The Voice of Karns City: Sam Swick ‘Humbled’ to Have Press Box Bear His Name After 54 Years of Announcing and Counting

KARNS CITY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — What started out as a way to stay close and watch his two athletic sons play sports has turned into a five-decade-long passion for Sam Swick.

He’s the voice of Karns City sports. He’s the face of it, too. Always smiling. Always with a kind word at the ready.

For 54 years, Swick has served as the public address announcer for sports in the Karns City School District, first at East Brady and then at Karns City.

On Friday night against Clearfield in the Gremlins’ final home football game of the season, Swick was honored for his service to the school and the community when the press box at Diehl Stadium was named in his honor.

“Very humbled,” Swick said. “I still can’t believe they are doing this for me. It’s like I’m in a dream world somewhere. I just can’t believe that.”

Swick’s announcing odyssey began so he could watch his sons, Joe and David, play a variety of sports at East Brady. His wife, Shirley, was all in favor of it.

But long after his boys graduated, Swick keeps coming back. Year after year spent at the mic. Year after year of his voice echoing off the rolling hills and trees across from the stadium, as well as booming inside the gymnasium.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Swick said. “You have the best seat in the house.”

It wasn’t always that way. There wasn’t always a press box that now bears his name with heat and air conditioning for Swick to do his thing.

There was a time when Swick had to climb up to a precarious perch attached to a pole on the visitor’s side of the field at Karns City.

“You had to crawl up the pole and there were three tiers,” Swick said, smiling. “The top tier were the coaches, the second tier was the scorekeeper and the third one down was the announcer.”

Swick, 88, was a teacher in the district for four decades until he retired in 1994.

Everyone knows him. Everyone loves him.

“That humbles me because it’s just amazing how many people come up to me and say things to me and wish me well and say I deserve this and all that,” Swick said. “I’m not sure I deserve it. I just enjoy doing it. I enjoyed teaching at Karns City for 37, 38 years. I enjoyed teaching at Sugarcreek Elementary for three years. I really loved teaching. It was my first love.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of being a part of the sports scene here at Karns City,” Swick added.

Swick said he has no intention of stopping any time soon.

“Until the Good Lord tells me I can’t do it anymore,” Swick said. “Until I can’t do it without making mistakes. I want to do it right and be fair and square to everyone.”