Our interview with Dick Lutsk
Dick, How long have you been in the broadcasting business?
I’ve been in the business over 30 years.
What projects have you been involved in during your career?
I’ve done just about everything! I started out as an all night disk jockey. I have also been a news reporter, News Director, television news anchor, sports reporter, Sports Director, salesman, Sales Manager, part owner, talk show host, radio and television play by play announcer, and host for 5years now of Candlepin Stars and Strikes ...in addition to being involved in a printing business with my brother.
What profession have you enjoyed most?
Play by play is the most fun and I have had some great experiences...working with Boston College football and basketball for a couple of years...a memorable football game game at Notre Dame when B.C. won on a last second field goal, going to the final 8 with the B.C. basketball team. Going to a couple of final fours with the UNH hockey team, working with the Harvard football team that went unbeaten and untied and won the Ivy League title last year, and going way back to 1979 when I went to Nogales Arizona with the Manchester Babe Ruth Baseball team to broadcast their games in their Babe Ruth World Series.
Who are some of the most interesting people you ever interviewed?
I have interviewed some of the biggest names in news and sports including Jimmy Carter when he was campaigning in New Hampshire. I didn't think he had a chance at the time I spoke with him...goes to show how much I knew! The biggest thrill I ever had in sports was interviewing Ted Williams! I did it twice...once on the phone and once when I hosted a televised forum from the Atrium in Chestnut Hill that was carried on
New England Cable News.Have you ever had any broadcasting moments that should have aired on TV's Bloopers and practical jokes?
One time when I was covering the State House in Concord for a Manchester radio station I called in a report that was to be taped and aired during the next hourly newscast. I started the report and made a mistake...said ahh.... bleep!...let's start again. I started the report again...but when it ran on the air the person on the other end rewound the tape too far back to the original beginning and there I was saying ...ahhh...bleep!..lets start again….right on the air!
What other interests do you enjoy when the cameras and microphones are put away?
I am a sports junkie! I watch them all. I enjoy playing tennis and golf. Most of the time I’m at home watching sporting events. Fenway Park may be my favorite place in the world...aside from that, my wife of 30 years and my 3 kids keep me going in lots of other directions as well
Have you attended any memorable games at Fenway?
The 1975 and 1986 World Series were both sensational and heartbreaking. But on a professional level, being involved in the 1990 season on a daily basis, it was my first year doing a Red Sox pre game and post game show, when they won the American League East and played Oakland and lost three straight (thats when Clemens went bonkers) and I did a live show for three hours after that final game from Oakland. That was a great thrill
for me. I also saw the Patriots play there a couple of times including a famous snow game with Buffalo back in the 60'sWhat are your feelings about one of baseball's oldest and dearest parks? Should they remodel or replace it?
As far as Fenway goes I love it but the economics dictate that something must be done. I just hope that when they do build a new stadium they don't build it too big and they keep some of the nuances that make Fenway unique.
Dick, you’ve mentioned just a few times on Candlepin Stars & Strikes that you are originally from Worcester. Could you share some of your memories of candlepin bowling in the city where it all started? What names and centers come to mind as you go down memory lane?
The first time I ever bowled was at the Metro Bowl on Park Avenue in Worcester. It’s not there anymore. It’s a Chinese restaurant now… I spent most of my time as a kid bowling at Recreation Alleys downtown…. We bowled almost every Saturday and in high school I bowled in a league at the Colonial Lanes on Mill Street which is the only center left in town…. I also bowled at the Strand, 20th Century, Central, and Bowling Green alleys, all of which are now gone
Sounds like you bowled quite a bit. What did you carry for an average back then and who were your bowling idols as a youth?
I never averaged 100. As a matter of fact, the best bowlers in Worcester at the time …Rollie Blondin...Ray Chin … some of the names have faded from my memory, averaged 105-106-107 and these guys were the best. Of course Stasia Czernicki was the top female and she was from Webster. I remember watching the greats on channel 5 …..Tom Olzsta...Dick Chaffee...Tony Baldinelli…Charlie Jutras...some of the guys that we see on our show were great back then too.
I did bowl a 130-something one time...thats the highest I ever hit. I was never that great but we had a lot of fun bowling when I was a kid and Worcester was the place to do it!
We were impressed watching you bowl against your partner Mike Morin in the annual grudge match on the show! How did you manage to get your hands on the secret weapons that you used to beat him? (The late, great, Stasia Czerinicki's bowling balls)
Stasia's husband Tony, a regular at our tapings, was kind enough to offer them to me, and he even brought them to my Hudson, MA print shop for me to use. He is a very nice man, very dedicated to Stasia's memory and to the sport of candlepin bowling and obviously they gave me the lift I needed to decimate Mike Morin.
What do you think Mike will try and do to get the upper hand on you next year?
Get me fired!
We don't think that will happen Dick
THANKS a bunch for your time and visting with us at Candlepin Corner!
By the way here's a little info on Dick's printing business if anyone out there is interested
HLN Publishing
Hudson, MA
800-535-2022
email: graphics@hlnonline.com
Full service, full color commercial printing...including graphics and bindary service,
From brochures to magazines to postcards and everything in between.