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0 Subject: All Time Favorite Announcer.

Posted by: Texas Flood
- [12458220] Wed, Jun 07, 22:07

I'm sitting here watching the jays/braves game and thinking about how much i really dislike Ray Knight. I was going to start this thread with a negative approach but thought it would be better to be positive. I thought it might be fun to find out who everyone's favorite baseball announcer, play by play, color man or baseball personality is??? Being a Tiger fan my vote goes to the GREAT Ernie Harwell. I also liked Mel Allen, Joe Nuxhall & Al Micheals (when he did radio for the reds) Harry Karry, Joe Buck and Bob Prince. Present day colorman my vote goes to Kirk Gibson, very candid and not a "Homer".
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54Toral
      ID: 53438220
      Thu, Jun 08, 10:15
1. Jon Miller
2. Harry Caray
3. Red Barber
4. Lindsey Nelson
5. Skip Caray
6. Buck Martinez
7. Joe Garagiola
55Perm Dude
      ID: 17420223
      Thu, Jun 08, 10:29
Scooter as entertainer, sure. Announcer? Awful. Read The Poetry of Phil Rizzuto (published by Ecco Press); they took his rambling stories and put them into free verse form (no changes in the stories). Great stuff.

I went to school at XU, Myboy, and I remember Joe and Marty quite well.

pd
56JeffG
      ID: 25414311
      Thu, Jun 08, 10:30
On radio, John Sterling and Michael Kay have no equal. Loved Rizzuto on tv.

I think Tim McCarver is knowledgeable, but his goofy puns and repitition of a good point get on my nerves sometime.

Having DirecTV and the extra innings package, I get a chance to see all the broadcasters. I think George Grande does a great job for the Reds. I also think Cubs team of Chip Carey and Steve Stone are very good.

I am not a Vin Scully fan, he talks less about baseball on the field than anyone, he seems to read from the media guide at times. He does have good stories though. I think the Dodger telecasts would benefit by having a second broadcaster in the both with him.

On the flip side, I think the White Sox crew, don't even know who they are, are horrible. I certainly do not object to home-team slants, but them rooting so blatantly during play takes away from the viewing.
57marinerd
      ID: 46511511
      Thu, Jun 08, 10:44
I agree with Superpower. If any of you have a chance to listen to a Mariners broadcast check it out, or listen in the background on sportscenter to hear Dave Neihaus. He is the best! They even talk about his great calls on sportscenter and play his over theirs occasionally. He will be the first Mariner (guy) in the Hall! Kinda sad but I don't think Griffey will put his in as a mariner. That ungrateful basterd.
58C1-NRB
      ID: 840512
      Thu, Jun 08, 10:49
Timing post 34:
I used to live for "This Week in Baseball" in the old pre-SportCenter/ Baseball Tonight days!
I never missed it. "Hello, everybody!"

Razor post 21:
Ditto that on Costas. I hate the way he's so reverential.

My favorite Harry Carey story came from a friend:
His uncle listened to Harry call the Cardinals games. There was a big game on, bottom of a late inning, Cards trailing by a couple with go ahead run at the plate, and Harry descirbed the following:

"Swing, and here's a drive! It's going waaay back and it's.... CAUGHT! by the shortstop."

Ahh, radio.
59John Jansons
      ID: 5556811
      Thu, Jun 08, 11:07
I liked Haray Caray very much as well, but he could drive you nuts with trying to pronounce names. My two altime favorite in that category was listening to him try and pronounce Heathcliff
Slocumb and I remember on the out of town scoreboard he botched Hideki Irabu's name about 6 or 7 times and then just left it alone after that.

The White Sox announcers definately get the biggest homer award, but I love Hawk's home run call, "You can put it on the board, YEEESSSSS!!!".
I like Joe Simpson, Pete Van Wierien (sp?), and Don Sutton and Skip Caray to a lesser extent from the Braves.
60CUBS BALL
      ID: 04988
      Thu, Jun 08, 11:08
Wammie, that book "Where's Harry" is extremely entertaining!
Steve Stone's insight is truley some of the best!
Him and Harry together were a great tandem!
On the other hand, Skip Carey is horrible!
61SABER34
      ID: 385686
      Thu, Jun 08, 11:09
plitttttzzzzzzzz

bubble with a slow leak. I blew it Ernie was mentioned, unfornuatly he still hasn't dominated the thread like he should. I always look forward to Ernies first call of the spring and hated to hear his last call of the fall. He is the babe ruth of radio, the man all are judged against.

now I'll just "sit there like a house on the side of the road and watch that one go by."
62COAST2COAST
      ID: 54514811
      Thu, Jun 08, 11:25
Hands down....Jack Buck for WMOX in St. Louis. As a youngster my father (may God bless his soul) and I used to drink iced tea on the front porch every night (or so it seemed) listening to our beloved Cardinals.
Now if someone brings up Mike Shannon, they've gotta a serious whuppin' coming to them because he is by far the most obnoxious, drunken "announcer" of all-time---Carey included!
63Lowly Lemming
      ID: 1052110
      Thu, Jun 08, 11:42
CanEHdian Pride, depends wich Jays announcers
you're talking about. Yes, the CBC and CTV guys
are all horrible but Buck Martinez and Dan Shulman
rock your world!
64Perm Dude
      ID: 6522812
      Thu, Jun 08, 12:22
I gotta say that Will Ferrell's Harry Carey impersonation on Saturday Night Live is the best! My wife and I fell over laughing whenever it came on.

JeffG, you make me jealous! I wish I had access to a lot of these announcers.

I do like Buck, though, having heard him a few times. A classic old-time announcer with an understated delivery and a voice just made for a lazy summer day game.

Scooter was always entertaining, but the fact that he always left the Yankees games early to beat the bridge traffic reinforces his role as entertainer, not announcer. He'd talk over plays, tell pointless stories over several innings, and spend way too much time on shout outs, and his fans love it. He once had the AL President in the booth with him, who was talking and suddenly stopped because a ball was hit into play. Scooter said "Keep talking. It's just a fly ball" (!).


pd
65Chris
      ID: 31521814
      Thu, Jun 08, 14:22
Another great Ralph Kiner quote that wasn't listed is "All of the Mets wins against the Dodgers have come at Dodger Stadium."

If you liked those Ralph Kiner malaprops, check out Jerry Coleman:

- "McCovey swings and misses and it's fouled back."

- "Next up is Fernando Gonzales - who is not playing tonight."

- "He takes a bunt for a called third strike."

and many other hilarious quotes like that. Humor aside, Vin Scully is a no-brainer pick for the best sports announcer of all time.
66burntOWT
      ID: 145139
      Thu, Jun 08, 14:25
garagiola and scully!
67Premium Lumber
      ID: 15435316
      Thu, Jun 08, 15:49
I grew up listening for many hours to Jack Buck and Harry Caray broadcast for the Cardinals. I really miss that. I also REALLY REALLY miss Mel Allen on This Week in Baseball!!! I'm hardly even interested in that show now. Anybody know if there are archived broadcasts on the net with Mel?
68 Mark L
      ID: 4444938
      Thu, Jun 08, 16:02
Chris -- I believe that Coleman called Don Stanhouse "that guy with the Karl Marx hairdo" and said something on the order of "Houston has someone throwing up in the bullpen."
69Wild Thing
      ID: 104392320
      Thu, Jun 08, 18:05
Vin Scully the best by far, followed by Mel Allen and Bob "Juuuuuuuust a bit outside" Uecker.
70Toral
      ID: 53438220
      Thu, Jun 08, 19:02
Curt Smith has a page and a half of Colemanisms in "Voices of the Game". Others:

"There's a deep fly ball -- Winfield is going back, back...Oh! He hits his head against the wall. It's rolling toward second base."

"There's a shot up the alley...oh, it's just foul."


71gibby88
      ID: 3746415
      Fri, May 04, 17:50
Garagiola was/is incredible.

Jim Palmer drove me nuts.

72gibby88
      ID: 3746415
      Fri, May 04, 17:53
TF: I like the Kirk Gibson comment...right on the money....

When he hit the HR in the '88 WS.....Scully announced that moment beautifully........
73The_Beast
      ID: 24411219
      Fri, May 04, 17:56
Living in Chicago and growing up listening to cubs games in the early and mid 90s i have to say Harry Carey. The world would be a better place with a few more "HOLY COWS!". Oh and Adam..."YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD....YESSSSS!!!!" :P
74Wammie
      ID: 437541618
      Fri, May 04, 18:00
I loved Harry Carey and Steve Stone. Harry was the brains of the outfit though.

I hate Tim McCarver, and Joe Morgan. But I think I hate Tim McCarver more.
75Destiny's Chica
      ID: 52333615
      Fri, May 04, 18:11
I can't stand listening to the voice of Joe Buck and his fox crew, especially when they broadcast in the post season. As for SportsCenter, Rich Eisen and Stuart Scott make the ultimate team.
76Wammie
      ID: 437541618
      Fri, May 04, 18:54
chica, nope, you gotta go with Dan and Keith or replace one of those two with Craig Kilbourn. don't get me wrong, rich eisen is probably the most underrated ESPN personality.
77G Dogg
      ID: 13631420
      Fri, May 04, 20:54
Vin Scully is God. Rich Eisen is the top SportsCenter anchor.
78YankeesRule
      Donor
      ID: 299302812
      Fri, May 04, 20:54
That ball is high! It is Far! It ISS....GOOOONE!!!!!! YANKEES WIN!!!! THEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!
-John Sterling
79James K Polk
      ID: 19351290
      Fri, May 04, 21:08
Kenny Mayne + anybody makes me a happy SportsCenter viewer.
80Wammie
      ID: 437541618
      Fri, May 04, 21:12
YankeesRule, every one else in the country finds that to be one of the most annoying calls in all of sport. maybe even more annoying than their "pick to click"
81The Beezer
      Leader
      ID: 191202817
      Sat, May 05, 09:23
Best: Harry Callas, Ernie Harwell, Dizzy "He slud into 3rd" Dean
Most Entertaining: Harry Carey "Coming to you live from Busch Memorial Hospital" and "Benes from South Dakota" The man was a riot!

My ultimate Sportscenter pairings:
6 PM: Kenny Mayne and John Anderson
11 PM: Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann
Late-night and early morning: Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen

This would of course be on a Monday during football season so we can also have 90 minutes of Boomer on Monday Night Countdown. Now THAT'S a recipe for pure sports heaven!
82Lutefisker
      ID: 293172723
      Sat, May 05, 09:30
Give:

1/4 or my vote to Bob Uecker

1/4 of my vote to Joe Garigiolla

1/4 of my vote to Harry Carey and

1/4 of my vote to Howard Cosell

Also give all of my least favorite announcer vote to Howard Cosell

Never could quite decide about Howard. :)
83JW
      Leader
      ID: 83441917
      Sat, May 05, 10:31
Thanks for digging this thread up again gibby; I musta missed it first time around:

Jon Miller for his dry wit and erudition - anyone who can point out the appropriateness of having an umpire called Jim Joyce on Bloomsday (one for English majors) gets a gold star in my book.

Joe Garagiola for combining the knowledge of an ex-player with a complete lack of the self-important, know-all posturing that usually seem to accompany it (yes, Joe Morgan, I'm talking about you)

And I have a soft spot (my head?) for Harry Caray.
84Texas Flood
      Donor
      ID: 12458220
      Sat, May 05, 11:01
some of the guys i've grown fond of(in a manly sort of way;) over the past couple of years.

charles barkley, made watching the NBA tonight a lot of fun.

John Miller/Joe Morgan. Lots of knowledge and humor.

I know there are not a lot of Tiger Fans out there but Kirk Gibson is doing a great job on the Fox Sports Detroit Tiger telecasts. He's not a homer like so many sports announcers. My only complaint is with the "whimpy" Josh Lewin who does the play by play, what a twit!

Least Favortie is Jim Rome, god what punk. The tough guy immage coupled with his severe "litte guy" complex is just more than i can take.

I still can't get over the Jim Evertt debacle.
85 Guru Jr.
      ID: 3646512
      Sat, May 05, 12:11
The Ralph Kiner, Tim McCarver duo for the Mets in the early 90's was the best pair. Hands down. Can't believe Tim ditched us for those cross town bastards.
86Puck Bunny
      ID: 541617
      Sun, May 06, 17:01
Young man, where did you learn to use that kind of language? I'm telling your father!
;-)
87Pilewort
      Donor
      ID: 44243198
      Sun, May 06, 20:42
re-reading this thread a year after it began is like looking at old family photos. Thanks for butting it, gibby88.

Rocks, kicks & delivahs--still the greatest words I've ever heard, aside from "your place or mine?"
88Unemployed
      ID: 473482312
      Sun, May 06, 21:20
Definitely not Harry, dumber than a glass of beer, Carey. Would only read Steve Stone's book on him if it ended with Steve writing "And I'm darn glad he's gone. Time to write a book about myself." Too bad about Stone. He was pretty good.
89ChicagoTRS
      Sustainer
      ID: 24339419
      Sun, May 06, 22:49
The best announcer pairing in history had to be when Harry Cary and Jimmy Piersol did the White Sox for about two years in the late 70s. They were out of control.

My favorite color guy had to be Steve Stone...he actually added some real insight. Most announcers add little that you didn't already know.
90Wammie
      ID: 437541618
      Sun, May 06, 23:03
Chicago TRS, I agree with you on stone. many of my friends didn't like him, but I think he broke the game down better than any one I have listened to on a regular basis. Now watching cubs games on WGN with Joe Carter insted is not as fun. I wish the Cubs would have gotten Sutclife. I like having former pitchers in the booth. most of time during a baseball game, the pitcher is holding the ball. a former pitcher can give good insight about what is going on.
91 flake
      ID: 54241269
      Sun, May 06, 23:04
Can't believe it has taken 90 posts to mention
MY favorite announcers.

Colt.45's, Houston Astros and Mutual Game of
the Week's:

Gene Elston

(who teammed with late Lowell Passe).

Mild mannered, insightful and honest.

Fell asleep many nights with the transistor
radio under my pillow.

(and no mentions for HOF homer Milo
Hamilton - don't EVER ask him about former
partner Harry Carey !!!)
92walk
      Sustainer
      ID: 592181610
      Mon, May 07, 07:16
Marv Albert. Hands down my fave.

- walk
93A-Rod
      ID: 3145646
      Mon, May 07, 07:26
Gary Thorn....
it's playoff time, baby!!
94Scoop
      ID: 3841878
      Mon, May 07, 08:50
Ernie Harwell...nuf said. And I hated the Tigers growing up, but it was fun listening to the foul balls being caught in the stands and having him say it was caught by a young lady from Dearborn. My father told me years later he was just making it up.I thought for sure he knew everybody.
great thread!!!!!!
95Bodacious Tatahs
      ID: 24317238
      Mon, May 07, 09:23
JACK BUCK and I hate the Cards
96ChicagoTRS
      Sustainer
      ID: 4324316
      Mon, May 07, 09:36
Wammie...Sutclife may still be on the way to the Cubs booth. They wanted Sutclife this year but he still had a year left on his ESPN contract. Carter/Otto may be only a temporary solution...look for Sutcliff next year.
97darkside
      Leader
      ID: 1845038
      Mon, May 07, 09:38
Vin Scully.

Glad to see Bill Walton's name is being mentioned as the worst overall sports announcer. And yes, J, I am very thankful he doesn't do baseball!
98mhall84
      ID: 44457716
      Mon, May 07, 17:34
best baseball announcer is either scully or miller
stone is hands down the best color man

the best announcer in sports though is chick hearn, even if he does refer to rick fox as "foxy" and can't seem to ever get derek fisher's name right, chick brings the game to life... especially on the radio. it kills me when nbc gets the lakers and i have to listen to marv albert or bob costas. it's a shame chick can't do nbc games as well.

best sportcenter tandem kenny mayne and craig kilborn.
99YOUNGBUCK
      ID: 8454718
      Mon, May 07, 20:18
did any one mention dave nehouse for the mariners?
100loki
      Donor
      ID: 4217517
      Mon, May 07, 22:05
It is hard to believe that Mary Glickman's name has not been mentioned.
101loki
      Donor
      ID: 4217517
      Mon, May 07, 22:18
Whoops, another typo. I meant Mary's husband Marty.
102loki
      Donor
      ID: 4217517
      Mon, May 07, 22:25
For people who do not remember Glickman should have been a member of the winning 4X400 relay team anchored by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Munich Olympics. He was removed from the team by the blatently antisemetic Avery Brundage. He went on to be the premiere sports announcer in the NY area and was the role model (professional, not personal ) for Marv Albert.
103saber34
      ID: 41338116
      Tue, May 08, 07:23
Harwell Rocks and McCarver Rots...

Uecker is cool too. But Harwell will always be the best...
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