WABI ends season with strong games

WABI-TV (Channel 5) in Bangor finished its 1993-94 high school sports season on a high note with broadcasts of the Maine Class B and D state championship baseball games in Bangor last Saturday.

Everything from production quality, to camera angles, to on-air talent was – for the most part – top notch.

That the first game was a no-hitter and a win for Eastern Maine champion Orono was a definite plus to the telecast.

George Hale, Al Hackett and John Small were the on-air personalities for the games. Former WABI general manager George Gonyar also made a guest appearance behind the mike for a couple innings.

Hale handled play-by-play while Hacket did color commentary. Small interviewed players and spectators.

Small committed a broadcasting faux pas by wearing some funky, blue-tinted sunglasses while he was live on camera.

Although it was a bright, sunny day, the sunglasses look is not viewer-friendly. The whole point of being on camera is to show some facial expression – a difficult task when sunglasses are obscuring much of one’s face.

The shades notwithstanding, Small’s interviews with the head coaches and principals of Orono and Greely of Cumberland Center were well done.

Aside from Hale mispronouncing an Orono player’s name as “Robie” instead of Robbie and a Greely player’s last name – errors which he quickly corrected – viewers had to look hard to find any fault with the Saturday afternoon broadcast.

Both Hale and Hackett offered up several interesting points concerning the creation and naming of Mansfield Complex, the backgrounds of both head coaches in the game, and analysis of the game.

Aside from a couple of minor missteps, the game’s broadcast production was flawless.

Some long throws were lost by the cameras, particularly throws from third base to first.

Another gaffe occurred just before a commercial break in the fifth inning. After a long pause, Gonyar began talking about how much cooler it was in the shade offered by the tarp around the WABI booth – not knowing his mike was still on.

Placing a camera high beyond the centerfield fence offered viewers a great view of pitches across the plate. Also, WABI made good use of replays on several key plays in the game, two of which preserved Nate Ballard’s no-hitter for Orono.

Superstition also played a role in the telecast, as neither Hale nor anyone else mentioned the possible no-hitter. Instead, Hale would vaguely allude to the no-hit bid as a “nice-pitched game” or simply “it”.

Not until after one out in the top of the seventh did Hale mention the no-no. “The throw to second base saved the no-hitter,” Hale said, prompting Hacket to ask “The what?”

Fortunately, the jinx was avoided and viewers were able to witness two gems Saturday: Nate Ballard’s pitching and WABI’s game coverage.

TNT and SportsChannel New England will provide live coverage of next Wednesday’s 1994 National Basketall Association draft from Indianapolis.

SportsChannel will focus on the Boston Celtics’ draft with coverage lasting from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. TNT will begin its broadcast at 7:30 p.m. and continue throughout the draft.

Fans not able to watch the TV coverage can call the NBA radio line (1-800-HEAR-NBA). A credit card is required.

ESPN2 will televise the 1994 National Hockey League draft live from Hartford, Conn., at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 28. Draft coverage will be aired again by ESPN at 10:30 a.m. June 29.