42 seasons in Auburn's press box 'a very rewarding experience'

AUBURN, Ala. – For the first time since 1977, reporters covering Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium did not hear David Storey's voice in the press box when the Tigers kicked off the season against Kentucky.

"This is the first season in 50 years that I will not have gameday responsibilities," said Storey, who was a manager during his four seasons as an Auburn University student in the early 1970s before working as a student assistant in sports information.

Beginning in 1975, he worked two years at the SEC office in public relations, then worked in the University of Georgia athletic department for 18 months.

Starting in 1978, at age 26, David served as the press box public address announcer for Auburn home games.

For someone whose first Auburn game was a 19-0 Homecoming win vs. Florida as an 11-year-old in 1963, it was a dream job.

"In the right place at the right time," said Storey, whose Monday-Friday career included 22 years as an external affairs manager for BellSouth followed by stints as a freelance writer and market research manager.

His boss at Auburn University Relations, Tex Williams, had served on Auburn's stats crew since the 1950s.

"They just happened to have an opening that year," Storey said. "I came on board as an offensive spotter for the PA announcer, Buddy Davidson, the sports information director. I kept the participation charts."

In the middle of the fourth quarter, when Davidson would escort sports writers to the field, Storey took a turn behind the mic.

"Buddy would turn to me and say, 'David, take over,'" Storey recalled.

As Davidson's in-game responsibilities increased in the early 1980s, he handed the full-time press box PA duties to Storey.

While fans in the stands hear the voice of Ric Smith (and before him, Carl Stephens) on the stadium public address system, Storey's proclamations reached a more targeted audience.

"Someone who understood the game," he said of the job requirements for a press box PA announcer. "Someone who could relay the pertinent information to the media in the press box that would enable them to provide coverage of the game: the ball carrier or receiver's name, yards gained or lost on each play, the tackler, the defender knocking down a pass, the return specialists."

In addition to the play-by-play summary, Storey shared any school or individual records, providing reporters with statistical nuggets to bolster their stories while highlighting standout performers.

"Give the information in a professional manner, straightforward, that would be of aid to the media," he said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

That's easier to do on a 3-yard run than when a missed field goal gets returned 100 yards for a touchdown to win the Iron Bowl on the final play.David Storey (right)  and the Auburn stats crew worked all 28 SEC Championship Games
"Jon Solomon, who was covering for the Birmingham News at that time, stood up, turned around and gave us a look of, 'Did we just see that?'" said Storey of the Kick Six aftermath.

After 42 seasons, Storey decided 2020 was the right time to hang up the mic.

"I just felt like it was time to step back and let someone else take over," said Storey, who missed only two games during the decades, the 2013 Georgia game to walk his niece down the aisle at her wedding, and the 2014 Louisiana Tech game for his father-in-law's funeral in Virginia.

After the Prayer in Jordan-Hare, Tommy Elliott, a 47-season press box veteran, sent Storey a text.

"You didn't miss a thing," Storey said with a laugh.

"I told my wife when we were first married that press box was my hobby," he said. "I didn't do any hunting, didn't do much fishing, but I did Auburn press box in the fall. She's been really understanding all these years."

Now that he's retired from that hobby, the Storeys have time for new adventures like trips to the beach and the lake.

"It's going to be different," he said. "I plan to watch as many Auburn games on television as I can."

The Storey story also includes working all 28 Southeastern Conference Championship games, first in Birmingham in 1992-93, then in Atlanta ever since.  

"It's been a very rewarding experience for me," he said. "I've enjoyed the association with Auburn football all these years and the people who make up Auburn football."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer