Minnesota Scene: Bob Reid, longtime PA announcer at prep state tournaments, dies as 86

Bob Reid, the former public address announcer for Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) state tournaments in football, boys' hockey, and boys' and girls' basketball as well as four other sports for 42 years, died on Friday in Wausau, Wis. He was 86.

He meticulously prepared for every tournament. "Kids are sensitive," he once said. "They've worked hard to get to the state tournament. I certainly didn't want to mar their tournament experience with mispronunciations. They deserve better than that."

Reid was the old Minnesota North Stars' first administrative director from 1967-72 and then became the Met Center building manager until 1985.

He also worked as high school baseball umpire, as publicity director and lead statistician for the WCHA and as a statistician for the Vikings. He was a 2005 inductee into the MSHSL Hall of Fame.

A memorial service will be held for him at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Wausau.

• The Gophers' three-game Big Ten series against Penn State this Friday-Sunday will be relocated because of inclement weather. The Gophers staff is working on finalizing details, and they will be released when available. Minnesota (18-10, 2-1 Big Ten) will play its opening home series against Iowa now, April 20-22 at Siebert Field.

• The Gophers' double dual in rowing with Wisconsin on Saturday in Madison was canceled because of the cold weather forecast.

• The Gophers women's track & field team slipped two places to No. 13 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Week 1 national team computer rankings. Minnesota ranks No. 2 in the nation in the 10,000-meter run based on its top four runners and is also No. 2 in the hammer throw.