Courtesy The Oklahoman

(February 18, 2009) Best known for calling University of Oklahoma football games, Oklahoma City sportscaster John Brooks’ trademark phrase "Geeeeeeeeminy Christmas!” was born during an Oklahoma City Blazers’ radio broadcast in the 1965-66 season.

"The puck hit the post too many times, and I didn’t know what to say,” Brooks said. "It just kind of stuck.”

Brooks went on to use it in broadcasting other sports, including OU football for 13 seasons and OU basketball 16 seasons.

Brooks, 70, will be inducted into the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame on April 17 with Tulsa news anchor Carole Lambert and the late Jan Dean, a Tulsa radio personality.

The awards banquet will be at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel as part of the assocation’s annual convention.

Brooks’ career has spanned 50 years, including 27 seasons as the Blazers’ voice. He broadcasted Northeastern State University football for four years and University of Tulsa football and basketball for two years, and he was sports director at KTOK-AM 1000 and KWTV-9.

Brooks says he’s delighted that listeners still approach him and compliment him on his OU broadcast work, saying, "I wish you were back.”

He devotes much time to his series of Bobby Bright Christmas books. Brooks has published two books about Bright, a talking Christmas tree, with a third one in the works. Last fall, he said he read to more than 25,000 fifth-graders on his tour of 42 Oklahoma elementary schools.

As KTUL-8’s principal news anchor since 1982, Lambert has earned the respect of her peers in television. She’s is known for her community service, including her Waiting Child program, which has helped thousands get adopted.

A Tulsa radio icon, Dean’s "Bed Check” late-night, call-in show produced strong ratings at KAYI-FM 106.9 in the 1980s. She also worked at KELI-AM 1430, KWEN-FM 95.5, KMYZ-FM 104.5 and KTSO-FM 94.1. Most recently, she was nontraditional revenue manager at Clear Channel Radio. She died in 2007 after a battle with brain cancer. She was 48.