A Life Remembered: Familiar "Voice of the Valley" goes silent
Jan. 22—LE SUEUR — As a sports announcer, Mike Keenan is mostly remembered for his voice at the microphone, but to his son, some of his fondest memories come from the car rides to and from games.
"We had a van and we would always have a couple of kids with us, but sometimes it would just be me and him," Andy Keenan said. "If I was playing, we would analyze the game that just happened."
He and his dad spent more time in the car than they did sitting in the dugout.
"It was the interactions and the bonding that happened with not only just me but my teammates, my friends," he said.
Mike Keenan died Jan. 11 at age 77.
The "Voice of the Valley" nickname originated as a tagline from a local radio station, but as a well-known announcer in Le Sueur-Henderson, the term eventually became associated with him, Andy said.
If there was a game, Keenan was there.
He served as announcer for football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, wrestling and baseball for Le Sueur-Henderson High School from 1976 to 2014.
He also worked football, men's and women's basketball and men's hockey at Gustavus Adolphus College from 1989-2010.
But his work didn't end there.
He did every Babe Ruth, American Legion, Town Team or 35-plus baseball game all summer and coached baseball at various levels.
To his successor and mentee, 19-year-old Dylan Feeney, who went to LHS, Keenan was a caring and giving individual.
"I still remember one day we were in the concession stand after a game, and I still have it, it was a branded baseball that they weren't making anymore. He gave it to me and he said, 'Hey, kid, here you go. Here's a ball for you,'" he said.
Keenan, a 1963 graduate of Le Sueur High School, never earned a dime from announcing, Feeney said. Keenan, who once owned his own business, retired in 2014 as production manager from Michael Foods in Gaylord.
"For him to give up a lot of days in his life to just do this job and never ask for anything in return, I think that shows a lot about the character and unselfishness of the man," he said.
Keenan was a contributing member of the Le Sueur American Legion, Le Sueur Rotary, Blue and Gold, Booster Club and Knights of Columbus, his obituary said, and wouldn't let a registration fee get in the way of a kid playing ball.
Although he'd known Keenan his whole life, Feeney got his start helping Keenan in the press box in 2017 during the American Legion and Braves season and took over the role by chance.
Now, with big shoes to fill, Feeney said he's trying to keep the very best techniques that Keenan used and make them his own.
"I feel like that experience up in that booth, just sitting next to him, him not really saying too much, but just watching him and listening to him and how he performed his duties every day," he said, "That was more of a learning experience than anything else."
Former LHS Activities Director Dave Swanberg said Keenan was his go-to guy whenever he needed an announcer.
"He just went about his job in an extremely professional manner. He knew how important it was for kids to have their names properly pronounced. He knew how important it was to mom and dad up in the stands and took his job very seriously," he said.
The press box at Bruce Frank Field will be dedicated to Keenan this summer.
