Booker T. Washington's Lawrence 'Night Train' Lane Celebrates 55 Years As High School Football Announcer

For more than five decades, everyone has heard the voice of the Hornets, but now they get to meet the face.

Lawrence Lane, more commonly known as "Night Train," has introduced the Booker T. Washington Hornets every season for the last 55 years.

"A lot of people recognize me just by my voice," Lane said. 

During his time, he's seen several athletes make names for themselves in S.E. Williams Stadium.

"Man, we've had some fantastic athletes here. I can't name them all. 'Bo' Tiger, the Gilliams, Felix Jones, Harris, I mean, I can go on and on and on, Granvil Liggins," he said. 

But one of his most memorable plays came from Melvin Gilliam.

"He walked in from the thirty, the twenty, the ten, the five, touchdown hornets, you know," Night Train exclaimed. 

For many Hornet fans, Mr. Lane is an icon and a staple of the school.

"It would be hard to even imagine coming to a football game without hearing Night Train's voice doing the broadcasting," said Booker T. Alumni Fred Jones. 

Every Friday evening for the last 55 years, everyone's always known where they can find Lane.

"Friday nights is always football. It's Friday night lights," said Lane. 

He said back in the '60s and '70s, you could always count on a packed house.

"Kids were slipping in under the fence, getting in any way they could get in, I mean, that was the place to go, and this was the thing to do, to come and watch the Hornets on Friday night," Lane said as he reminisced on his years with the Hornets. 

Since he started announcing in 1968, he's made the same amount of cash, "thirty dollars a game, that's all I make, thirty dollars a game," he said. 

But what keeps him coming back is being a part of the legacy at Booker T. Washington High School.

"There's nothing like getting the crowd pumped up when they know that you're in the box," he said.