--- title: "From the Mound to the Mic: How Roger Higgins Became the Voice of the Marauders" description: Roger Higgins transitioned from a professional baseball pitcher to a celebrated sports broadcaster, becoming the iconic “Voice of the Marauders” at the University of Mary. image: https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(28).png --- [Skip to content](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/from-the-mound-to-the-mic-how-roger-higgins-became-the-voice-of-the-marauders#main-content) ![2x10 Marauder Football Alumni Association (2)](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hubfs/2x10%20Marauder%20Football%20Alumni%20Association%20(2).png "2x10 Marauder Football Alumni Association (2)") [Website](https://marauderfootballalumni.com/)[Membership Levels](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/-levels) --- [Business Opportunities](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marketing-branding-experience)[Events](https://marauderfootballalumni.com/group-events) ![](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(28).png?width=2000&height=1000&name=Untitled%20design%20(28).png) Marauder Alumni Hall of Fame # From the Mound to the Mic: How Roger Higgins Became the Voice of the Marauders ![Marauder Football Alumni Association](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy-1.png?width=48&height=48&name=Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy-1.png) Marauder Football Alumni Association February 8, 2026 Here’s a blog-ready feature on Roger Higgins. For **Roger Higgins**, sports haven’t just been a pastime—they’ve been a lifelong vocation. From professional baseball diamonds to broadcast booths and finally to the press box at the University of Mary, Roger’s story is woven deeply into the fabric of North Dakota sports. Today, many know him simply as the **“Voice of the Marauders.”** But long before he called his first UMary game, he was toeing the rubber as a professional pitcher. ## A Life in Baseball Fresh out of high school, Higgins chased a dream that few ever reach: - He **signed with the Boston Red Sox** organization. - Began his pro career pitching for a minor league club in **Roanoke, Virginia**. His early career was interrupted by **World War II**, when he served **two years in the U.S. Army**. After his military service, he returned to the game he loved: - Spent **nine more years in organized baseball**, spanning multiple teams and roles. - Finished his professional career in **1957** in **Las Vegas, Nevada**, serving as: - **Pitcher** - **Pitching coach** - **Assistant manager** In total, Higgins logged **11 years as a professional baseball player**, a journey that eventually brought him to **Bismarck** as a pitcher for the **Bismarck Barons**. It turned out that his arm wasn’t the only talent that would shape his future. ## Finding His Voice in Broadcasting While still navigating life as a player, Higgins took his first steps into a second career—sports broadcasting. - In **1956**, between baseball seasons, he accepted a **sales job at KBOM radio** in Bismarck. - During the **fall and winter**, he began helping KBOM’s sports director with **play-by-play announcing**. The combination was perfect: a former pro athlete with a knack for storytelling and an understanding of the game from the inside out. In **1957**, Higgins moved from radio to the new frontier of local television: - Joined **KXMB Channel 12** as **sports director**. By **1959**, he transitioned to **Meyer Broadcasting Company** and **KFYR Television**, where his influence continued to grow: - By **1961**, he had become the station’s **play-by-play broadcaster**. - In **1964**, he was named **sports director for both television and radio**. From then until **1978**, Higgins was a constant presence across **TV and radio sports**, eventually focusing solely on television until his first retirement in **1989**. ## The Voice of the Marauders Retirement didn’t keep Roger away from the action for long. Since **1989**, he has served as the **“Voice of the Marauders”** for **KLXX radio** in Bismarck, bringing University of Mary athletics into homes, cars, and communities across the region. By the **October 4, 1997** UMary football game, Roger had: - Called his **325th Marauder broadcast** since his “semi-retirement.” And if you trace his work all the way back to the early coaching eras of **Fritz Fell** and **Al Bortke** at UMary, Higgins estimates: - The total number of Marauder games he’s called would be **pushing 400**. Think about that for a moment: hundreds of games, thousands of plays, and countless names and moments passed through his microphone—each one helping to build the story of Marauder athletics. ## More Than a Broadcaster What makes Roger Higgins special isn’t just his longevity or his resume. It’s the way he’s connected players, fans, and the wider community to the heart of University of Mary sports. - As a **former professional athlete**, he understands the pressures and joys of competition. - As a **broadcaster**, he’s translated that experience into vivid, accessible storytelling. - As a **friend of the program**, he’s helped generations of fans fall in love with Marauder athletics. From the minor leagues of Roanoke and Las Vegas to the airwaves of Bismarck, Roger’s life in sports has been defined by two constants: **excellence and passion**. For Marauder fans and alumni, his voice isn’t just background sound—it’s the soundtrack to some of the most memorable moments in UMary history. ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fpage.marauderfootballalumni.com%2Fmarauder-football-alumni-association-blog%2Ffrom-the-mound-to-the-mic-how-roger-higgins-became-the-voice-of-the-marauders](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fpage.marauderfootballalumni.com%2Fmarauder-football-alumni-association-blog%2Ffrom-the-mound-to-the-mic-how-roger-higgins-became-the-voice-of-the-marauders) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-09-15%20at%2011.45.39%20AM-1.png?width=3916&height=1882&name=Screenshot%202026-09-15%20at%2011.45.39%20AM-1.png) Staff Team Marauder Alumni Closing the Gap: Why the UMary Marauders are on the Brink of Turning the Tide Against USF](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/closing-the-gap-why-the-umary-marauders-are-on-the-brink-of-turning-the-tide-against-usf) ### [![](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-09-08%20at%209.00.33%20AM.png?width=1254&height=688&name=Screenshot%202026-09-08%20at%209.00.33%20AM.png) Staff Current Marauders Team Week 2 - Marauders Hit the Road to Face Concordia-St. Paul](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/week-2-marauders-hit-the-road-to-face-concordia-st.-paul) [![Marauder Football Alumni Association](https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy.png?width=200&height=200&name=Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy.png "Marauder Football Alumni Association")](https://marauderfootballalumni.com/) ###### \*Not an Official Organization of the University of Mary. --- Privacy Policy · Legal · © 2026. All rights reserved. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Marauder Football Alumni Association", "url" : "https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/author/marauder-football-alumni-association" }, "dateModified" : "2026-05-01T22:47:55.033Z", "datePublished" : "2026-02-08T18:37:14.000Z", "headline" : "From the Mound to the Mic: How Roger Higgins Became the Voice of the Marauders", "image" : [ "https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(28).png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/marauder-football-alumni-association-blog/from-the-mound-to-the-mic-how-roger-higgins-became-the-voice-of-the-marauders", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://page.marauderfootballalumni.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(51)%20copy.png" } } } ```