resilience
��E MAN
BEHIND THE
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�The Vo�ce o� Wayne� rema�ns stead�ast �n the �ace o� heart�rea� WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ���IN� SP�R����I
Ernest “ Ernie ” Mezeyisknown to many as “ the �oice .”
His distinctive , controlled , husky voice is synonymous with high school football in Wayne and North Jersey .
The ��-year-old wrapped his 23rd year as Wayne Hills High School ’ sfootball play-by-play announcer last season . Before C��I� shut down high school sports in 2020 , he was also the announcer for the school ’ s basketball games .
Mezey has made lots of friends and fans in those 23 years . Former studentathletes say his voice transports them back in time to their high school gridiron or hardwood days . �itto for their parents who watched and listened from the bleachers .
His face , topped with thick , neatly parted snow-white hair , onthe other hand , isrecognized mostly by those closest to him . It ’ sthose same people who know about the trials he ’ s endured .
THE ANNOUN�E�
�n awarm Friday night in late �ctober , asthe sun sets on the Wayne Hills High School football field , Mezey climbs those 55steps to the small maroon wooden announcer ’ sbooth . In one hand he holds a�acket for when the weather turns cool later , inthe other a worn black leather briefcase filled with notes for that night ’ sgame .
As part of his pregame ritual to shake off the �itters and to gather information , Mezey walks the football field and talks to coaches . He ’ sgathering intel to help him with the play-byplay , name pronunciations , captains ’ names and other stats .
�n this night he ’ sapproached by Class of200� graduate and former football standout �avid �gden . Fifteen years after graduating from high school , �gden , who played college ball for Monmouth University , says Mezey ’ s voice brings back great memories .“ He ’ s the�oice . The �oice ,” �gden says .
Funnily enough , Mezey says he doesn ’ t like the sound of his voice . He recently watched an older game from the 1��0s online , and when he heard his voice , he “ wasn ’ t impressed .”
�nce Mezey has the information he needs , hesits alone onthe sideline bench and makes notes as players warm up and the sun sets behind him .
He highlights some names in yellow , and next to others , inneat letters , he writes players ’ names phonetically . �n this night , one of the highlighted names on the sheet is Stavros Makrygiannis from the Passaic�alley Hornets , the visiting team . Mezey would pronounce “ Mack-rah-giannis ” over and over that night .
How does someone who freely admits tonot knowing anything about football and doesn ’ tlike the sound of his own voice get a�ob as the play-by-play announcer�
Mezey says it was about being in the right place at the right time , abad financial decision and alittle advice from another great voice , the late Bob Sheppard , the longtime public announcer for the Yankees and the �iants .
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SPRING 2023 WAYNE MAGAZINE