BEDFORD - JUNE 18, 2022 - On Saturday afternoon, many athletes, sports fanatics, community members, family and friends honored a great man, Myron Rainey.
Bedford - North Lawrence High School Fieldhouse adorned with many tributes and pictures to honor a legend in the high school sports world.
The ceremony being held under the place where the man spent over 41 years of his life.
Many have cried, mourned the loss, and many more of those times will happen in coming months and years for one man that will be greatly missed. However, the service Saturday was to lighten up the mood and share many of the uplifting, high spirited, and action-packed moments of the life of Myron.
Myron Rainey November 23, 1952 - May 31, 2022
No better person to tell of those moments and preside over the Celebration of Life of Myron than his good buddy and college friend Steve Warren.
" Myron and I date back to when I got out of the Navy in 1970, and I enrolled at Indiana University even though he was four years younger than me. He graduated from Shawsick that Spring, he entered Indiana University that Fall. We were classmates, and had some courses together, this is where we got to know one another. But, later most of the time, I was able to get to know him around sporting events and his broadcasts over the years," said Steve Warren in an interview prior to the service Saturday afternoon.
" I advertised heavily at the WBIW radio station, and I always got more bang for my buck from Myron Rainey. I got more than I paid for out of Myron because he was all the time talking about me on the radio. In fact, there was a jingle on the radio for Steve's business and Myron sometimes would hum that jingle prior to going on to the advertising break during a live broadcast," Warren pointed out.
" My relationship have been both as friends and very good business relationships," In preparing for today's service Warren interviewed a lot of people which included Damon Bailey, Mayor Sam Craig, Jeff Callahan, Sam Simmermaker, and John Williams Jr. and everyone Warren talked to referred to his professionalism as a broadcaster.
" In the broadcast world he was a top-notch broadcaster," Warren concluded.
Myron Rainey 2020 Indiana Sportswriter and Sportscaster Hall of Fame
On November 23, 1952, began the life of a legend of the Lawrence County community. Like most youth during that time, Myron spent his time listening to an old transiter radio from radio stations, like WACKY radio in Louisville, KY. Hence, with boys at that time was supposed to be in bed, his brother used it as leverage it and use to try and rat him out; if he did not give in to his brother's demands. His brother, would say " WACKY" and Myron would know that if he didn't give in, he would call him out on listening to the transistor radio when he should be in bed.
This moment of time, it helped perfect his craft of being a radio announcer. Myron could bring to life the moments of " And its good, the Stars now, lead" can you just hear the voice and excitement when those " STARS" was afforded a win? The first time Myron broadcasted a Mitchell Blue Jackets game in the 70's he announced his first game with a famous Indiana basketball legend Larry Bird.
Through the years, Myron Rainey had many who got to sit as co-announcers which included the late Bedford Mayor John Williams. During that period of time the airwaves could not had two better people giving you the play-by-play action of both boys and girls high school sports.
During the Damon Bailey era of basketball that was being played. Damon was filling up the Bedford -North Lawrence fieldhouse and high school fieldhouses across the state. This made tickets hard to come by many had to sit at home listening to the action from none other than Myron Rainey. He brought the excitement and thrill of Bedford -North Lawrence High School action as if you were actually there watching the game.
Myron Rainey always supporting those athletes he came to knew over the years and interviewing them as though they were really STARS in figurative and literal appearances.
One of those athletes being Damon Bailey who was not able to be at the service Saturday, pointed out to Warren that Myron knew his stuff, and statistics and Damon could always tell when other sports interviewers did not.
His brother-in-law Steve " Deacon" Pinnick told the Lawrence County Zephyr " Myron was prepared for everything. He made sure he was prepared to get everything that needed to get across the airwaves. He learned that off a guy he met from Jeffersonville, Indiana by name of Charlie Jenkins. Charlie told Myron " Never be in a position where you do not know what you are going to talk about. Myron Rainey had good rapport even with the opposing coaches.
" The opposing coaches was always welcoming him, and he was always professional with them,"
Rainey's broadcasting career covered over 45 years first starting with Mitchell Bluejackets for four years, started calling the Bedford-North Lawrence Stars Boys and Girls Basketball teams in 1979.
Rainey was inducted in the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame 2020. Rainey asked former Bedford Mayor John Williams the honor of introducing him, however the late Mayor John Williams passed before he could get the job done. COVID kept them from having the ceremonies, therefore, John Williams Jr. had the honor of introducing the inductee.
Myron Rainey wore many shirts in his lifetime and was a public servant to Lawrence County as Clerk and Recorder
Myron was elected as Lawrence County Clerk and Lawrence County Recorder being a dedicated servant to the people of Lawrence County.
Myron's son Evan who told the crowd " Dad Your My Hero," yes, Myron was a hero in many shapes and sizes. Today, we celebrate a life well lived.
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