When football returned to Pacific University in 2010, the position of public address announcer was an easy choice.
 
Peter Truax, a member of the Forest Grove High School Hall of Fame for his work as athletic director and the Vikings' public address announcer, had recently been elected mayor.
 
"When college football returned to Pacific and Forest Grove, having the mayor serve as the voice of Boxer football was such a positive and welcoming symbol of the relationship between the university and the town," said Pacific Director of Athletics Keith Buckley, who was the university's head football coach from 2010-2019. 
 
"His voice for 15 years was synonymous with game day Saturdays."
 
Truax, a 1968 Pacific graduate, had filled in before throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s for longtime announcer George Horner, a 1944 graduate who held the position from 1947 to 1988.  
 
After serving in the United States Army — including 328 days in Vietnam — Truax went into the radio and broadcasting business, even calling Pacific football games for KUIK in 1972 and 1973.
 
He later returned to Pacific to earn his master's degree in teaching and went on to teach at Neil Armstrong Middle School and Forest Grove High from 1977 to 2005.
 
As Pacific's public address announcer, Truax was on the microphone for some of the biggest moments in Boxer football history, including when Pacific hosted the first-ever Division III football game in Hawaii against Occidental in 2016.

"It was a very big show for Pacific," recalled Truax, who was also on the mic when the Boxers earned their first win since the program's reinstatement, a 44–25 victory over Puget Sound in 2011.

He called the action in 2014 when Pacific defeated Willamette 41–24 at home to clinch a share of the Northwest Conference crown.

And Truax just happened to be subbing for Horner in 1982 when the Boxers defeated Lewis & Clark 21–14 to snap a 30-game losing streak.
 
As the final horn sounded and Pacific celebrated on the field, Truax declared, "Our long national nightmare is over," borrowing from President Gerald Ford.

Truax has never been afraid to borrow from other announcers. His favorite inspiration was Lou Gellermann, the longtime public address announcer at the University of Washington's Husky Stadium.

Before introducing the starting lineups, Truax adapted Gellermann's famous line, "Hello, Dog fans," into "Hello, Boxer fans."

Truax retired after 15 seasons at Pacific, with his final game a 39–11 victory over George Fox last November.

"I'm 78 years old. It's time to move on," Truax said. "I can come to the football games and I probably will. I may even try to sneak into the press box, but I don't have to."

Truax believed his job as PA announcer was to inform fans inside the stadium while remaining objective and fair to the visiting team.

"It was a work space. We were there to do a job," Truax said. "I prided myself on being in a press box that was professional and welcoming. We want to beat them, but we also want to make them want to come back and get thumped again."

Taking over the football PA duties will be another familiar voice to Boxer fans.

Blake Timm, a 1998 Pacific graduate, started announcing volleyball and basketball games as a work-study job in 1994. While serving as Pacific's sports information director (SID) from 1999 to 2015, he was the primary PA announcer for most sports — except football.

"I'm excited to welcome another voice to the microphone with such strong ties to Pacific and the community," said Buckley of Timm, who returned to Pacific in 2023 as the university's associate director of communications.

Timm's first game as the primary football announcer will be Saturday, Sept. 20, when the Boxers host Wisconsin–Stevens Point in the 2025 home opener.

"I loved doing public address," Timm said. "I could not manage what the SID needed to do during football games and do PA at the same time. Thankfully Pete came around and it was a no-brainer choice. The chance to step into his shoes is going to be fun."

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