BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Longtime Bakersfield College sports announcer Carl Bryan died Wednesday morning at the age of 77. He was hit by a car while walking in downtown Bakersfield earlier in December, a year after retiring from a long and prestigious career.
Bryan's friends shared the stories and memories about Carl Bryan that they will forever cherish.
As the voice of the Renegades for decades, serving as the live announcer for football, basketball, and track and field, friends say Bryan had a strong knowledge of sports, and his legacy will live on forever.
Bryan began announcing at BC in 1981 at the home track and field in Memorial Stadium. His career at BC spanned more than 30 years across separate sports seasons, including 8 seasons each in men's and women's track and field as a high jump official, and 184 athletic seasons as the public address announcer for ten different Renegade athletic teams.
Pam Kelley, Track and Field Head Coach at BC, says that working alongside Bryan created memories she will never forget.
"I used to scorekeep next to Carl during basketball. I was the score keeper and he was the announcer, and sometimes we'd get in our little arguments; was it a 2-pointer or a 3-pointer," said Kelley. "I hate to say it, but Carl was always right and I was always the one making the change int he book. His reach was far-reaching and his impact was far-reaching. It will be a hard job to replace him."
Kelley says that in addition to Bryan's enthusiastic and strong voice, he was inducted into three hall of fames for track and field, including at Bakersfield College, the California Community College Coaches Association, and East High School, and he left a mark on each sport he was involved with.
"We're going to miss him," said Vincent Ludd, a local track officiator. Ludd talked about how important Bryan was to the athletic community.
"He was always prepared. You'd go to a meet and he'd have his information: What they qualified with, what they need, and all of this stuff," said Ludd. "He was just a good man."
In addition to announcing BC games, Bryan was also the announcer for 13 High School Valley Championships, 2 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national meets, 2 national Junior Olympics meets, the World Masters Track & Field meets, and the California State High School Track & Field meet.
Trevor Horn, Sports Information Director at Garces High School, says Bryan's strong voice led him to announce track and field meets throughout the county, in the San Joaquin Valley, and at 6 state community college track and field championship meets.
"You knew when you heard that voice, you were somewhere special, and the time and effort that he put in. He was talking about athletes as hour and a half before the first gun would fire. He would just go and go and go. You could hear the enthusiasm he would have for these student athletes," said Horn.
Bryan had retired his announcer's microphone earlier this year after 35 years of giving his voice to Renegade Athletics. Those who remember him say his legacy lives on.