'The Duke', who got his start at WEMJ in 1962, signs-off career at ESPN radiio

BRISTOL, Conn. — Dan Davis, who began his career in radio at WEMJ-1490 AM of Laconia in 1962, will shut off his mic after nearly two decades with ESPN Radio at 3:30 p.m. today.

After 30 years in radio, Davis joined ESPN in 1992 when the network first went on the radio. A year later he was chosen as co-host of SportsBeat alongside Brent Musberger and since 1999 has been the network's best known SportsCenter update reporter.

Speaking on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" yesterday, Davis, who grew up in Newfields, New Hampshire, recalled that he fell into broadcasting after being sent to the Dean of Boys at Exeter High School — "I'm not going to say for what" — who told him he should consider public speaking. In 1962, he said yesterday, he found himself at WEMJ, which had its studios on the second floor of the building that today is home to Citizens Bank. "I was doing a record show in the window of Newberry's," he said. "There was a young lady working in an office across the street who was listening and came over to say hello. Her name was Annette Sevigny and we've been married for 48 years."

A year later Davis left Laconia for stints on stations in Rochester, Manchester and Dover, where he became news director of WTSN, only to return to WEMJ in 1967, Not long afterwards he left broadcasting for a spell before joining WHDH in Boston, where he turned exclusively to sports reporting.

Davis's 10 years as the voice of Boston College football was crowned by what he called his "most memorable moment," calling Doug Flutie's "Hail Mary" touchdown pass to Gerald Phelan as the Eagles topped Miami 47 to 45 as time expired in 1984.

"The Flutie family had it (my call) on their answering machine," he said.

Just three year earlier Davis had joined Enterprise Radio in Connecticut, which was begun by Scott Rasmussen, the first network devoted solely to sports. There he won the moniker "The Duke," which was bestowed on him by Curt Chapin, best known as the announcer on "The People's Court," who said "It should have been The King, but there's no D in king." But, the venture failed nine months later and Davis returned to Boston.

Ironically, Davis returned to Connecticut in January 1992 as a member of the original crew when Bill Rasmussen, Scott's father, launched ESPN. His voice has been heard over 50 PGA tournaments, including The Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship as well as countless NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball games. And his resume includes the Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl, Final Four, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals and the Olympics.

Mike Tirico called Davis "the great constant of ESPN Radio" while another colleague said "He's got the best pipes in the business. The Duke even sounds good when he yawns."

Davis indicated that while he will no longer be a fixture at ESPN he expects "to come back and do a little more work," particularly major golf tournaments. Otherwise, he said would be spending time with his wife and four sons and working on his golf game.

To young people aspiring to a career in broadcasting, Davis said "start small. At WEMJ I did it all, including cleaning the place up when I left, and enjoyed every part of it. And I wouldn't have had it any other way."