Good Sports: John Rice, the Capahas' "voice"

John Rice, public address announcer for the Cape Girardeau Capahas, in his perch high above the diamond in the Capaha Field press box, July 29, 2018.

Southeast Missourian file

Good Sports is a column featured weekly in the Southeast Missourian and on semoball.com. It is primarily designed to showcase people who have impacted the sporting life of Southeast Missouri, so that readers may get to know them more fully. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Today: John Rice, Jr., 48, longtime public address announcer for the Cape Girardeau Capahas, Jackson High School graduate, employee of the Drury Call Center.

The pandemic has impacted everyone in one way or another. How about you?

I’ve been working at home for Drury for the past 4½ months. Coming to the Capaha Field press box has been a nice break. Plus, I love announcing.

Are you a former athlete?

I was a wrestler for Jackson High School, briefly. I lost one match. In practice one day, I broke my pelvis. I can still hear the sound. After that, I was a JHS student manager for wrestling, football and baseball. I even did a year at Southeast as a manager.

The 2020 Capahas are currently riding a 13-game winning streak – or they were when this article went to press. You’ve been the P.A. announcer for the team since 2009. Is the current incarnation of the team the best you’ve seen?

Well, the 2013 team was pretty special too. The ’13 team was loaded. It had guys like Christian Cavaness, who was in the Minnesota Twins organization and is now an assistant baseball coach for Cape Central, his alma mater. That was a good squad.

What about this ’20 team?

Everybody likes and cares for one another on this team – and that’s not always the way. There’s good chemistry and a lot of speed this year. It’s a young crew too – the oldest player is 23.

You’ve done a lot of P.A. announcing over the years for a number of schools.

I didn’t say “no” to any (request). I’ve done P.A. for the Caps, of course, and still do – but I’ve been in the press box for Chaffee, Jackson, Cape Central and for the American Legion teams. I’ve handled most of the assignments that one can do for team sports: baseball, football, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer and girls softball.

You had a pretty intense four years doing multiple sports at Central.

From 2015 to 2019. I called Tyson Moyers (Cape Central athletic director) and told him I had to step back. Working full-time, being gone three or four nights a week and occasionally six, I wasn’t seeing my wife or my daughter. The Central people were great to me, but it was time to focus just on the Caps.

There was an article in this newspaper about you retiring from the Capahas’ booth after the 2018 season, but you didn’t.

It was my intention to do so, but Tom Bolen (Caps manager) begged me to come back, saying I was part of the Capahas’ family. Did I mention I don’t say “no” to requests? (laughs)

This COVID season has not seen as many Caps games but in a normal summer, you’re at the ballpark a lot.

It’s not unusual in most summers to work a Friday night game and doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. That’s when Tom (Bolen) is available and some of the players drive a great distance to suit up for the team – so it basically means weekend contests.

Why do you do it?

I love sports. That’s the simplest answer. I’ve made so many friends of coaches, players, parents and (school) administrators. I’ve done coaching and teaching too.

In the press box, you’ve got the best seats in the house.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you a “homer?”

Yes, no doubt. You can hear it in my voice. With the Capahas, I’m upbeat when announcing a player’s name. When I mention an opponent, I keep my tone level and matter-of-fact.

Do you have any P.A. role models, people you admire or try to emulate in the booth?

John Ulett, for sure, the 35-year veteran of the Cardinals. Tom Calhoun of the St. Louis Blues too.

Speaking of major league baseball, should the season continue given all the COVID cancellations with the Cardinals and Marlins?

As a fan, I want to see it, but it might be better to shut everything down. We’ve been lucky with the Capahas. The NHL and NBA may have it right, playing in a “bubble.” Football is a big question, since you can’t really socially distance in that sport.

The Mon Clair League, in which the Capahas play, uses aluminum bats.

And I understand why. You can hit a ball further with aluminum and wooden bats break. Replacing a wood bat costs money and metal lasts longer. But I’m a purist. I prefer wooden bats because if you make the pros, you’ll use wood.

A fan may not understand what a public address announcer does.

For the Capahas, I announce the players as they come to bat, I run the music through the ballpark loudspeakers and I keep a scorebook. But I’m grateful to Dean Winstead, who runs the scoreboard. It’s good to have him as a companion in the press box.

Do you get any feedback from fans?

Sure. They tell me I sounded great. I’m pleased, of course, and sometimes respond, “I sound better than I look and that’s why they stick me up (in the press box).