When Norman Vunk said, “Say Goodnight Norm,” fans of Martha’s Vineyard High School sports knew another football game broadcast was over.

The familiar catch phrase began one fateful football night when I was announcing the game. After I gave the final score, I said to Norm: “Say Goodnight Norm.” And he replied, “Say Goodnight Norm.”

For nearly 400 games and nearly 40 years, those three words were our motto. Norm was my radio and television partner.

Norm died in 2017, but his spirit is very much alive, especially each fall during football season. At the final home game of the 2017 season, the MV Touchdown Club handed out T-shirts to all the fans inscribed with the words: “Say Goodnight Norm.” Those shirts remain cherished collector’s items.

Ken Goldberg

Ken Goldberg

Our friendship began as casual acquaintances, both liking sports. Our professional relationship began with a very brief job interview .

“I need a color man,” I said. “Are you interested?”

Norm replied, “Sure, but I have only one question. Are you going to let me talk?”

My affirmative nod convinced him.

As Humphrey Bogart told Claude Rains in Casablanca, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” And it was.

Away games usually began with the stop at the old Bob’s Big Boy restaurant at the Bourne Bridge. Known as the “Trough,” Bob’s Big Boy featured an all-you-can-eat buffet. Our main goal was to get to Bob’s before the football team arrived. I thrived on Mount Bacon. Norm would gently remind me about self-control.

The years flew by. Home games. Away games. Friday night games under the lights. Saturday games. Thursday and Sunday makeup games. We took our car. We borrowed cars. We snagged rides. We sat in booths, in buses, on hills. We sat on top of a truck over a cesspool at West Bridgewater and never forgot that aroma. We often sat in bleachers on the opponents’ side, usually getting the hairy eyeball when we screamed Vineyard touchdown!

Best of all we became good friends.

While I made attempts to be impartial during our football broadcasts, Norm’s blood was strictly purple. He was an astute observer and acknowledged an opponent’s fine play, but he was a homer all the way. We announced five Super Bowl Championships and all the wonderful wins over Nantucket.

Along the way, Norm started nicknaming players. Quickly it became a badge of honor to receive a Norm nickname. Ryan Ruley was the “Little Imp.” Greg Belcher and Aaron Belanger were the “B&B Boys.” Keith “Wheels” Devine ran wild. Seth Abbott, “The Bus,” Andrew Nourse “The Hammer.”

Then came the Buder nickname situation. Quarterback Hans was “Little Boo” and big brother Alex was obviously “Big Boo.” Their Dad, Karl, was a coach, so we called him “Old Boo.” Then there was the fateful away game when we met Grandfather Buder. It took only one look between Norm and me to settle it. Hello “Real Old Boo.”

Of all Norm’s nicknames, it is the “Snot Ringer” that deserves special mention. He initially coined the phrase after a particularly hard hit delivered by a Vineyard defender. Norm was succinct: “He hit him so hard his nose hole became his ear hole.”

Football team continues to flourish.

Ray Ewing.

Football team continues to flourish.

Ray Ewing.

He was, of course, referring to ball carrier’s helmet rotating 45 degrees after the hit. Use your imagination. At the annual awards dinner any player who won the Snot Ringer award also received a monogrammed handkerchief acknowledging the tackle. Players told me this was the award they most hoped to win.

After 10 years on the radio, a new opportunity arose with cable television. Eager as I was, Norm was hesitant, telling me before our first broadcast: “I don’t know about this. I have a face made for radio.”

Norm overcame his reluctance and for almost 30 years we carried on. Even now, Martha’s Vineyard remains a place where one person can be so highly thought of by so many people. Norm Vunk was that person.

The first words to me about Norm from Tim Duys, Norm’s longtime friend and partner in Trim Construction, were: “The kids. He was always there.”

“Norm was president of the Boys & Girls Club, and the Martha’s Vineyard High School girls basketball coach, and especially enjoyed the benefit Casino Nights at the Boys & Girls Club where he was a croupier and took your money,” Tim continued.

With a smile, Tim also recalled Norm’s love affair with golf. After finally hanging up his hammer holster, Norm asked Mark Hess for a job at the Edgartown Golf Club. 

“They were his happiest days,” Tim said. “I was not surprised when he went to see Mark at the golf course.”

“Norm did everything,” Mark recalled. “He rolled the greens, cut the rough, helped build the bag room, garage building, maintenance barn and jabbered with all the members.”

Mark thought for a moment, looked directly at me and said: “Norm really cared about people and family. He played in all the charity events. Everyone liked Norm.”

In later years I’d run into Norm riding the mower at the golf course. We would catch up and share our latest life stories. Then off he went, enjoying the day. He was no slouch on the course sporting a 12 handicap. Norm’s boots are proudly displayed on the wall at the club, his second home.

People were eager to reminisce about Norm.

“He was a true Vineyard spirit,” said Catherine Deese.

“He was a gentle, caring man, and one of the most consistent ‘Dads’ who attended many of our games,” said Lindsay (Lehman) Bigby. “Personally, I knew if my game was struggling, I could stop by him, and he’d have all the right things to say. He will forever be such a special part of my student athlete career growing up.”

Former Vineyard Basketball Coach Jay Schofield described Norm as someone who was always genuinely interested in everything everyone said.

“His photo still graces our refrigerator door,” Jay said. “That’s how much he meant to us.”

Our broadcasting colleague Mike McLaughlin still has vivid memories.

“Norm was funny and meant the world to me,” he said. “I consider myself lucky to know him and work with him. He loved the kids. He really cared about them. And he loved life.”

Jason Dyer, quarterback for the 1991 and 1992 championship seasons, remembered those days with gratitude.

“Norm and all you guys, thank you for capturing and giving a soundtrack to some of the most cherished moments of my life. Looking back, through the eyes of experience, it’s clear that what we were collectively, as a community, was so much bigger than the game itself.”

Martha’s Vineyard football continues to flourish and Friday night lights shine brightly high atop McCarthy Field. The 2025 team plays a solid brand of football. Rival Nantucket comes here Nov. 1.

It would be a pleasure to harpoon the Whalers, and at the end of the game look to my right, smile and hear him say: “Say Goodnight Norm.”

Ken Goldberg is a frequent contributor to the Gazette.