Sports Radio Service


		Former 49er and Raiders broadcaster Monty Stickles dead at 68 By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin September 6, 2006

	Monty Stickles was a football player that you had to admire, as he came in there with this attitude not unlike Howie Long where you just wanted to come in and play football. Stickles a former 49ers player, and a broadcaster was originally from Pennsylvania passed away on Tuesday at the age of 68. Stickles was a great player at Notre Dame and he was one of the reasons why Notre Dame didn't play well, was that had to do with the old adage of not eating meat among Catholics on Fridays at the time and of course that said with a little bit of humor. Stickles did whatever he had to do to get the job done so there was a little truth invested in that too. Stickles was a perfect example of a football player that just came to play and let the chips fall where they may and the world is going to miss a guy like Monty Stickles there is no doubt about it at all about. Stick was a great personality he was up in your face but what a softy too the members of the media loved him when he covered everything for radio he was just fun to be around. He was even remembered for having it out in former Giants manager Frank Robinson's office after a ball game when each former athlete were out swearing each other when Stickles came in late for the press conference. Robinson had it on good knowledge that Stickles was showing up at the park every night in the 7th inning something that irked Robinson when reporters would show up late to a ball game and ask questions about the game. Bill King and the Stick doing Raiders games: The late Bill King and Monty Stickles did radio work together in the early 80s, on Raiders games and Stickles knew alot about football because he played it all of his life. Stickles was an accomplished football player because he worked harder at it. King and Stickles worked together for years and both complimented each other. King passed away in 2005. Stickles did color announcing with a casualness that made listeners listen closer to his inside analysis and King was just the best on play by play. As far as Stickles the player he was a very talented player in the 1960s and he played well at Notre Dame. Stickles was a great example of those great players that Norte Dame was able to garner out Catholic high schools around the country and bring them to Norte Dame where they really blossom. They attained their goals and whatever they wanted to do it was kind of nice. Norte Dame and Monty Stickles stay in the sun if you will. People will always miss good people and Stickles will be missed by everyone in the bay area sports community. Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin had the fortune of covering pro sports in the bay area with the late Monty Stickles and they also both co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento.