Bibby_Is_Clutch
Starter
Longtime stat man hasn't missed a game since Kings moved to SacramentoBy JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
January 21, 2005
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Del Enos runs around Arco Arena more than the players before a Sacramento Kings game.
He charges through the tunnels to greet the officials, collecting their names and jersey numbers for those who need such information. He hustles to his courtside seat to check that all computers and headphones are functioning. Then he grabs a quick bite to eat.
Enos is a stats ironman: He's worked 872 consecutive games, not missing a single one since the franchise moved from Kansas City in 1985.
He has been an integral member of the Kings' stats crew for all 855 games played in Arco. That includes preseason, regular-season and playoff games, and the first three seasons when the team played in the original Arco Arena.
He's a statistician for the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs, too, and hasn't missed any of those games either. Enos isn't sure how he's maintained the streak.
``I guess over 20 years is quite a long time,'' he said, laughing. ``I've probably been lucky, too. I haven't been sick enough to make me miss work.''
Enos, who's 54 and single, commutes just under an hour each way from Stockton. A former high school teacher and coach, by day he works evaluating 25 student teachers from Cal State Stanislaus -- observing each one teach 10 times as their final step before getting their certificate.
The job allows Enos to be at Arco by 4 p.m. -- three hours before tipoff.
``I can't be late,'' he said. ``I have to account for traffic or anything that can happen.''
He almost missed a game in 1986 when severe floods closed several freeways. Somehow, he still got to the game by taking the long route, and arrived just 10 minutes before the start.
Hasn't he ever been sick?
``Not enough to not work,'' said Enos, who grew up in nearby Walnut Grove. ``Besides, as a teacher you never want to miss work. You work through that. It's a wasted day if you miss teaching and coaching.''
During the season, Enos works about 60 hours a week between both jobs.
His first game with the Kings was Oct. 9, 1985. When the team used to play exhibition games in Redding, Reno or Davis, he went to those, too.
In 1993, Enos retired after a 20-year career at Rio Vista High School. He taught social sciences and physical education and coached football and basketball. That background helps him with his current gig.
During games, he either keeps play-by-play by hand or calls it out to a person punching in the information to a computer. He's even been in charge of the official score book a few times. Enos writes down everything in a coded system. That way, in case something goes wrong or the computer person gets behind there's still a record of what happened. The running scoring and statistical breakdown are later printed out as part of the official stats packet.
Any minor errors are quickly corrected during timeouts.
``Through the years, we've probably changed systems for how we do statistics four times,'' he said. ``You can't miss anything.''
When he's calling a game, his code might go like this: ``RBL4 A10 18 feet.'' That translates to: right baseline jumper from 18 feet by Chris Webber (he wears uniform No. 4), with an assist for Mike Bibby (who's No. 10).
Enos has his own shorthand, too -- KB for kicked ball, F for foul, L for layup and M for miss.
``I enjoy it,'' he said. ``It is work, though. It takes total concentration. You've got to block everything out. That's the nature of the job. My coaching background helps obviously. It's not a prerequisite, but it helps just knowing the game.''
January 21, 2005
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Del Enos runs around Arco Arena more than the players before a Sacramento Kings game.
He charges through the tunnels to greet the officials, collecting their names and jersey numbers for those who need such information. He hustles to his courtside seat to check that all computers and headphones are functioning. Then he grabs a quick bite to eat.
Enos is a stats ironman: He's worked 872 consecutive games, not missing a single one since the franchise moved from Kansas City in 1985.
He has been an integral member of the Kings' stats crew for all 855 games played in Arco. That includes preseason, regular-season and playoff games, and the first three seasons when the team played in the original Arco Arena.
He's a statistician for the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs, too, and hasn't missed any of those games either. Enos isn't sure how he's maintained the streak.
``I guess over 20 years is quite a long time,'' he said, laughing. ``I've probably been lucky, too. I haven't been sick enough to make me miss work.''
Enos, who's 54 and single, commutes just under an hour each way from Stockton. A former high school teacher and coach, by day he works evaluating 25 student teachers from Cal State Stanislaus -- observing each one teach 10 times as their final step before getting their certificate.
The job allows Enos to be at Arco by 4 p.m. -- three hours before tipoff.
``I can't be late,'' he said. ``I have to account for traffic or anything that can happen.''
He almost missed a game in 1986 when severe floods closed several freeways. Somehow, he still got to the game by taking the long route, and arrived just 10 minutes before the start.
Hasn't he ever been sick?
``Not enough to not work,'' said Enos, who grew up in nearby Walnut Grove. ``Besides, as a teacher you never want to miss work. You work through that. It's a wasted day if you miss teaching and coaching.''
During the season, Enos works about 60 hours a week between both jobs.
His first game with the Kings was Oct. 9, 1985. When the team used to play exhibition games in Redding, Reno or Davis, he went to those, too.
In 1993, Enos retired after a 20-year career at Rio Vista High School. He taught social sciences and physical education and coached football and basketball. That background helps him with his current gig.
During games, he either keeps play-by-play by hand or calls it out to a person punching in the information to a computer. He's even been in charge of the official score book a few times. Enos writes down everything in a coded system. That way, in case something goes wrong or the computer person gets behind there's still a record of what happened. The running scoring and statistical breakdown are later printed out as part of the official stats packet.
Any minor errors are quickly corrected during timeouts.
``Through the years, we've probably changed systems for how we do statistics four times,'' he said. ``You can't miss anything.''
When he's calling a game, his code might go like this: ``RBL4 A10 18 feet.'' That translates to: right baseline jumper from 18 feet by Chris Webber (he wears uniform No. 4), with an assist for Mike Bibby (who's No. 10).
Enos has his own shorthand, too -- KB for kicked ball, F for foul, L for layup and M for miss.
``I enjoy it,'' he said. ``It is work, though. It takes total concentration. You've got to block everything out. That's the nature of the job. My coaching background helps obviously. It's not a prerequisite, but it helps just knowing the game.''
Updated on Friday, Jan 21, 2005 2:40 pm EST
Last edited:
