Photos by Bob Bjoin)
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"I've met so many great people, not only in Harlan, but all over. It's been very fulfilling. Thanks to all the people who've listened and commented on the games."
RON NOVOTNY |
