By Mark Blentlinger
John Pincumbe: The Man, The Myth, The Legend!
It started back in 1980 when the new guy in Schoolcraft was asked, “Could you help in the press box by running the clock?” That started a 43-year stint with the Schoolcraft Golden Eagles Football team.
John Pincumbe recalls lots of the memories he made in those 43 years. He remembers the night that then-Superintendent Warfield said, “John, we need you to announce tonight. The other guy is stranded in St. Louis and won’t be here.”
And the rest is, as we say, history. If ever you have been to the old Schoolcraft football field across from the elementary or Roy Davis field, you have heard the recognizable voice of John Pincumbe.
He tells stories of helping build Roy Davis field along with Roy Davis himself and lots and lots of community members. If you spend any time talking with Mr. Pincumbe, you will hear his love for the community and the Schoolcraft football team in his voice. He will even chuckle as he tells the story of the referees throwing a flag on him up in the press box. He says, “I think I’m the only announcer that has been penalized while announcing!”
John will also tell you of his time at two different fields and 3 different press boxes. The original press box John says, “was a little sketchy and shaky.” The second one was picked up and dropped on the 50-yard line after a 2001 tornado. This led to the present one at Roy Davis Field.
John was at the microphone one last time as the Golden Eagles took on the Delton Panthers for the Division 7 playoffs October 28.