Behind the scenes with Eli Gold in his return to the Alabama football booth after cancer

Eli Gold emerged from his car outside Bryant-Denny Stadium at about 1:50 p.m. Soon, he was walking.

Before he left the parking lot, he kissed his wife, Claudette Gold. She teared up behind her sunglasses as she embraced him. Then he went on his way.

Gold stepped forward with his brown work bag in his right arm and his crimson cane in his left. The cane isn't an absolute necessity for the 69-year-old voice of Alabama football to walk; it's more of a cautionary measure. Once past security, he continued walking in the direction of the press box.

Walking into Bryant-Denny Stadium was the farthest thing from Gold's mind in March of 2022. One morning, he wasn't sure he would ever walk again.

That day, Gold woke up and couldn't move his legs. He couldn't get out of bed.

"It was very, very scary," Gold told The Tuscaloosa News as he continued to walk in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Fast-forward to Saturday: Right before Gold reached the elevator that would take him back to the press box, an event worker greeted him.

"Have a great game," the worker said. "Glad to have you back."

"Thank you," Gold replied. "It's great to be back."

The radio voice of the Crimson Tide since 1988, Gold missed all of 2022 with health issues later found to be stage 3 cancer. He hadn't called a game in the Alabama radio booth at Bryant-Denny Stadium since Arkansas on Nov. 20, 2021. That changed Saturday as Alabama beat Middle Tennessee 56-7 in the season opener.

“It’s unbelievable," Gold said. "It’s just unbelievable. This is home for me. I can’t tell you how special it is.”

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Back in the booth

Almost two years have passed, but not much had changed in the home team radio booth once Gold walked in at 2:05 p.m.

Engineer Tom Stipe was still turning the dials and setting up the booth the same way he always does. Spotter Butch Owens still had the same board for Gold to attach his lineup charts to with tacks. There are plenty of tack holes from past games that show it's certainly not new. Gold also had every paper in the same location he always likes to have them.

"It’s comforting," Gold said. "I don’t have to worry about stuff in here. I just have to concentrate on doing the game. Calling the game."

For about 180 days, he had to worry about much more than calling football games. Gold spent that much time in the hospital as doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with him. He didn't eat much and lost about 100 pounds.

Gold also spent some time in a nursing home because of the care it could provide. With his mobility issues, Gold had to be lifted out of bed, sometimes by mechanical lift, to use the bathroom.

Doctors treating him for a variety of things masked what was wrong with him. Gold didn't find out until Christmas Eve that it was cancer. Then he began chemotherapy on New Year's Eve, the day Alabama defeated Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.

When Gold was in the hospital, he kept thinking about three things: His family, walking his daughter Elise down the aisle and returning to the booth.

"I have only broadcast sporting events since I was 16," Gold said. "I have never done anything else. I was lying in bed, just thinking about getting back and doing these games. It was a huge motivation for me.”

Disappointment, and a little frog

"You've got to keep it cool as a quarterback, and that's exactly what Milroe did." - Gold in the first quarter on the broadcast.

The Crimson Tide Sports Network broadcast had just returned from break at 6:52 p.m. Before then, quarterback Jalen Milroe ran for the first touchdown on a broken play after a low snap. It didn't lack for excitement as Milroe managed to find his way to the end zone.

The ensuing touchdown call from Gold didn't have much gusto to it, though. And he knew it.

"I had a little frog in my throat on my first touchdown call, which disappointed me," Gold said at halftime.

Disappointments emerged throughout his journey to get back to the booth. Originally, Gold set a goal to return for the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa this past November. That didn't happen. Then he aimed to return for the postseason. That didn't happen either. Then he wanted to call the A-Day spring game. That also didn't happen.

He knew he wanted to return to the booth, though. No matter how long it took.

"There’s nothing to do other than just do it," Gold said. "Either you do it or you don’t. I chose to do it."

In the trenches

"That's where the key is to many, many wins: In the trenches." - Gold after Alabama went up 14-0.

Gold didn't start walking again until about July of 2022. He started to regain the capability when he was at the nursing home; Gold used a walker that allowed him to rest his arms on top.

"Bit by bit, I started walking," Gold said.

He's worked countless hours in rehab and with physical therapists. Gold spent six days a week at Spain Rehabilitation Center for more than two months. Now for a few months, he's been going to the gym three times a week.

“The physical therapists … everybody wanted to see me back for this game today," Gold said. "They made sure that if I was tired and winded, they’d say “Man, you’ve got a few more plays in you.”

Walking and talking

"Touchdooooooooooooowwwwnnnnnn Alabama." - Gold after Alabama went ahead 28-0 in the second quarter.

A big play needed a big call.

Milroe had connected on his first deep ball score with a 47-yard rocket to Isaiah Bond. Then Gold let out a bellow he hadn't let out for almost two years.

"It felt great," Gold said. "I really punched it."

No frog that time. And then Gold was off and rolling. He equated it to a player needing a few plays to get warmed up after taking a few hits. Overall, it wasn't a perfect broadcast. There were some bumps. And Gold acknowledged them. He pushed forward, though, and had the stamina to finish the three-hour game.

"I was disappointed, but the fact is, this time last year, I was on death’s bed," Gold said. "Today, I’m worried about a frog in my throat at the football game. It’s something you need to shrug off and keep on going. The other calls, everything has been good."

At 9:52 p.m., he signed off.

"All right," Gold said as he slid his headset off. "We got it done."

He gathered his papers and his belongings. He grabbed his bag and his cane. Then out of the radio booth, Gold walked.

Nick Kelly covers Alabama football and men's basketball for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Eli Gold: Inside his first Alabama football game back after cancer