Local broadcaster calls it a career

Mattz and McKeown will take over

Chuck Blackburn, center, calls a Del Norte Warrior baseball game for his “Sports With Chuck” TV show. To the left is Dennis Gill of KAshmir Productions and Donnie Mattz is on the right. Blackburn has announced that he is leaving broadcasting after four years with the TV show and 28 years on the radio. Photo courtesy of KAshmir Productions

For 28 years Blackburn, 75, was “The Voice of the Warriors”  on KPOD radio before leaving after basketball season earlier this year. For the past four years he has broadcast Del Norte Warrior sporting events on a delayed basis on Channel 4 with his “Sports With Chuck” television show.

Blackburn had originally intended to continue to do the television show, which was planning to go live this fall for football games with the team’s season opener Sept 2. That has changed with the announcement of Blackburn’s retirement.

Recently, Blackburn said he had a change of heart due to the grind of broadcasting and wanted to spend more time with his family.

“It was time to retire,” he said. “I want to put my family first ... I really enjoyed broadcasting and am going to miss it.”

Blackburn will be replaced on the TV show by his longtime color man, Donnie Mattz, who will be joined by a newcomer to broadcasting, Charlie McKeown.

Mattz said that he learned a lot from Blackburn and is looking forward to continuing what his longtime radio and TV partner started.

 “I’m just going to go on and just be myself,” he said. “I do feel kind of sad he’s leaving though. I still feel he had some gas left in there ... I have so much respect for him.”

Another factor, Blackburn said, was finding advertising for the program, which he was in charge of doing. He said that was proving to be difficult and he had asked Dennis Gill, head of KAsmir Productions, which produces the show, for more time.

Blackburn said that with Gill  putting finishing touches on going live he could not give him more time, so he decided with that and the other factors, it was best for him to retire.

Blackburn said that he understands where Gill was coming from and that there were no hard feelings on either side and  that he left on good terms.

Gill said that he enjoyed his time working with Blackburn.

Because Blackburn will no longer be part of the program, Gill said they have decided to hold off broadcasting live this fall and will still show games on a delayed basis.

“I think the new broadcast team will do very well and we’ll go live next year,” Gill said.

Blackburn, who suffered a heart attack in 2007, said staying healthy and enjoying life certainly came into play in his decision. He said that he is now able to spend more time with his wife, kids and grandchildren and play more of his beloved sport of golf and continue writing a monthly column, Del Norte People, for The Triplicate. He also plans to finish a second book about his life after a first book on his early life, “Kneebockers,” was published in 2008.

“It’s been a great adventure,” Blackburn said about his career in Del Norte, which began when he first taught in the area in 1961 at Redwood School. At one point he served on the county Board of Supervisors.

Orignally, Gill asked Mattz if he wanted to call the show “Sports with Donnie.” But out of respect to his longtime broadcast partner, Mattz asked that the show be called “Warrior Sports,” instead.

Even though he won’t be in the broadcast booth this fall, Blackburn said he will always root for the Del Norte Warriors.

“I’ll always support the Warriors,” he said. “They are special to me.”