For Episode 7, I welcome one of my really good friends to the podcast: Eric Little. WVU Graduate, fellow Firehouse Subs connoisseur, Mid Ohio Valley broadcaster (morning news and sports, voice of High School athletics, college sports announcer), and human encyclopedia regarding baseball. We have a legitimate, real-life, professional announcer on today’s podcast. We’ve come a long way!
The episode starts out with Eric and I figuring out that restaurants we’ve frequented over the last 10+ years in our region have eventually closed down. So, we want to apologize in advance to the Firehouse Subs in Vienna, WV. Then, I let Eric demonstrate his interview skills with me, as we discuss updates to my bariatric surgery.
After that update, Eric and I get into his career by studying broadcasting at WVU… calling WVU baseball games during the Greg Van Zant era for WVU radio station U92, and also calling women’s basketball games. Eric tells us about a time he had to be let off in Compton (yes, that Compton, in California) to get to his next destination while on a trip. We get into who, what, and even when, Eric was influenced to pursue media as a degree program, and later, a career.
We then foray down South as Eric discusses his time working for two different teams in the old South Atlantic League (SALLY League); the Asheville Tourists and the Augusta Greenjackets. Eric goes into some memories and moments down south, including calling rehab starts for several (now) Atlanta Braves legends.
Eric also goes into a story that I’ve never heard before in the 10+ years that I’ve known him. This story involves a West Virginia connection (there’s always one), riding shotgun while the person you’re riding with guns it on some backroads in South Carolina, getting pulled over by the police, and an unfortunate case of mistaken identity.
Moving on, Eric discusses his time in local/regional radio for the Mid-Ohio Valley, local high school sports, and regional colleges around West Virginia and Ohio. Finally, life takes him full circle thanks to WVU’s alliance with the Big 12 and the ESPN+ deal. Eric also has the backing of a couple of WVU Sports legends when it comes to the announce table.
