Broadcast Park pioneered sports coverage before regional and national networks

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — To this day, Cedar Rapids is connected to Tait Cummins. The longtime broadcaster's name still graces the signs at Tait Cummins Sports Complex in Cedar Rapids.

Tait was a sports editor at The Gazette when he came to WMT Radio in 1947 and asked for a job in broadcasting. Station Manager William B. Quarton said there was something about Tait that intrigued him when he asked in his interview for a note pad. "He wrote this thing and handed it to me and it was 'if you hire me, you can fire me on one minute's notice.' And I laughed and I hired him."

Tait was already a household name for years before we launched television here at Broadcast Park. But he settled into that too. In fact, the first live program aired on Channel 2 in 1953, and interview with Hawkeye Football CoachForest Evashevski. Tait would continue on Channel 2 until 1964 as well as serving as the voice of the Hawkeyes on radio.

"He was a warm, friendly, honest person who didn't have a phony bone in his body." Widow Dottie Cummins told us in 1993. Dottie often served as her husband's assistant. "I wish I had a nickel for every woman who ever said to me 'I don't care anything about sports; I just like to watch your husband or listen to your husband.'"

Tait continued on the radio until 1971 when he retired from broadcasting. He continued to record specials and prediction shows right up until his death in 1984.

Filling Tait's shoes on television in 1964 was his assistant Paul Eells of Mechanicsville. The UI grad also served as "voice of the Hawkeyes." He left to become Sports Director in Nashville for 10 years, then spent nearly 30 years as Sports Director in Little Rock, Arkansas and the play by play announcer for Arkansas' football and basketball teams as well as their coach's shows.

Tragically, Eells died in 2006 in a car accident just short of his 71st birthday. Today, he is honored with his name on the home broadcast book at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium and a plaque on their Wall of Honor.

When Eells left Cedar Rapids, a very tall man from New York State arrived to take over and became part of the most beloved local news team in eastern Iowa. Ron Gondor joined us in 1969, and stayed until 1981, when WMT-TV and WMT Radio were separated. He continued on for many years on radio and as the Voice of the Hawkeyes.

These were the days that broadcast television was still finding its footing. In those days, viewers were dependent on the descriptions of sports anchors because there was rarely any footage of the games they were describing. As film gave way to tape and other mediums, highlights became a regular part of the broadcasting format. As cable and dedicated channels took away much of the need for highlights and recaps, we've remained committed to telling the stories of Iowa sports, from the field at Kinnick and the court at Hilton, all the way to the 8-man fields of high school football and now, a new generation of girl's wrestling at every level of Iowa athletics.