[Husker] Dave Blackwell

[Gary Fead]

Good Morning All:

Dave Blackwell who served as one of the sidekicks along with Jack Payne to Lyell Bremser on the old KFAB broadcasts of Husker football has died. Dave, 66 and living in Salt Lake City at the time of his death died due to complications associated with diabetes. 

Blackwell worked on the Husker broadcasts in the late 60's and early 70's when KFAB originated it's own broadcast. Blackwell often had some clever line or two that would break up Lyell and Jack. Perhaps the funniest was when the Huskers were playing in Hawaii and due to the 4 hour time difference between Omaha and Honolulu Lyell was getting up very early (somewhere on the order of 1:30 in the morning), in his attempt not to disturb his hotel roommates he (Lyell) kept the light as low as possible and somehow missed the toothpaste tube instead grabbing the Preparation H and using it for toothpaste. 

Dave was also sports director at KMTV in Omaha during the same time period before moving on to a successful run as an announcer for the Utah Jazz of the NBA. Dave returned to Omaha yearly to host many sports banquets including the Christ the King Sports Banquet. 

Gary Fead
Omaha