Nearly 70 years later, 'Voice of Kennywood' Returns as Passholder Newsletter

By: Mark Frazee | Content Manager

"This is the Voice of Kennywood!" Chances are you've heard those words while visiting the park over the years, whether it preceded an announcement or just before the infamous goodnight music. The Voice of Kennywood, of course, was the name given to our public address system when it debuted in 1929. It remains in use to this day. What you might not know, though, is that there was another Voice of Kennywood: a four-page publication mailed to "friends of the park."

That original publication ran for 25 years, from 1930 through 1955. And today, nearly seven decades later, we're excited to share that the Voice of Kennywood publication is returning for the digital age as our Season Passholder-exclusive e-newsletter! This brings a wonderful opportunity to dive into the backstory of the Voice of Kennywood - and more importantly, the man who made it possible.

Rosey Rowswell - A "Friend of the Park"

For its entire original run, the Voice of Kennywood was edited by Albert Kennedy "Rosey" Rowswell, the first full-time play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rowswell was also longtime friends with Brady McSwigan, Kennywood's president from 1923 through 1964. Outside of his duties with the Pirates, then, Rowswell was a friend of Kennywood. A good example: known for his colorful and unique commentary, Rowswell dubbed swing-and-miss pitches as "dipsy doodles." The park named its new-for-1940 flying scooter ride the Dipsy Doodle after this call, with that ride remaining in operation for the next 20 years.

The Dipsy Doodle, named after Rosey Rowswell's infamous strikeout calls, was located at the present-day site of the Kennyville Stage. 

Rowswell's newsletter promoted various happenings at the park, such as why companies should consider hosting a picnic at the park. Appealing to steel mill and factory managers, Rowswell wrote: "Golf is all right and you probably enjoy your country club privileges, but how about the fellows in the mill or factory who have neither the opportunity nor price of golf? An outing, with an opportunity for a bit of recreation, would bring more of a thrill to him and his family than your game of golf brings to you. It is not too late to book a picnic date for your employees at Kennywood Park."

"Golf is All Right," an advertisement appearing in the first Voice of Kennywood issue as an appeal to businessmen to host a company picnic at Kennywood.

The Voice of Kennywood played another important role toward the end of World War II, when an article encouraged returning servicemen to seek a job at the park. It read, in part, that "entertainment of pleasure-seekers at Kennywood Park is just the right adjustment to returning to civilian life." Such an advertisement attracted Carl Hughes, who rose through the ranks at the park, eventually becoming Chairman of the Board and instrumental in the park's decision-making through the new millennium.

A lof of the time, Rowswell didn't really talk about Kennywood at all, instead offering commentary on world affairs such as the Great Depression and World War II. Or perhaps just musings on what was on his mind then. No matter the content, the purpose remained the same: to serve as a "little messenger of cheer and helpfulness," as the first issue noted.

The Voice of Kennywood offered a message of thanks as Kennywood prepared to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Rowswell's last edition of the Voice of Kennywood - Volume 25, Issue 4 - was published posthumously in February 1955. Publication then ceased - until now.

Returning for a New Era

Old things often have a way of coming back in style, and we're pleased to re-launch the Voice of Kennywood as our official Passholder-exclusive e-newsletter. Just as Rowswell's original publication billed itself as "a friendly greeting to you every-so-often" sent to "friends of the park," the reimagined Voice of Kennywood returns as a modern-day way to connect with Passholders, by no doubt our best "friends" of the park. 

Passholders will automatically receive the Voice of Kennywood straight to their inbox via the email address associated with their Season Pass. The Voice of Kennywood will feature all sorts of relevant Passholder perks and information - park news, Bring a Friend Days, exclusive events and other fun tidbits of information. Of course, our regular newsletter will continue for non-Season Passholders. The Voice of Kennywood, however, is the best way to stay connected to all things Kennywood. Passholders are often the first to hear about what's new, too!

At its core, the mission of the Voice of Kennywood remains the same: to provide a little bit of cheer and helpfulness.

And so, as we stand upon the threshold of our 126th season, we can only say "thank you" for the friendships that have helped to make these years a very pleasant memory. Standing in the vestibule of another year, we visualize a big, big season in 2024, and cherish the hope that we may continue to hold the confidence of our friends, which, to us, is our most prized possession.

The main image from the first "new" electronic Voice of Kennywood newsletter, announcing the winning name and logo of the park's new Potato Patch bumper cars as the Potato Smash.

If you are interested in becoming a Season Passholder and receiving the Voice of Kennywood Passholder-exclusive newsletter straight to your inbox, check out our latest Season Pass deals. We'll see you for Opening Day: Saturday, April 20!

Further Reading

If you'd like to learn more about the original Voice of Kennywood, Rosey Rowswell, Kennywood history, or all three, here are some helpful resources:

Kennywood Park Records

A vast and expansive digital archive of photos, letters and other cool relics from Kennywood's past. Includes the full catalog of the original Voice of Kennywood publications: simply enter "voice" as a search keyword.

Rosey Rowswell - National Baseball Hall of Fame

A look at Rowswell's contributions to the Pittsburgh Pirates, rooted in his love of the game. Also more on his colorful commentary.

"Kennywood: Roller Coaster Capital of the World" and "More Kennywood Memories," both by Charles J. Jacques, Jr.

This pair of books, published in 1981 and 1998, respectively, serves as an encyclopedia of park knowledge, history and heritage. They remain quite helpful to this day in writings such as these.