This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948.  To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds

While there have been hundreds of  announcers that have worked for WBVP, WWKS and WMBA over the years, and dozens of them  that have called sports play by play,  Four men in particular have risen above the fray by their superior skills and dedication to the the radio stations and to Beaver County sports.  So revered are these for gentlemen, that they have been inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall Of Fame.

The Annual Beaver County Sports Hall Of fame Induction Ceremony  and banquet will take place this year on April 29 at The Fez in Hopewell Township.  Click here for more details.

Chuck Wilson was a first for both organizations. Wilson was part of the first staff at WBVP, when the station went on the air in 1948.  The fact is, he spoke the first words ever aired on the station after it officially signed on the air on May 25 of that year.  He was also part of the first class of inductees into the Beaver County Sports Hall Of fame in 1981.  Chuck Wilson grew up in Stubenville, Ohio and spent a few years at WKST in New Castle before joining the upstart team being formed in Beaver Falls for the newly formed radio station. Wilson worked at WBVP from 1948 to 1975 and served as Program Director and Assistant General Manager at WBVP in addition to his renown play by play broadcasting abilities.  He also hosted a popular music program called “Wilson’s Wax Works ” on WBVP throughout his career.

Chris Shovlin became the second radio station announcer to receive the call from the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame when he was inducted as part of the class of 2006.  Shovlin graduated from Midland High School in 1972 and then from Westminster College in 1976.  By June of the summer he came out of College, Chris was already on the air at WMBA and learning the craft of sports play by play as well as  hosting daily air shifts and news casts.  In 1979, Shovlin traveled north to WBVP and WWKS and began a stellar career that saw him rise to the position of General Manager, all while becoming established as “The Voice Of Beaver County High School Sports”.   Shovlin’s talents  in the press box were so great, that it wasn’t long before Robert Morris University hired him as the lead play by play announcer for basketball and later on football, after it was added to the sports program, where he continues to call the action to this day.  Shovlin went to WSHH and WJAS radio after leaving WBVP and WWKS in 1992 where he served as Morning show co host and Promotions Director.  These days Chris is back in his hometown of midland as the Community Engagement Manager for Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center.

Bob Pompeani grew up in Hopewell township and later on graduated from Point Park University.  In 2007, Pompeani became the third sportscaster from the Beaver County radio Stations to get inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall Of Fame.    In the 1990’s Pompeani teamed up with other WMBA staffers at the time including Randy Cosgrove , Rob Matzie and Mike Vukovcan and hosted a Saturday Morning Sports Talk show called “More Sports”.  The show was immensely popular and was a staple of Saturday Morning radio in Beaver County for many years.  Pompeani also had great stage presence and made his mark in the media world in front of the television cameras as a sports caster at KDKA television for the past 35 years.

For the third year in a row, in 2008, a Beaver County Radio sportscaster was inducted in the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame when Bob Barrickman was included in that

year’s class.  Barrckman spent his grade school years on the fields of Western Beaver School district where he preferred to be the announcer as much as play in the pick games.  he later graduated from Beaver Area High school and Slippery Rock University.  Barrickman first came to work at WMBA in 1980, and then joined the staff at WBVP in 1986.  he is the longest tenured announcer with this group of hall of fame inductees  at WBVP and WMBA.   He has been the lead play by play announcer and sports director at WBVP since 1992.  Barrickman  has also been the voice of the Geneva College Golden Tornadoes Football Network and received an honorary “G” letter man award from Geneva in 2012 for his many years of service and dedication.    But, it’s more than just radio with bob, he has also helped organize through the Beaver  Jaycees, and serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the annual Distinguished Young Woman scholarship program held at Beaver Area High School.

“70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by  Abbey Carpet and Floor,  Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing,  Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County,  Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, Laughlin Insurance Agency,  Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins.

This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948.  To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds

One of the craziest air personalities to ever work at WBVP was a guy named Sylvester Sergi, or “Syl” as he was nicknamed, became part of the staff in 1955 and made an immediate impact with his flamboyant on air routine.  Sergi referred to  himself as “Syl the Pill”.  Kenneth Britten wrote  about Sergi in his publication “Local Radio”, published in  in 1990. “Syl Sergi was hired as an announcer and following in the tradition of  (WBVP morning show host) Arnold Fletcher, (he) would soon establish himself as another unique individualist. Syl developed a style of speech that was years ahead of its time and appealed to the youngsters of that rock ‘n roll age. He was a flower child before they existed. He was also notorious for his trademark opening comment, ‘This is Syl the pill, from College Hill, to give all the girls a thrill.’ Sergi also became famous for challenging car drivers to beep their horns if they were tuned in to him and inviting everyone to a wiener roast the night his home caught on fire.”  While he was only on the air at WBVP a few years, the stories that circulate around about Syl Sergi are quite numerous and he continues to be one of the more recognizable names from the early  days of the radio station.

Sergi was heard in the evenings on WBVP, from six until sign off at midnight.  In those days, WBVP was not on the air 24 hours a day as it is now, so some  of the duties of the evening announcer would have been to air the National Anthem and then power off the transmitting equipment.  Often times, Sergi and another popular Beaver Falls youngster who would make quite a name for himself in the radio world, Jim Reynolds, would alternate days on the evening shift after Reynolds’ hiring in 1960.

Sergi moved on in 1961, but came back to make a guest appearance during the 50th anniversary celebration of WBVP in 1998.  Joining Syl on that day was yet another local broadcaster, Gene DeSimone.  DeSimone was also from Beaver Falls and worked at WBVP, but also hosted an air shift for a while in the 1950’s at WRYO in Rochester.  WRYO was on the air from 1949 to 1953 and was heard on the dial at 1050 A.M.

“70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by  Abbey Carpet and Floor,  Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing,  Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County,  Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, Kitchen City, Laughlin Insurance Agency,  Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins.

This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948.  To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds.

Through the years, many famous bands have been a part of WBVP, WMBA and sister F.M. radio station, WWKS.  National acts like Tiny Tim, Tony Bennett,  Motely Crue and Great white have been live on the air in the Beaver Falls studio.  Many local bands have also enjoyed having their music air on the stations, or have been interviewed, like B.E. Taylor, Donnie Iris, The Granati Brothers, Sidewinder, Dawn Savage and The Neon Oranges, among many others, but the band that perhaps has had the longest and deepest relationship with the radio stations over the years is The Jaggerz.

In March of 1970, The Jaggerz ‘ hit song “The Rapper” spent 6  weeks on the Billboard Magazine top 10 list. It was one of three songs released  by the group to crack Billboard’s top 100.  The original group consisted of Jimmy Ross, Benny Faiella, Jim Pugliano, Donnie Iris, Thom Davies and Bill Maybray.  They were all from in and around Beaver County.

So, it only makes sense that in June of 1968, it was while listening to WBVP and driving through Beaver Falls, that the Jaggerz heard themselves for the first time being played on the radio.  Jimmy Ross remembers the day well. “We had just recorded ‘Baby I Love You’ in Philadelphia, and on that day.  Bill Maybray and I  were driving up 7th avenue in Beaver Falls in a 1959 Chevrolet Biscayne sedan.  We were heading to a rehearsal at Club Naturale and the song came on the radio.  We pulled over to the side of the road to listen.  It was the first time that we ever heard one of our songs on the radio”.   Club Naturale was a popular bar and nightclub that was located at the corner of 7th Avenue and 9th street in downtown Beaver Falls.  A few years ago, the building was razed and an empty, grassy lot is now on that corner.

In 1973, Jimmy Ross and Donnie Iris joined WBVP show host Tony Scott, also know as Sam Nicotero, in the studio and presented him and the station with plaques to honor the station for being supportive of the band and its music.  One of the plaques is still on display in the station offices at 1316 7th Avenue in Beaver Falls.

The tradition will continue this May, as The Jaggerz, now comprised of Ross, Faiella, Hermie Granati, Dennis McAbee, Paul Martello and Chris Patarini, will perform at the WBVP 70th Anniversary Gala to be held on May 25, 2018 in the Grand Ballroom of the General Brodhead Hotel in Beaver Falls.

“70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by  Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican Food,  Laughlin Insurance Agency and Rochester Manor and Villa.