MSU Football History: Jack Cristil
Jack Cristil is Mississippi State football history. For 58 years he was on the call. We all grew up listening to him on the radio…back when not every game was televised – Jack painted the picture so those who were not in attendance could see the field, the tackles and the touchdowns. Jack Cristil was the voice of the Bulldogs, always there for us without fail every football and basketball broadcast for all those years.
Here’s are some memorable calls (via SixPackSpeak)…
- 1980 win over #1 Alabama – “Bulldogs recover! Bulldogs recover! Bulldogs recover!”
- 2004 win over #21 Florida – “if they call a celebration penalty on this I’ll shoot ’em”
After every Bulldog win…
"You can wrap this one is maroon and white!"
One of his classic lines after a miserable performance by the Bulldogs…
"The Sonic drive of the game will be my drive back to Tupelo."
Current MSU broadcaster Bart Gregory shared some stories on twitter…
Jack Cristil was like another grandfather. The talks at his kitchen table about sports, politics, family and such were absolutely amazing.
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014
The humor of Mr. C is what I'll remember the most. Wish I had written more things down that he said. Especially during commercial breaks.
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014
In 2007 at a restaurant in Marina Del Ray, he listed, by name and position, the entire starting offense for the 1948 TN Vols.
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014
And I'll never, ever forget the day vs Bama when he pointed at me and engineer Houston McDavitt, smiled and said "Today's Sonic Drive..."
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014
Of course the best part of the Sonic Drive is when we went to break he said, "well boys, what did you think of that?"
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014
Band marching in 20 different directions forming tunnel. "They don't know where they're going. When did Ron Cooper become band director?"
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014
Or the story when in ATL airport.Older lady says "are you guys a basketball team?" Jack says, "no but by the end of the year we hope to be."
— Bart Gregory (@bartgregory) September 8, 2014