Back problems have led to a rarity in a broadcasting career spanning more than three decades for Blues radio play-by-play announcer Chris Kerber — being sidelined.
But he is expected to return to the booth Saturday, when the Blues entertain Colorado at 6 p.m. He has missed just 13 games over his 31-year hockey broadcasting career, including two in February for his father’s funeral.
Kerber, in his 25th season with the Blues, said Thursday that “all is great†following the surgery and praised the person filling in for him this week, Alex Ferrario.
“He works his tail off, cares so much about the broadcast,†Kerber said of Ferrario, normally the anchor of the Blues’ pregame, between periods and postgame segments as well as co-hosting the midday show on WXOS (101.1 FM), the flagship station of the team’s radio network. “(It’s) a great reward for his care and efforts.â€
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Around the dial
KMOX (1120 AM, 104.1 FM), the lead station on the Cardinals’ radio network, has expanded its baseball programming lineup this season.
“The Gas House Gang†airs weekdays from noon-1 p.m. and is anchored by Chris Rongey with a rotation of co-hosts — Tom Ackerman, Bernie Miklasz and Mike Claiborne — and guests including Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and other team personnel and alums.
“The Red Bird Rush Hour†is on weekdays from 5-6 p.m. and is hosted by Kevin Wheeler and Matt Pauley, with Miklasz on Mondays and Fridays.
These shows are in addition to the station’s previous extensive lineup of baseball coverage and are video streamed on KMOX’s YouTube channels, Facebook and X.
- Also tied to the Cards’ season starting is the arrival of the half-hour “Sports Final†show at 10:30 p.m. weeknights on KTVI (Channel 2), but that program isn’t limited to baseball. It’s boosted now by the Blues’ huge recent surge toward the playoffs.
KTVI general manager Kurt Krueger said the station has “a competitive advantage†over other local outlets that are committed to network programming at that time because it has no such obligations. Channel 2 had been filling the slot with the syndicated “TMZ†gossip show.
“This is their opportunity to shine,†he said of Channel 2’s sports staff.
What about in July, when there is little going on sports-wise?
“That’s when the sports guys have to earn their money,†he said, chuckling.
- It’s tourney time at KTRS (550 AM). The station is set to air the two semifinal games in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament from San Antonio on Saturday (5:09 and approximately 7:50 p.m.) and the title contest on Monday (7:50 p.m.). The games will be televised by CBS (KMOV, Channel 4 locally).
Then next week, KTRS carries the Frozen Four, the NCAA men’s hockey championship determiner, from Enterprise Center. The semifinals are at 4 and 7:30 p.m. next Thursday and the title contest is set for 6:30 p.m. a week from Saturday (April 12). ESPN2 televises the three games.
- The Battlehawks kicked off the United Football League season last Friday with a resounding victory in Houston, a game televised nationally on Fox that drew a strong rating locally on KTVI.
Nielsen reports that 4.2% of the market tuned in, down a tad from last season’s opener (4.5 rating) but similar to what two NCAA Tournament games on broadcast TV (Channel 4) were drawing as the the events overlapped Friday (basketball ratings were 4.3 and 4.6). The B-Hawks were nearly even with the 4.3 figure the Cardinals drew for their game Saturday on FanDuel Sports Network.
