One of Gary Hodgson duties as a Philadelphia Police officer was security for dignitaries visiting Philadelphia. Philly PD snipers were posted on the roof tops.

When we worked late at the dental lab we would turn the radio on to Gary Hodgson’s old time radio show. Fibber Magee & Molly, The Shadow and other shows. 

I met Gary on the campus of Ursinus College. As a resident of Trappe PA we had access to the library & at times the swimming pool & tennis courts. 

My son was a friend of the Collegeville Police Chief’s son we sometimes were at the library researching for something that was due the next day.

Just remembered, One of my childhood friends was Jim Dougherty son of Coatesville PD Chief Dougherty.

Betsy & me were involved in the 1976 Centennial Celebration July 4, 1976. Betsy was a guide dressed in a period costume.

When I told Gary we lived in Philly and my wife knew Frank Rizzo from the SEPA Red Cross where she worked, he began talking about his Philadelphia Police career and his then friend Frank Rizzo. 

Frank Rizzo had a radio show. He would take questions phoned in on the air. There were jokes about Rizzo’s limited vocabulary. 

Gary sat opposite Frank on the air. He made cards with “big words” on them and would hold one up when it was possible for Frank use one. 

Gary told me that he was in charge of security for dignitaries visiting Philadelphia, such as President Nixon & the Pope. Gary met President Nixon at 30th Street Station and sat next to him in the car. 

Gary told me about the Philadelphia Police snipers on the tall buildings surrounding Independence Hall. Philadelphia Police augmented the Secret Service when the president came to Philly. 

Gary passed a few years ago. Many, many, many people have fond memories of Gary. 

 

I found a tribute to Gary:

“This project was made possible with the support of a Civic Engagement Grant from the Ursinus Center for Advocacy, Responsibility and Engagement (UCARE).

Gary Hodgson is a veteran member of the Ursinus community who works in campus safety. He is one of the most charismatic and talkative characters on campus and loves to laugh. But some may not know that he has been the announcer of the Ursinus football games for the last five years. Jim Wagner, the Sport Information Director, who reportedly never asked Gary what he knew about football, picked him for this job. But Gary quickly learned all things football and developed his own style over the loudspeakers. He combines his skills to make his own special broadcasts. This knack for announcing comes from his previous career in radio and television. 

He worked for six and a half years, from 1984 to 1990, at CBS and for four years on ABC. While broadcasting, he worked with stars that he and his aunt Claudia had listened to while he was growing up. This included the radio show Nick Carter, Master Detective. He had gotten his radio job after listeners heard him call in for a bid to sit in with the host. After the host had left, he was called upon to take a position with them, and the rest is history. 

He ended the shows with what would be his famous outro slogan, “Goodnight to you, and you, and especially you.” The first show he said this famous outro he added a shout out to his Aunt Claudia saying, “especially you Aunt Claudia,” who was extremely excited for him to get the job. But, he never found out if she had heard it, for he had found out the next day she had tragically passed away the night of his broadcast. 

For the six years he was on radio, he was number one in his entire area and he accredits his good luck to “the confluence of opportunity and preparedness.” Nowadays, most people know him from his famous announcing of senior football player James Roccograndi’s name. Gary Hodgson, in his 20+ year career in campus safety, is a valuable and irreplaceable member of the Ursinus community. He says, “Working hasn’t been a job because I have enjoyed it too much.”

FROM:

Gary Hodgson, Campus Safety Officer