Huston to announce races Saturday at Scioto's 50th party

Roger Huston, the voice of the Little Brown Jug for the past 40 years, will call the races at Scioto Downs on Saturday as part of the track’s 50th Anniversary celebration. 

Huston, 66, is a native of Ohio but now lives in western Pennsylvania where he has served as the announcer at The Meadows for more than 30 years. He is also the long-time announcer of the Little Brown Jug at the Delaware, Ohio fair. 

Huston is a member of the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame and he’ll be joined by other members of that select group, such as Howard Beissinger, a three-time Hambletonian winner, on Saturday evening at Scioto Downs. Huston is also a member of the Communicators Corner at the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen, New York.

Huston says that when he takes the microphone for the first race at Scioto Downs, it will be the 148,133rd race he’s announced in his life.

He keeps a running total of the races he’s called in working at 125 different tracks in such places as Australia, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, in addition to the United States and Canada.

“I’m an Ohio boy at heart and coming back to call races at Scioto Downs will be a great thrill for me,” says Huston.

Huston called his first race at the Clinton County Fair in Wilmington in 1960.

“That summer I worked at five county fairs, announced 99 races, and earned $399,” recalls Huston. (with files from Scioto Downs)

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