School & Family Magazine Newstand Denton ISD Winter 2018 | Page 22

Dave Barnett
was the recipient
of two Emmy
awards in 2014,
each tied for first
in the “Sports:
Interview
Discussion”
category.
Who: 1975 Graduate of Denton High School
Hometown: Denton
Age: 59
Catching Up with…
Dave Barnett
Story by Courtney Martin
Photo by Melissa Green
What’s up?
Listening to a professional ball game on
a transistor radio as a boy growing up in
Denton, sparked an idea that has turned into
a high-profile career. After graduating Denton
High School in 1975 and earning a bachelor’s
degree in Radio-TV-Film from the University of
North Texas, Dave Barnett became one of the
youngest sports broadcasters for a professional
sports team in history. Among his other notable
achievements, he has covered the 2010 World
Series for the Texas Rangers, as well as, four
Orange Bowls, two Fiesta Bowls, one Rose and
one Sugar Bowl for ESPN Radio. And, since
leaving the booth as the primary voice of the
Texas Rangers, Barnett’s journey has led him
back to where it all began – the University of
North Texas. Now, he’s broadcasting football
and basketball games for the Mean Green and
enjoys being an educator, teaching the next
generation of journalist.
But don’t take our word for it, here’s Dave in his
own words…
Denton ISD: Did you always know you wanted
to become a broadcaster?
Dave Barnett: I really did, starting at the age
of 8. I discovered baseball on the radio and
thought it sounded better to be a broadcaster
22
than a player. I was sick with tonsillitis on a
family trip to San Antonio so I couldn’t go out
and do anything. I had an old transistor radio
and I’d listen to music during the day. Then
at night, I listened to the Astros game being
broadcasted, and I was hooked! I originally
thought those guys got in free to games, then
realized it was their job. My dad worked in an
office, and I thought it was great to get paid to
go to baseball games!
DISD: You’ve worked for a lot of well-known
organizations during your career – tell us about
some of your most memorable moments.
DB: Getting the phone call from my professor at
North Texas (now UNT) towards the end of my
junior year was one of my best moments. To be
20-years-old and earn a job as a broadcaster
with KRLD was incredible. Three years after
that, I was offered the Mavericks. There hadn’t
been a 23-year-old broadcaster in the NBA
before, either! Each job has been better than
the previous one. I went from there to the Spurs
which got me in at ESPN and I got to cover my
three favorite sports (football, baseball and
basketball). From there, I went to the Rangers, a
team I’d followed since I was 13.