Barber’s streak of covering Van games ends at 443 | ETVarsity

David Barber, a 1977 graduate of Van Excessive Faculty, coated 443 consecutive Van soccer video games. However after Barber examined constructive for COVID-19, he was unable to attend the Vandals’ 2021 season opener at Palestine — a 45-16 win by the Vandals.

“It ain’t Cal Ripken, but it surely’s fairly freakin’ spectacular,” Van head coach Jared Moffatt stated.

Moffatt obtained to Van in 2010, and he stated each Friday night time, Barber is true there on the sideline.

Moffatt stated he tried to consider each attainable option to get Barber to Friday’s sport to maintain the streak alive.

“It’s a extremely spectacular deal,” Moffatt stated. “That many video games, so many issues can come up that make you miss a sport. He loves his job, and he loves writing about Van soccer.”

Whereas Barber was a senior at North Texas State College, the final supervisor at KMOO radio station in Mineola contacted him about broadcasting video games.

“What I did again then, video games have been broadcast on tape delay on Saturday morning,” Barber stated. “I took my tape recorder to the sport and did play-by-play, after which they performed that tape on Saturday mornings.”

That was Barber’s lone 12 months on the radio as he went to work for Van Zandt Newspapers in Canton. Barber started protecting Van soccer video games for the newspaper in 1982.

“And I’ve ever since,” Barber stated. “Till final Friday night time, I had carried out 443 consecutive Van soccer video games. To be trustworthy, I hoped to get to 450 this season.

“I completely get pleasure from protecting video games. To me, there may be nothing like experiencing a Friday night time soccer sport and the whole environment concerned.”

Ronald Reagan was the president the final time Barber missed a Van soccer sport.

Barber stated he listened to different video games on native radio stations from his house on Friday night time and was relying on different individuals to present him scoring updates from Van’s sport.

Like he does each Monday, Barber known as Moffatt to get his tackle Friday’s sport, together with previewing the Vandals’ upcoming sport. Van will host Class 3A Division I No. 7 Malakoff at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Van Memorial Stadium.

“My method now could be hopefully I’ll get again in motion quickly and begin a brand new streak,” Barber stated.

Barber had one other COVID check on Monday, so relying on the outcomes, he may very well be again on the sidelines this week.

Barber stated he stored stats for head coach Mal Fowler’s Vandals when he was in highschool.

“Curiously sufficient, the stat sheets I take advantage of at the moment are the identical ones I used for Coach Fowler once I was a highschool pupil,” Barber stated.

When Van received a state title in 1979, Barber was a university pupil and wasn’t in a position to attend video games all season, however stated he did attend the entire playoff video games and was cheering the Vandals on from the stands.

Barber stated he has a number of nice recollections of protecting Van soccer, however some notable ones from current years are the Vandals’ run to the state quarterfinals in 2016, the Vandals recovering 4 onside kicks in a single quarter in a 2020 playoff sport towards Caddo Mills and getting run over on the sideline in 2019.

“We ran an out route on the sideline, and a child caught it out of bounds and smoked him,” Moffatt stated. “Mr. Barber went down onerous.”

“I by no means noticed the movie, however Coach Moffatt stated I must,” Barber stated. “I didn’t miss a play, although. I obtained again up. I felt it the following day, although.”

Whereas the streak could also be over, Barber’s love for Van soccer won’t ever finish.

“I’ve advised individuals earlier than, if you happen to reduce my arm, I can’t bleed purple, however I’ll bleed Vandal Purple,” Barber stated.