Salute: Chuck Morgan, country music and 'Hee Haw'

Chuck Morgan has seen plenty of baseball.Morgan, the public address announcer for the Texas Rangers, has had that job since 1983, and has never missed a game.Morgan was one of the panelists during a seminar at last week's Society for American Baseball Research.He also was a speaker during a tour of Globe Life Field in Arlington, where the Rangers play.Chuck is a friendly, outgoing guy, and his office is covered in memorabilia. Most of it is baseball related. It has pictures of him with Nolan Ryan, former president George W. Bush (a one-time Rangers owner) and many other Texas ballplayers, such as Juan Gonzalez.But there are also pictures that reflect Chuck's life before baseball, when he worked as a disc jockey in Nashville, later becoming the announcer for the Grand Ole Opry.Before he introduced baseball players, Chuck introduced country music's biggest stars. He didn't say he missed doing that, but did mention that he keeps his window in his office closed before games, so he doesn't have to listen to the music they play at the park.Chuck even made several appearances in the cornfield – in overalls -- on the syndicated television show "Hee Haw.""Hee Haw was something of an answer to Rowan and Martin's "Laugh In," but with it centered around country music and its skits were often playing on the stereotypes of southern living.The show ran far longer than "Laugh In," or just about anything else. "Hee Haw went from 1969-1993, and was hosted, primarily, by a pair of music legends: Buck Owens and Roy Clark,Owens was one of the top acts of the 1960s, helping to popularize the "Bakersfield sound," which electrified country music in a clean, slick way.Owens was a major influence on artists in rock and country. The Beatles covered his songs, and John Fogerty even name checked him on one of Credence Clearwater Revival's biggest hits, "Lookin' Out My Back Door."Clark was one of country's greatest guitar players and instrumentalists. There is a story (and I think it's a tall tale, because the person being interviewed changes, depending on the storyteller), that talk show host Dick Cavett asked Jimi Hendrix what it was like to be the best player in the world.He responded, "you'll have to ask Roy Clark."If you really want to see how good Clark was, go on YouTube and check out Clark's appearance on the television show "The Odd Couple." There, Clark performs Ernesto Lecuona's "Maleguena" for Felix and Oscar, played by Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, respectively.Clark blows the pair away, to the point where they almost break character, in awe of what they are watching.But, back to "Hee Haw" for a second.When I was about 6, the show came on, and I thought, with the characters' outlandish costumes and cartoon donkey, that it was show for kids.It seemed to me to be a kind of "Pee Wee Herman goes country" kind of thing.Later – decades later – I came across the show again. Working late at The Advertiser-Tribune one night, my co-worker, John Montgomery, was flipping television channels, and came by "Hee Haw" reruns on RFD-TV.It quickly became a staple of the sports department's late night viewing.While I didn't always care for the silly and stereotypical comedy, there were two things that made me appreciate the show on second viewing.First, the show was a place to see the top country stars of the time perform. Johnny Cash was a guest star. So was Charley Pride, George Jones and Loretta Lynn.The second thing was that Clark went after the show – whether it was a sketch or a musical performance – with such cheerful gusto that it became impossible to be cynical.Owens later admitted he did the show for money. He puts on a brave face, but sometimes it looked like he'd rather be anyone else.Clark never allows a second thought. He's having fun and he wants you to have fun watching.Owens and Clark are both gone now, but I can't help but wonder why Hee Haw hasn't gotten a revival, when every show over the last 50 years has gotten a reboot.Maybe it was simply about time and place. No one could replace Clark.Rangers fans likely feel the same way about Chuck Morgan. Zach Baker is sports editor of The Courier.