Jun 25, 2021 5 min read

Bob Gregg is convinced that living and working in Washington has been a capital idea.

“I was born here and grew up here,” he mused recently. “Except for six months in Miami, trying to play baseball, this has been home.

“I’ve looked at going to other places, but that never went far. You walk down the street here and people know each other, talk to each other. We have problems we can’t sweep away, but this is home and we try to make it the best that we can.”

Life in his hometown has been quite a home run for Gregg, operations director at WJPA Radio, PONY League World Series official, sports play-by-play guy and commercial voiceover for the station. His job title is apropos, for he is seemingly involved in all operations at 93.5 FM and 1450 AM.

Gregg, 61, knows everything about the place. He has been working there since he was a 16-year-old Washington High School student – when he wasn’t pitching, playing percussion in the band or studying.

Operations at the station – and, essentially, everywhere – intensified over the past 15 months, as the pandemic became a global focus. As one of the few viable news and information sources in the southwestern-most corner of Pennsylvania, WJPA had an obligation to update local residents, and thus ramp up its game.

“The station has been on the air every day, and that hasn’t changed – pandemic or not,” Gregg said. “Everyone has been here, shifting responsibilities.

“It’s one thing to sit at home and talk sports, but when you’re trying to provide information on whether businesses are open, on rules, regulations, vaccines and other things that are changing all the time, the staff had to be here. Sharing that information was as important as it’s ever been for the general public, and the on-air staff did a fantastic job.

“We talk about being a family. Well, we had our family bubble. Staff members put everything on the line every day.”

Gregg’s duties began to change in March 2020, when the outbreak initially barged into the region. There were no scholastic or collegiate sports events to cover, no advertising coming from sponsors of those events. But ad revenue was still a priority. “Selling was important,” he said. “We had to keep the lights on and radio transmitters working.”

That bubble encircled employees only, as clients were not allowed inside the downtown Washington station. Contests and giveaways went away temporarily. “We had no attraction tickets because there were no attractions being held,” he said.

Operations for the operations manager, and his colleagues at the intersection of East Wheeling and South Main, have been returning to normal as control of the pandemic continues. For Gregg, that promises – repeat, promises – to include the PONY League World Series at Lew Hays Field in Washington Park. The baseball tournament, featuring local and international teams of 13- and 14-year-olds, was a COVID casualty last summer.

“The plan now is there will be a World Series,” Gregg said in early June, near the deadline for this edition. At that time, Abraham Key, president of PONY Baseball and Softball, had not determined whether the Series would, indeed, be contested. The tentative dates are Aug. 9-13.

“If it is a go, we’ll be doing our thing,” said Gregg, who is on the Series board of directors and the local organizing committee for the event. He had previously served as Series director and in other lofty capacities.

This is the 70th anniversary year for PONY baseball, which began in Washington. Except for an 11-year hiatus that ended in 1984, the city has hosted the Series every year. To this former Washington High School pitching ace, it is a crown jewel.

“The World Series is part of the fabric of Washington County,” he said. “It is an opportunity to showcase the county. The kids look forward to it, adults look forward to it. It’s a destination that every PONY team aspires to come to in the middle of August.”

Unseen, lethal pathogens forced last year’s cancellation, which was a major disappointment for him. But a necessity.

“That was a big loss for the kids, for the community, for everything,” Gregg said. “But in light of everything that was going on, that decision had to happen. There wasn’t any pushback against it because there couldn’t be any pushback, because of what was going on in the world.”

Gregg likewise is part of the local fabric. He has resided within about a five-mile radius of the city since 1969, with homes in Washington, East Washington and Chartiers Township. He has two grown children.

Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, said he has worked with Gregg “on numerous projects, but none is more impactful than his work with the Series. This event attracts people from all over the world to focus on our county for several days. He has become a true advocate for the Series and our area.”

Bob Gregg’s roots, after all, run deep here – and he is proud of it.

“We appreciate this being our home,” he said. “We have a partnership with the people who live here.”