Franques not letting emotions rule in finale

• By JOHN BOYD
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: May 8, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:45 a.m.

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Another number was pulled down from the stadium’s outfield deathwatch: one fewer game remaining at Alex Box.

In all the hubbub over the ballpark’s closing with this weekend’s Southeastern Conference series against Mississippi State beginning Friday night, LSU public address announcer Bill Franques had intended to research how many games he had called at The Box.

Nineteen seasons, five national championships, one live birth in the public address system cabinet — it had to be somewhere around 700, he figured.

But when a search of the media guide showed that the current game, an 11-2 rout of Nicholls State on April 15, made exactly 700, he dismissed it with a “how ‘bout that?” smirk and simply introduced the next batter.

Franques is just not a guy overcome by round numbers or sentiment.

“It’s been a privilege to work here,” is about as much as he is willing to gush, flipping through his three-ringer binder of promotions to announce.

If Franques outwardly appears unaffected by the stadium’s closing, it’s not because he won’t miss the place: his mind is a Google of fond memories for the old Alex Box.

He’s just trying to end his 19-year run at the stadium the same way he held it — like a professional.

Growing up a sports-crazed kid in Lafayette, his role models were broadcasters like Frank Fallon, who carried themselves and treated their sport with a dignity above what others might afford.

“I’d watch the Final Four and think ‘How awesome would it be to do what Frank Fallon does?’” Franques said. “They were so smooth, so distinguished — they brought an air of dignity to an event.

“I recognize that some people think I’m too strict, too formal, but I like to think I bring dignity and respect to the game.”

Franques wasn’t much older than the players on the field when the school hired the recent LSU grad to be the sports information department’s lead for baseball in 1989.

By then, the success of another somewhat recent hire, coach Skip Bertman, had ignited the  program’s fan base.