CMU Soccer ‘71-’74
I played on the Central Michigan University Men’s Soccer team for 4 years and I loved every minute of it! I started all four years at the center forward position…number 17! Here’s my stats for each year and career stats:
Freshman year (Fall 1971): Team 5-6-3. 9 goals, 4 assists (2nd in scoring). Spring season: Team 4-0. 12 goals (no assists were recorded for any Spring season games)
Sophomore year (Fall 1972): Team 10-5-1. 16 goals, 5 assists (1st in scoring). Spring season: Team 2-0. 7 goals.
Junior year (Fall 1973): Team 9-5-1. 17 goals, 9 assists in 9 games (out with eye injury for 6 games)…(1st in scoring). Spring season: Team 0-2. 1 goal.
Senior year (Fall 1974): Team12-2. 28 goals, 12 assists (1st in goals, assists and points). Did not play Spring season…graduated!
Team record for four years: 36-18-5. Career (53 games): 70 goals, 30 assists, 100 points. Including Spring season games: 90 goals.
CMU school record for goals in a game: 6 goals and 2 assists vs. Northwood 10-0, 1973 (scored 5 goals vs. Toledo 7-0, ‘74; 4 goals/2 assists vs. UM Dearborn 8-1, ‘74; 3 goals/3 assists vs. University of Michigan 8-1, ‘74; 4 goals vs. Saginaw Valley 7-1, ‘73; 4 goals vs. Northwood 10-3, ‘73; 4 goals vs. Alma ‘72; 3 goals/1 assist vs. Eastern Michigan University 6-1, ‘74; plus two other games with 3 goals.
CMU school record for goals in season (28), goals in career (70), points in season (28 goals + 12 assists=40 points), points in career (70 goals+30 assists=100 points).
UM Dearborn Invitational All Tournament Team '73, '74; Tournament Champions '74; Tournament Outstanding Player '74.
CMU Men’s Soccer MVP '74. Note…all records will never be broken because CMU dropped the men’s soccer team program.
Fall, 1974 team, senior year. One motley crew eh? Had a good year, won the UM Dearborn Invitational Tournament. Lots of stories to tell. In the photo, Claudia and her roommate Karen served as ballgirls for the team. Missing from the photo…Coach Jim Hornak. People have asked me if I was in a fraternity in college. Jokingly, I tell them I was in the I Felta Thigh fraternity…lol. Seriously, I didn’t need to join a fraternity…I was in TWO fraternities…the soccer team and the radio station! And I have to say, I never attended a fraternity party, but I did attend numerous soccer team and radio station parties…from what I can remember of them, they were awesome!
This was a special game! Duff said I was all over the field. I guess so as I scored 6 goals and had two assists…the most goals I ever scored in one game ever…and a CMU record to boot. And I assisted on two other goals on top of the one’s I scored. Cool! What cracks me up is the one goal I scored “laying flat on his back”.
Team photo, junior year, 1973.
Photo in the CM Life newspaper.
So here’s the story about getting injured. It happened at practice, not in a game. The ball was between me and the goal keeper who got to it first and kicked it instead of picking it up. That surprised me and the ball came right at my face and hit me in the eye quite hard. I couldn’t see out of that eye very well so someone took me to the urgent care and I was diagnosed with a rupture of the blood vessel in the eye. They treated it and I actually spent one night in the hospital looking like a pirate with an eye patch. They said the blood would eventually drain out of the eye and I should be OK after that. It did but I missed six games, doctor’s orders. I did wear eye protection goggles and did well in the Dearborn Invitational Tournament scoring four goals and being selected to the All Tournament Team.
Fall 1971, freshman year at Central. Photo taken in our backyard at Franklin.
With my good buddy Duff McAlpine who I played against in high school as he attended Birmingham Seaholm High School. We played four years together…he saw every one of my 70 goals…assisted on a bunch of them! Sadly, Duff died on July 22, 2021 in his home in Brighton Michigan at the age of 68. He had stayed at our condo for two nights in June and I talked with him on the phone July 15th. So many fond memories in a 50-year friendship! He was a groomsman in our wedding. And he was a text away when I needed someone to connect with. In high school, he was All-League 2nd Team. At CMU, Duff served as Captain of the ‘73 and ‘74 teams and was Coach of the ‘75 team. His senior year (1974), he scored 8 goals and had 8 assists for 16 points, 2nd on the team. As Coach, Duff got quoted a lot: “Besides McAlpine, the Chips expected to do the most damage are last year’s leading scorer Pete Bowers and Tom Webb. The Coach’s eyes light up whenever he talks about Bowers. “I like to think of myself as being a team leader, but Peter leads by example. He’s super, he has moves that people can’t believe. He’s just incredible. He’s unorthodox but he’s a potential All-American.” Miss you Duff!!
Team photo, sophomore year, 1972.
Fall, 1971, my freshman year at CMU. Duff McAlpine, second from right first row, played at Birmingham Seaholm High School, a team we played against when I played at Andover. He recognized me at the first practice…one of my best friends ever since!
I spent a lot of time on the ground playing soccer. They say soccer is best played on grass.
My beloved Adidas Super Light shoes! Scored 70 goals with these puppies…minus any goals I headed in!
My soccer uniform my junior year.
My jersey and shorts my senior year…number 17! The university retired my number…joke…the university retired all the numbers when they dropped the men’s soccer program at CMU.
Day Camp Counselor/Camp Director
When I was a sophomore in high school (1969), I was looking for a summer job and I heard there might be jobs at the Recreation Department. I went and applied for a day camp counselor job. They said that I play sports with kids all day at West Hills Jr. High and they pay me to do it. I said I can do that. The name of the camp was Sports and Survival Camp. I ended up working there every summer for nine years (with the exception of 1973) and I was promoted from camp counselor to Camp Director the last few years supervising eight counselors and 125 campers. The gig didn’t pay much but it was fun and I enjoyed the camp staff and the camp kids…some I stay in contact with still today!
Up to my neck with day camp kids at our overnight trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes circa mid 70’s when I had lots of hair. The guy in the upper right is George Poy, my good buddy who worked at the camp with me.
The name of the Day Camp held at West Hills. I “survived” nine summers working at this camp! We did a lot of Sports and some camping skills in preparation of our overnight trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Day camp staff…fun group to work with that’s for sure!
Entire day camp group photo…me in front. We had about 125 campers every two week session. As Camp Director, my job was to make a schedule to keep all 125 campers active in some sport or activity from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Pretty tiring but fun!
Another group photo…I’m the one with The Fonz t-shirt.
Setting up our group campsite at Sleeping Bear Dunes for one memorable overnight experience! Oh, that’s me in the tank top…a tank top…really?
Having a formal dinner at the day camp overnight camp out in Kensington Metropark in Milford. To my left is Steve Thomas, then George Poy and across from me, Dave Blood.
Same table but with our Camp Director, Barry Crowe, who was the P.E. teacher/coach at West Hills during the school year…note the West Hills cap. He was one of my favorite teachers of all time! We would do a crow call to get the attention of kids (caw caw!). His last name was Crowe…get it? As I got older, Barry retired from Day Camp Director and I took over as director.
With George Poy and Tony May…running errands for something needed at the Kensington Metropark overnight group camping event and stopping at the Milford Dairy Queen on the way back. Tony felt really guilty that we stopped there but oh, did that ice cream taste great!
We always met at the flagpole at the end of the camp day for announcements and reminders for the next day.
We had dress up days at camp. This must have been my idea of a WBFH radio disc jockey…with a strange swimsuit I borrowed from my dad. Send this guy to Goofball Island!
Must have had some gymnast guy at camp that day…crazy! The trampoline dates this photo…trampolines were later banned from schools because too many kids were getting hurt on them.
Each tribe in day camp had an Indian name. I jokingly asked my tribe members if they want to be the Onamonapias, an English language term (actually, onomatopoeia is a word that actually looks like the sound it makes…boom splash, belch, hiss, crash). They didn’t know it wasn’t an Indian name and we voted it in. Then we took wood burners to burn our names in it. The year is 1972. One camper, Dan Martin, ended up being in my radio program. Another camper, Susan Trowl, died a few years ago…I went to her visitation at the Kirk in the Hills. Steve Trowl was her brother. Best in the West (Hills)!
My tribe, the Onamonapias, summer of ‘72. Great kids…so much fun…and I got paid to do it!
Day Camp staff with George, Sandy, Mr. Crowe, me, Laura Martens and Mark in front.
The last thing we did to end the camp day was to meet at the flag pole for announcements.
Goofy photo with the Peach kids, Brian and his sister.
In a swim suit I borrowed from my Dad, a photo showing off my muscles, both of them!
It was costume day at Day Camp…not sure what my costume was but I like the hat I borrowed from my Dad.
Featured Speaker on High School Radio
Conventions where I was a featured speaker on a panel:
Broadcasting Career Builder Conference in Lansing, October 29, 2010. Moderator for session entitled Perfecting Your Resume.
Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference in Grand Rapids, March 2009. Moderator for Round Table Discussion on issues facing educational broadcasters in the state.
Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Fall Conference in Chicago: October, 2004, November, 2006, October, 2008, and October 2012. Sessions entitled “High School Radio” and “How to Start a Radio Station”.
IBS National Convention in New York City: March, 2005: Sessions entitled “High School Radio” and “School Radio—Student and Faculty Management”.
Broadcast Education Association (BEA) National Convention in Las Vegas: April, 2007. Panelist for Educational Radio Seminar.
College Broadcasters Inc.: Featured speaker in two sessions (High School Radio Roundtable) at national conventions held in Orlando, October 2011, Atlanta 2012, San Antonio 2013 and Seattle 2014.
Clark County School District, Las Vegas, NV (fifth largest school district in United States): Hired as consultant in March, 2008 to help get Desert Pines High School radio station broadcasting. Worked with teachers regarding broadcasting curriculum. Worked with students who were enrolled in broadcasting classes.
Featured speaker on panel at IBS Regional Conference at Columbia College in Chicago.
With founder of College Radio Day, Dr. Rob Quicke.
Senior Class President/Class Reunion Chair/Consultant
Class of ‘71 ROCKS!
When I ran for Class President, I thought it was a one year gig and would end when I gave my speech at Commencement. When it came time for our first class reunion, the 10-year in 1981, someone told me that I had to run the reunion because I was class president and our class historian couldn’t be found. So I organized the first reunion, then the second one five years later (1986), then the third (1991), fourth(1996), fifth (2001), sixth (2006) and seventh one (2011). I helped with the eighth one (2016) and I’m the consultant for our ninth one (50-year +1) which will be August 6, 2022 (we postponed the reunion for one year due to the pandemic). I have been given the title Class President for Life since the gig is a life term, not a one year term. But that’s OK because I love seeing how much fun classmates have at our reunions…it’s all worth the time and effort that goes into running a reunion. Hats off to all the classmates who worked on any of our reunions and especially Sandy Sweeney Feloni who ran our last reunion and is chair for our 50th+1 in 2022! #WHP
Class Zoom #2 held March 13, 2021: Ginni Van Vurst Glass, Cyndie Cole, Debbie Berg, Eileen Richmond Blake, Mary Cheal Mercier, Paul Denzer, Lorrie Monahan, Jerry Crubaugh and Mike Scales. Laura Wunderink joined us later.
Our first Zoom video call for the Class of ‘71 held June 10, 2020…historic! I organized the call with help from my son Adam. Thanks to Ginni Van Vurst Glass for initiating the idea for the call and Syncron.
Reunion #8 at Birmingham Athletic Club 2016.
These classmates showed up for a tour of the new high school…my pleasure to show them around!
With Christy and Sue at reunion. #WHP
Dancing at reunion!
Celebrating our 60th Birthday Party at the Birmingham Athletic Club in August, 2013.
40-year reunion held in Traverse City in 2011.
Photo op with one of my best buddies from high school, Doug Byrum. I spent a lot of time at his house having fun and playing basketball in his driveway.
Taking trip down Memory Lane at reunion with Christy Stone Longrie.
Class members at Homecoming Game October 14, 2011: Mike Morelli, Pete Bowers, Rob White, Barbro Andren, Sue Britt Wright, Bill Wright, Ellen Pankratz White and Trent Dalrymple
Classmates stopping by the high school for a photo op in 2008 (Dave Wertz, Doug Byrum).
My letter sweater which I used to wear on “game days”. Since I was on three sports teams (soccer, basketball and track), I had a lot of game days to wear my letter sweater. You can see the three teams on the letter. A star represented being captain of that team…I was captain of the soccer team and basketball team. A “Champs” pin represented a team winning the league championship. I was on two championships in soccer, my junior and senior year. I was on two championship track teams, my junior and senior year. And I was on one championship basketball team, my junior year. The “B” in the middle meant I was a member of the Varsity Club, or B Club, people with a varsity letter who made it through the rough initiation process. The ribbon/medals on the bottom signify winning third (bronze) in soccer MVP voting my junior year and soccer team MVP (gold) my senior year when I lead the league in scoring with 14 goals. The other medals are from track meet finishes in the league and Oakland County championships: I competed in the high jump, 440 dash, 880 relay, mile relay and shuttle hurdle relay. Our mile relay team and 880 yard relay team won 1st in the league. Our mile relay won 2nd in Oakland County meet. My junior year, our mile relay team won 4th in the state, Class A. I was on the Shuttle Hurdle relay that won 2nd in the Oakland County meet. The blue stripes represented years of varsity letters…I received eight varsity letters, two in basketball and three each in soccer and track, hence three strips for three years of varsity letters. The nameplate “Bowers” was attached to my basketball warm up jacket. After my last game, Coach Henderson could not just give me the nameplate for some weird reason, so he had me stand by the waste basket as he threw it away…which I retrieved from the basket to keep forever.
I wore this jacket a lot…I mean a lot. Without all the buttons…I put those on the jacket just for the photo.
T-shirt given to me by Debbie Berg which I wear at least once during reunion weekend.
T-shirt I had printed for those that wanted one. I used the cover of our commencement program for the script.
WCHP AM 650 Radio
WCHP was a student operated AM carrier current radio station playing the hits to CMU students. I was listening one day in 1973 and I heard the DJ talk about living in Bloomfield Hills. The DJ, Jay Bond, and I went to East Hills Jr. High School together back in the 8th grade. I called him and asked if I could come down to the radio station and see him. I watched him do his radio show and then asked him how I could be on the station. He helped me make an audition tape which was submitted to the program director Jim Johnson (JJ). JJ started me out with a 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. shift on a Thursday. I did the graveyard shift for awhile and then moved to Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-noon. I caught the broadcasting bug, changed my major to Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, ended up being the Sports Director with a sports talk show on Sunday nights (Sportsbeat) and a daily sports report, then selected to be the Sales Manager supervising a sales staff of five which produced over $50K in revenues for the station. JJ is still in radio btw having been on numerous stations in the Detroit market. Thanks Jay! Thanks JJ!
In the main studio of WCHP. Besides being a DJ on WCHP, I also did play-by-play of basketball games aired on the other student station, WMHW-FM. I also was involved with the Thorpe Hall radio station WINO, doing one air shift at week, Wednesday 8-10 p.m.
Calendar on the wall says it’s 1975. As WCHP Sales Manager, my job was to sell airtime to local Mt. Pleasant businesses so I was on the phone a lot. Then I would meet with the manager of the business and convince them that buying commercials on WCHP was a good use of their advertising dollars. The good news was that WCHP was very popular with the 15,000 CMU students so it was not real hard sometimes to sell airtime. I think I made 6% commission on the airtime I sold…root beer money. Then I would have to get info from the client and have the commercials written so a WCHP air talent could record it and get it on the air. I wrote a lot of those commercials myself…even recorded a few myself. My junior year I served at Continuity Director.
One of our station logos. Yes it was an AM station heard in the dormitories on campus. The CMU FM station played classical and jazz music. But AM radio was still cool in the 70’s playing Rock ‘n Roll…big AM stations like CKLW in Detroit and WLS in Chicago were very popular. WCHP eventually folded as popular hit music went to FM. I am a proud member of the WCHP Alumni Facebook group which keeps me updated on those that worked on the station. And I attended a WCHP Reunion at Soaring Eagle in September, 2014 which was pretty fun!
While at WCHP, I recorded a feature called “Mid-American Conference Football Preview” each week in the Fall and fed it to WWJ 950 AM in Detroit for airing.
Press cards I was issued for access into sports events I covered for WCHP.
A little promotion on the weekly music survey for my Sports Report I did as Sports Director of the station.
I did Junior Varsity basketball play-by-play on WMHW, 91.5 FM with Brian Jackson…I called him Action Jackson! WMHW was the other student radio station on CMU’s campus…a competitor with WCHP! We had more listeners but they had that nice FM stereo sound.
So this was Jay Bond, aka Brother Bond, who I went to school with in 8th Grade at East Hills Jr. High and who helped me make an audition tape which got me accepted into the WCHP group of talented radio broadcasters. I roomed with Jay in a double room in Robinson Hall and then with him and Dave Brewer in an apartment our senior year. Stories to tell there as we hosted several WCHP Seabreeze parties.
Brother Bond (Jay Bond) doing his dance to Desmond Dekker's Israelites song in dorm lobby during WCHP's 48 Hour marathon for Special Olympics. We would get tons of students to come down to the lobby to see Jay perform and we raised a lot of money by passing the hat. Jay was the WCHP Station Manager.
This is Dave Brewer, aka Brew, who I roomed with in my senior year along with Jay Bond. Brew was the WCHP Program Director and would come on my sports talk show on Sunday nights to talk sports on occasion. I took this photo of Brew doing his Tricky Dick, Richard Nixon impersonation.
One fun thing we did was play the CM Life staff in a charity basketball game. At 25 cents a person, I don’t think we raised a lot of money for Easter Seals…the game was mostly for bragging rights. We had shirts printed up and the WCHP girls did their cheerleader thing. I do believe we prevailed in the games my junior and senior year.
Articles about WCHP in my Junior year where I served at Continuity Director, the person who is responsible for the writing of commercials and assigning copy to talent for them to record the commercials and get them on the air. My roommate that year was Jay (Brother Bond) Bond and we lived in Robinson Hall, a few doors down from Dave (Torbs) Torbi and Dave Brewer (Brew, Dylan Austin).
Reunion held at Soaring Eagle in September, 2014.
Photo op with Paul Boscarino at the reunion who brought a CM Life article about me.
Photo display with photos from back in the 1973-75 era…photos were black and white because I took the photos, developed the film and printed the photos in CMU photojournalism dark rooms.
FOUNDER OF NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL RADIO DAY
There already was a national College Radio Day. I thought we should have a focus on high school radio and have a day of our own. I bounced it off of Dr. Rob Quicke, founder of College Radio Day, and he was fine with it. So, I rounded up as many high school radio stations as I could from around the U.S. and we launched the first national High School Radio Day in May, 2012. Our mission is to put the spotlight on high school radio stations and the service they provide their communities. April 21, 2021, was our 10th Annual High School Radio Day. Our contact list has grown to 80 stations from 30 states. Details at http://highschoolradioday.com.
A couple of good things have sprouted since I founded High School Radio Day:
* I created a High School Radio Day website which includes a ton of information about high school radio in the United States. I’ve posted photos and videos that show what fun it is to work on a high school radio station. With only 190 stations nationwide, we need to bring awareness to our programs which are unique. I’ve also added links to other resources for high school radio staff and students.
*66 high school radio station advisors/teachers are on a group email list that I created which allows them to share information for one person or for the good of all. Advisors can ask questions related to running a high school station and get feedback instantaneously…so cool!
*A High School Radio Discussion group was created on Facebook which now has 53 members who can share information and ask questions of other members…also very cool! Especially a good resource for advisors who are new to high school radio.
*A High School Radio Network was created by Ralph Martin which allows high school stations to share their programming on a network which can be aired on any member station…currently there are 28 stations from 15 states participating. More info at hsradionetwork.com.
*A High School Radio Exchange was created by Kelly Jones which allows students to post their content on a site which can be used by other stations around the US. A PSA done by one student in Michigan can be heard on a station in California, Illinois and Massachusetts.
*A High School Radio Day Twitter account was created by me to promote high school radio activities nationwide. High School stations created their own Twitter accounts that has allowed stations to promote their own activities which I can retweet for all to see. I also set up a HSRD Instagram account.
*A High School Radio Day page was created by me on Facebook for publicizing activities of high school radio stations nationwide, another social media presence to bring awareness to the fact that HIGH SCHOOL RADIO ROCKS!
*A bi-monthly Zoom call has been created to discuss issues of importance for high school radio stations, another form of sharing but even better when we can see and hear who you are talking to. I participated in the April 14, 2021 Zoom call. Love it!
Ralph Martin, Conservatory Education Director/KVCB 100.9 FM Manager, Vacaville Christian Schools, Vacaville CA and Founder/Coordinator of the National High School Radio Network had this to say: “So far I haven’t had the honor of meeting Pete Bowers. His reputation is widely known and it represents some of what’s best about high school radio. It isn’t just in the great quality of his station, but in what I believe to be the single most important step spearheaded for high school radio—National High School Radio Day! Pete created a way for all stations to come together and discuss the challenges and successes that are common with all of our stations regardless of size or financial ability. High School Radio Day brought together radio stations in a non-competitive and supportive way—got us to talk—got us to be excited about what we do and how we’re the same in so many ways—as well as—how we’re different. I love what we’ve done with the National High School Radio Network—but that’s just one project. High School Radio Day is a celebration of all that is High School Radio.
Pete…I could never express the importance of the day you created for high school radio!! It was the first time I had ever thought that there was a vibrant community of excited radio teachers and advisers operating virtually alone before you brought them together. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to suggest that you may have saved several stations across America from going silent. We need you now more than ever to continue High School Radio Day. I really really really hope there’s another High School Radio Day this year! I can’t think of anything more important to our cause—can you?”
CMU BCA PIONEER AWARD
Award given to distinguished Broadcast and Cinematic Arts alumni at Central Michigan University.
With BCA Chair Dr. Pete Orlik who taught classes I attended in 1971-75…he retired in 2017 like me.
Other Pioneer Award winners: next to me is Ken Kolbe…Gary Lico is on the other end…we all graduated in 1975 Bachelor of Applied Arts.
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Was elected to the MAB Board of Directors in September, 2010…won reelection and stayed on the Board until I retired in June, 2017.
Biffers attend the Broadcasting Career Builder Conference in Lansing sponsored by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation. I served at MABF Board Member and chairperson for one of the BCBC events.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
One thing I learned from my Dad who was a Rotarian…Service Above Self (Rotarian Motto).
In no particular order:
*Walk, America Walker for the March of Dimes. Award Winning Fundraiser to fight birth defects for 27 years.
*Bloomfield Hills Andover High School Class of 1971 Reunion Coordinator of eight class reunions, class webmaster, Facebook administrator.
*Hickory Grove PTO: 40th Birthday Party Chair, Playground Structure Committee Chair, Book Fair Chair, Fall Fundraiser Chair, BK Night Chair, Skate Party Chair, and Gym Sound System Chair.
*Cub Scouts Cubmaster and Assistant Den Leader. Provided sound system for pack meetings and Pinewood Derby.
*Boy Scouts Assistant Scoutmaster. Adult chaperone on two backpacking field trips, one in the Upper Peninsula and one in Canada.
*Presbyterian Church Milford MI: Usher, Youth Group Adviser, Youth Group Trip Chaperone to New Jersey/New York City.
*Habitat for Humanity project. Was chaperone with Lahser Football Coach Bob Kefgen as we took about 20 Lahser football players to Traverse City to complete a Habitat for Humanity project.
*Colonial Hills Subdivision Association: Board member, treasurer, secretary, Block Party Chair, Garage Sale Chair.
*Youth Soccer Coach (‘96, ‘97, ‘98, ‘99), Youth Soccer League treasurer and referee.
*East Hills Middle School 7th/8th Grade Soccer Coach.
*Deer Run Subdivision: Board Member (treasurer) and Block Party Host (2010-11, 2016).
1st marathon broadcast for the March of Dimes held in 1977…broadcast went 77 hours straight and I was the only manager…I literally had to be there all 77 hours…crazy!
Biffers who walked in March of Dimes WalkAmerica sponsored by listeners who pledged during our marathon broadcast to fight birth defects (1982).
With my wifey on one of the 27 March of Dimes WalkAmerica walks I participated in to raise money to prevent birth defects.
Adam showing off his Cub Scout awards. I served as Cubmaster when Eric was in Cub Scouts.
With Adam at Boy Scout meeting. I served as Assistant Scoutmaster and went on two backpack trips with the troop.
Apple paper weight given to me by the school district for 30 years of service.
Volunteered to be chaperone on a Habitat for Humanity project in Traverse City with Lahser Football Coach Bob Kefgen and these Lahser football players. Part of the project was demolishing parts of this house so they could rebuild a garage on it. The boys had a great time with the demo!
BEST ADVISER, DRURY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL RADIO AWARDS
Thrilled to have won Best High School Radio Station Advisor in both 2005 and 2011 in the John Drury High School Radio Awards national competition sponsored by North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Only adviser in U.S. to win this award two times.
The John Drury High School Radio Awards were created to recognize excellence in high school radio broadcasting. The awards are named in honor of award-winning ABC-Chicago news anchor, John Drury and are hosted by North Central College and 89.1 WONC-FM Naperville, IL. Giving me the award is John Madormo, Assistant Professor of Broadcast Communication and General Manager of WONC-FM.
RADIO’S MOST INNOVATIVE AWARD
Jacobs Media is the largest radio-consulting firm in the U.S. Received their Radio’s Most Innovative Award (April, 2015) for founding and running national High School Radio Day.
IBS FACULTY ADVISOR AWARD
Outstanding Faculty Adviser Award given to me by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System at their awards ceremony in New York City 2016.
The five guys who went with me to the IBS Awards Ceremony in New York City and the awards they and other Biffers won.
VINTAGE PB
Favorite photos from Goofball Island…here’s Mr. Bowers, PB, Bowco, Mr. B, PBizzle, Peebs, Pepper Brooks, Radio Dad, Chief, Scott Marsh, Nighthawk, Dr. Jock, Shurewatt Ohms, Winchell Factor, Boss, PB & Jay, Dad, Daddy Pete, Padre, UP (Uncle Pete), Saint Pete, Prez Pete, Pistol, Rubberman, Mr. President, President Pete, El Presidente, Captain and Chef Pierre.
ACCOLADES
Honors and awards won by my students, our station…and moi.
*WBFH students won High School Radio Station of the Year 10 times by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation: 2003, 2004*, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011*, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
*WBFH students won 1st Place, Best High School Radio Station in the Nation six times…a national competition (John Drury High School Radio Awards) sponsored by North Central College in Naperville, Illinois: 2006. 2007, 2008 (tie), 2010, 2014, 2015.
3rd Place, Best High School Radio Station, 2005, John Drury High School Radio Awards. 2nd Place, Best High School Radio Station, 2009 and 2012.
*Best High School Radio Station Finalist in national competition sponsored by Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, New York City, 2016.
*Michigan Association of Educational Broadcasters (MAEB) High School Station of the Year: 1990, 1995, 2003.
*MAEB Carl V. Jacobson Educational Broadcasting Achievement Award: 2006
PB: 1st Place, Best High School Radio Station Advisor, 2005 and 2011, John Drury High School Radio Awards (national competition), North Central College, Naperville, Illinois. Only advisor in U.S. to win this award two times. Second Place, 2004.
National Finalist Outstanding Faculty Adviser by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System at their awards ceremony in New York City 2016.
Article in Crain’s Detroit by former student Matt Friedman: Link https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170617/blog200/631746/retiring-educator-said-yes-career-minded-young-people?profileid=26566&view=homepage
Another article by Matt Friedman regarding his experience at WBFH starting when he was only 11 years old:
Ribbons from Hickory Grove Elementary plus track and field ribbons from high school era. Most were relay team events. The two I’m most proud of are the two 3rd Place finishes in the Wayne/Oakland County League in the 440 yard dash (White ribbon and yellow ribbon). My best time was 51.9 for the 440 yard dash…they don’t do the 440 anymore, it’s gone metric to the 400 meter dash.
This article appeared in the Central Michigan University Alumni Magazine Centralight Summer 2016.
I attended a day camp as a kid. As part of the camp, we went to Metropolitan Beach and competed in track and field events. I competed in an field event called “Hop, Step and Jump”. Ended up winning the dang event and got this patch.
PHOTO OPS WITH NOTABLES
Over 41 years, I’ve met some amazing people. And they all put their pants on one leg at a time.
With Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman) and Jennifer (Loni Anderson) WKRP in Cincinnati!
Christmas 2019
All together at our house for Christmas: Pete, Claudia, Eric (who flew in from Vancouver BC), and Sarah, Lucy and Adam (who drove up from Atlanta).
Taking a walk at Hoffmaster State Park and ending up at the beach looking out on Lake Michigan!
Retirement…it’s time!
From MAB News Briefs June 14, 2017: The MAB Foundation has learned that longtime broadcaster and educator Pete Bowers has retired from Bloomfield Hills High School.
In 1976, Pete Bowers started the radio broadcasting program in Bloomfield Hills Schools. He has been the general manager of WBFH and the teacher of the electronic media courses for over 40 years.
MAB President/CEO Karole White said that Bowers “was an important figure in broadcast education and a big reason so many of his students went on to successful broadcast careers. Bowers was a big help to the development of the student outreach of the MAB Foundation.”
Under the direction of Bowers, WBFH has won multiple national awards over the years. The MAB Foundation has presented the station with its prestigious High School Station of the Year award in 2016, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004 (tie) and 2003.
A retirement celebration was held for Bowers at Andiamo’s Restaurant in Bloomfield Hills on June 3 and featured guest speakers from district administration, school board members, former WBFH students and current Biff students followed by comments from the Guest of Honor, Pete Bowers.
As part of the celebration, the WBFH on-air studio was named the Pete Bowers Studio in his honor.
Passing the torch literally!
At faculty luncheon honoring retirees. Nice award given to me by Principal Charlie Holerith.
The 23 year old CMU grad hired to manage a high school radio station and teach radio broadcasting, starting August 9, 1976. Didn’t know I would hold that gig for 41 years. The pants btw are displayed in the Biff Museum showcase at BHHS.
Our first marathon broadcast to benefit the March of Dimes, 1977.
Press ID card from 1977-78, our second year of operation.
Those 41 years as WBFH Station Manager…Those were the best days of my life (line from Summer of ‘69 by Bryan Adams)
School District Distinguished Service Award
WBFH Station Manager Pete Bowers received the Distinguished Service Award March 24, 2011 at the School Board meeting. Mr. Bowers was honored for his service to the Bloomfield Hills Schools as Biff manager and electronic media teacher. This video was played at the meeting before the award was presented.
Induction into the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Induction into the Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame August 14, 2018 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island.
From Awards program.
From Awards program.
In Awards program.
In Awards program.
In Awards program.
Named an Ann Marie All Star on Channel 7
With Ann Marie LaFlamme, the award winning morning anchor at Channel 7 WXYZ-TV in Detroit. Found out she is an alum of Central Michigan University…Fire Up Chips! Her All Stars feature on me was such a highlight in my career…thank you Ann Marie!
One of the best days of my life!