Former KGMB sports anchorman Mel Proctor has never forgotten his years spent in Hawaii. He covers many of these moments in his new e-book, "I Love the Work, but I Hate the Business." This month we look back at Proctor and explore his current pursuits.
Proctor grew up in Denver and graduated with a business degree from Colorado College. His first break in sports was landing a job with NFL Films near Philadelphia, where he worked in all aspects of producing NFL documentaries. During this time, he also broadcast high school and college sports for WEEZ radio in nearby Chester, Penn.
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Mel Proctor’s e-book "I Love the Work, but I Hate the Business" can be purchased for $9.99 from mpsportsmedia.com
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In 1973, while escaping from a cold East Coast winter, he took a vacation in Honolulu and landed a job at KGMB radio. He was hired by Earl McDaniel. In his book, Proctor credits McDaniel as his mentor and also for his big break in Hawaii.
"For nearly 40 years he’s been my friend, mentor, cheerleader and psychiatrist," said Proctor.
Proctor would go on to call University of Hawaii football and basketball games on radio and television for KGMB and co-anchor the KGMB weekend news with Tim Tindall and Linda Coble.
Proctor also did play-by-play for the World Football League’s Hawaiians and for Hawaii Islanders baseball.
Proctor describes the chaos involving the Islanders winning the 1976 Pacific Coast League Championship in Salt Lake City. "I had a feeling, while in the midst of it, that I was experiencing something unlike any other. After doing Major League Baseball and covering the World Series, the 1976 season is still the damndest thing I’ve experienced in sports. A group of major league vets like Bobby Valentine, Eddie Watt, etc. who played on even as the team went bankrupt. The team lost their best pitcher Diego Segui, the best hitter Adrian Garrett, the team offices were padlocked by the FBI and the team had to play the entire PCL title series in Salt Lake City. And the day they won the title, the franchise was kicked out of the league," said Proctor.
Proctor’s work in Hawaii led to a dream job for the young broadcaster in 1978: calling games for the NBA world champion Washington Bullets, which boasted future NBA Hall-of-Famers Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. The Bullets would earn another trip to the NBA Finals in Proctor’s first year with the team. Proctor also called games on radio for the New Jersey Nets during the mid 1980s.
Proctor had his first pro baseball announcing gig with the Texas Rangers in 1980 and starting in 1984, he spent 13 seasons calling games for the Baltimore Orioles team that included future Hall-of-Famers Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr.
In 1997, Proctor moved across the country to announce games for the San Diego Padres. Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn was in the prime of his career at the time and would lead the Padres to a World Series appearance the following year. After the 2002 Padres season ended, Proctor worked in Palm Springs, Calif., calling pro basketball and baseball games.
In 2005, Proctor broadcast games for the Washington Nationals in their inaugural season. His Nationals broadcast partner was former New York Mets pitching ace Ron Darling, who wrote the foreword to Proctor’s book and credits him as being his broadcasting mentor.
Today, Proctor mentors and coaches aspiring and current broadcasters with his media consulting business. He also offers media training for college and pro athletes, coaches and executives. His clients have included former NFL football players Junior Seau and Rod Woodson, and NBA players Jim Jackson and Trent Tucker.
Proctor’s island ties remain strong. He met his wife, Julie, originally from Maui, while working here. They were married in 1978 at the former Columbia Inn.
The seasoned broadcaster has never lost his love for the islands. "I miss the people, the aloha spirit, blue skies, sunshine, Hawaiian music, beautiful women, the variety of food, basically everything but the traffic," said Proctor.
A.J. McWhorter, a collector of film and videotape cataloging Hawaii’s TV history, has worked as a producer, writer and researcher for both local and national media. Email him at flashback@hawaii.rr.com.
