The Crookston Parks & Recreation board met Monday night at Crookston City Hall to discuss the renaming of the Crookston Sports Center event rink press box after longtime Crookston Pirate and University of Minnesota Crookston Trojan and Golden Eagle hockey play-by-play announcer Frank Fee. Even after retirement, Fee is still announcing Pirate Girls hockey this past winter and plans to do it again next school year.
The meeting took place at City Hall with all board members in attendance. One of those board members is Mike LaFrance, Chair of the Park Board, and he said that when the time eventually did come to rename the press box, Frank was an easy choice. “Well I think it in part had to do with Jake Fee (Frank’s son) being told he should bring it up while he was on city council” Said LaFrance. “Now that Jake is off of city council he felt it was time and I think everybody agreed.”
The decision was made after a couple of people (including Jake) brought Frank’s name up at the meeting. A phrase used in the meeting included, “He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk” that were spoke during the meeting, are a good indicator of the respect he’s earned from the community. Frank was also an active contributor to the building/design of the press box along with the CSC as a whole back when it was built.
When asked if there was another consideration besides Frank, LaFrance didn’t hesitate in saying Frank is the right choice, “Oh yeah, definitely with Frank, no doubt.”
Frank has announced over a total of 3,000 sporting contests over the years and has won many prestigious awards. He has been announcing Pirate sports, including hockey for over 45 years since moving to Crookston in 1973. He is currently on his fourth term as Crookston School Board member, and a member of the Crookston High School Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
The next meeting will take place July 19 and LaFrance said the next steps will be taken towards making it official. “Our next meeting is July 19th, and will have a couple of people work on designs to have ready by that date, and then will make it official and put up the sign this summer,” said LaFrance. “Hopefully have some kind of ceremony this winter during hockey season for it.”
Frank has impacted many lives over the years and one article simply isn’t enough to list all the accomplishments throughout his life.
