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• Where Are They Now: Donn Bernstein from Nov. 9, 2007 (noozhawk.com)
Donn Bernstein was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 1982.
Story courtesy: ucsbgauchos.com
UC Santa Barbara Athletics Mourns the Passing of Hall of Fame Member Donn Bernstein
Donn Bernstein, a member of the UC Santa Barbara Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame and a legend in the college football world, passed away in New York City on Wednesday morning at the age of 83.
"Bernie," who served as UCSB's Sports Information Director from 1964-72, was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2002. During his time with the Gaucho program and in the 47 years since, he touched the lives of innumerable student-athletes, staff members and members of the Santa Barbara community.
After spending three years as a sports journalist in his native San Francisco Bay Area, Bernie became UCSB's first Sports Information Director in 1964. He churned out press releases and features. He cajoled the media to cover the Gauchos. He got to know every UCSB athlete. If you wore the Blue and Gold, you became part of Bernie's family forever.
In Bernie's second year in Santa Barbara, the Gaucho football team earned an invitation to the Camellia Bowl, a highlight in the program's history. Following the 1971-72 school year, he accepted the position of Sports Information Director at the University of Washington and, following two years in Seattle, he departed for New York City where he joined ABC Sports as Director of Communications handling college football PR for the network.
Following 15 years at ABC, Bernie moved on to Cohn & Wolfe, one of the world's largest full-service global communications agencies. He remained there for 25 years until retiring in the summer of 2016.
In 1982, Bernie was inducted into the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Hall of Fame. In addition, he was presented the "Tommy Trojan Award" by the University of Southern California- the first non-USC alumnus so honored - in recognition for his long service and support of college football.
Despite leaving UCSB in 1972, Bernie would make regular visits and he remained a loyal Gaucho. For those fortunate enough to have known him, his incredible professionalism was matched by his amazing kindness, generosity and loyalty. Bernie never forgot his Blue and Gold roots and if you were a Gaucho, regardless of era or sport, he automatically embraced you and you became part of his family.
The Green Bay Packers worked out at UCSB in preparation for the first Super Bowl in 1967. Bernstein is featured in this KEYT-TV clip about his experience hosting the team and coach Vince Lombardi. Clip shared by Ric LaCivita. LaCivita also shared the top photo of Bernstein: "It embodies all that Donn deeply cherished — his beloved Gauchos and Huskys — and Snoqualmie Falls, WA where he found so much inner peace and happiness!"
Memories of Donn Bernstein from friends.
Former USC sports information director Jim Perry:
Donn was larger than life — bombastic, yes, but also warm, gracious and very funny.
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In the second year of our marriage, when I was in my first year as SID, Donn called our apartment. Cathy, who did not know him yet, said to me, "There's a loud voice for you on the phone."
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In 1975, at the Liberty Bowl, Cathy, Donn, Jim Lampley and I went to dinner. After the meal, Cathy ordered a Tia Maria after dinner drink, which came in a very, very small glass. Bernstein was outraged.
"Miss!" he shouted to our waitress.
"Is there a problem, sir?" she said.
Donn held up the drink and shouted again, "What is this? What is this?"
Now the waitress quivered. "Uh, that's a Tia Maria, sir."
"Really!" he shouted. "It looks like an ant specimen!"
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In 1987, my first year at NFL Properties, Cathy and I went to New York, the company headquarters, on an L.A. office trip.
I got in touch with Bernie, and he spent a day with us, taking us for a horse-carriage ride in Central Park and to lunch at Tavern on the Green. Cathy and I both loved him.
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As Jim Muldoon would tell you, in the brief time he was Washington's SID, he dominated our annual SID meetings. I could barely talk, because I was so busy laughing.
When he disagreed with David Price, then the conference SID who had a hearing problem, Bernie would shout, "David, turn up your hearing aid! Didn't you hear what I said?"
John Heisler of UCF:
Some of my most vivid memories of Donn involved those Sunday morning phone calls from him when your team was going to be on ABC. Donn was very particular about the template he had for his press release and he wanted the names and stats delivered to him in a particular order and way — and if you did not do it correctly he was going to be displeased. He was always a little gruff, a little in a hurry. When I was young I was always a little petrified that I was going to somehow disappoint him — and I would heave a sigh of relief in some form when the call ended because maybe I'd survived...and I'm sure it was all just another day in the office for Donn.
Dennis Kirkpatrick, former assistant SID at USC during Bernstein era:
I was the assistant SID at USC during the era of Bernstein....and he could scare the hell out of you! Or he made you feel like you were on top of the world. You could hear him coming from Pasadena to downtown LA! And he knew...or said he knew, everyone except the Almighty...and he might have met him somewhere.
Sunday morning answering the phone, "USC Sports Information. DONN BERNSTEIN -- ABC SPORTS" still rings in my ear. "We are coming out there this week. Is Pear (my boss Jim Perry) there? Tell him it's me."
The heart of a lion and a roar to match. One of the memories that we all want to keep in our hearts.
Tom Odjakjian of the American Athletic Conference:
When he would call, he could put our secretary in tears, and the rest of us on high alert. I first met Donn in 1978, for a Dartmouth-Princeton game on ABC. He became a great and dear friend and more so each year.