Jeff Speegle returns to the area, emcees hall of fame banquet:
Hall of fame sportscaster delivers on 25th anniversary of local event:
GDW Analysis:
It was a special moment for Jeff Speegle.
The well known sportscaster for ABC 33/40 of Birmingham returned home Saturday evening.
Speegle honored a request by the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame to emcee the organizations' silver anniversary banquet.
In making a wonderful presentation to honor the Class of 2025, Speegle knew what it meant to this group in a similar experience.
In 2011, Speegle earned a position by getting inducted into the local hall of fame.
Speegle is a part of a group that have displayed greatness in the role of sports media.
The 1979 graduate of Good Hope High School who played basketball and tennis for the Raiders, began his career in the broadcasting profession around 1982 when he worked for WKUL FM (92.1).
Ron Mosley Sr had claimed station ownership in setting the tone for Speegle to start the process of a journey that has spanned four decades.
Speegle would move on from WKUL and into Tuscaloosa, then to Knoxville and Huntsville prior to the huge decision of accepting a position with the staff of ABC 33/40 in 1996.
When Speegle entered the local hall of fame in 2011, he had been seen in front of the camera reporting on sports for 33/40 for 15 years.
In getting his emcee role started Saturday evening, Speegle spoke about his time playing hoops for Good Hope and thanked coach Danny Welborn for the wonderful memories.
Speegle was on Good Hope's first successful program for coach Welborn, 23 wins out of 27 games in 1978/79. The Raiders would win the 21st edition of the Holly Pond Thanksgiving Tournament and the inaugural Addison Holiday Tournament.
What Speegle said in amazement was to see a couple of teammates score on slam dunks for the first time in a basketball game.
In a victory over JB Pennington, Dennis James and Jeff Livingston displayed their ability to soar above the rim and finish off with aggressive hoops.
James and Livingston were close to Speegle as friends and teammates.
Another Raider that shared good times with Speegle is yours truly from Gameday Weekly.
Flash was a point guard on the '78/79 squad with Speegle playing a wing position.
Both are family related as 2nd cousins.
The two are also in the Cullman County Hall of Fame. Flash received the honor in 2009 prior to Speegle's moment two years later.
Both are grateful for enduring longevity in sports media. Flash, celebrating a 64th birthday Monday, has 45 years of wonderful times as a writer, broadcaster and reporter.
Speegle has enhanced the profession for 43 years.
Conversation between the pair happened in a couple of segments from Saturday's celebration.
"The Cullman County Hall of Fame hit a home run of bringing Jeff to the position of emcee," Flash said.
"It was not easy to replace a gifted emcee as Jackie Satterfield was for many years. The committee put their heads together with it being a sound decision for Jeff to introduce each new member of the hall of fame in grand fashion."
Speegle is the 3rd emcee in the history of the Hall of Fame with Felton Easterwood getting the role started and Satterfield coming into the format several years ago.
From returning to his original home, Speegle now looks ahead to the upcoming football season. For Speegle and 33/40, a lot of coverage of high school games from around North and Central Alabama and many weekends of following what's happening with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers.
Photo of Jeff Speegle emceeing the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame banquet July 19 from Stone Bridge Farms in Cullman.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
