Picture of the Day April 15, 2009
Sunset Tuesday eveningVOICESI was watching Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN2 Tuesday, and they were talking about the two deaths that occurred Monday-Mark Fidrych and Harry Kalas.
The conversation on Kalas talked about the voices of sports over the years, and how announcers almost become part of your family, if you follow a team closely, be it on TV, but more importantly, radio. Back in the day, when you didn't get to see all you favorite teams play on TV, you listened to the games on the radio. Mike and Mike were talking about the greats- Vin Scully, Harry Caray, Johnny Most, Ernie Harwell, and Kalas to name a few.
I know I touched on this once before, but I am going to bring it up again.
I used to follow the Bruins and the Celtics on WBZ out of Boston in the 70's. Johnny Most was the voice of the Celtics. He always sounded like he was talking out the side of his mouth like he had one of Red Auerbach's cigars hanging out the other side.
Bob Wilson did the Bruins games. And if Channel 22 carried any TV38 games, it was Fred Cusak calling the games.
I also used to listen to the New England Whalers of the WHA on WTIC out of Hartford, Connecticut. Bob Neumeier called the Whaler games. Ned Martin did the Red Sox games on the radio, and Dick Stockton and Ken Harrelson did the games on TV38.
Vin Scully and Tom Seaver made a good pairing when NBC did Major League Baseball. One time during the World Series, they showed a kid wearing a hat that was too big for his head. Vin's remark-"He's waiting for his dreams to fill his cap.".
Pat Summerall, Jim Mackay, Al Michaels, Dick Enberg, Keith Jackson. All great voices.
Sometimes you didn't need to say much. Even in his later years, Pat Summerall was great, calling a play with the fewest words.
One Super Bowl, or playoff game, a pass was thrown, ball was intercepted by the opposing team, and the player ran it in for a touchdown. Summerall's call went something like-"Quarterback drops..........fires down field......Intercepted!..........Touchdown! (Team) takes the lead!".
When I was younger I had dreams thinking I could do play-by-play. Unfortunately, I have a voice for the Cartoon Network. Even
I cringe when I hear it on a tape recorder of if I get interviewed on TV.
Even local guys have a distinct sound. Jim Donovan when he used to be with WVMT. George Cuomo and Pat Thorton doing UVM Hockey.
The Voice can make the event come alive.
