Today baseball and its fans experienced one of the game’s few sad moments. Skip Caray, who had been the main broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves for almost 30 years, died Sunday. He leaves the Braves without their usual voice for the first time since most of our parents were kids our age.
The passing of great people in sports is always a little sad, but it made me think of the voices I know for my favorite baseball team, the San Francisco Giants. I know that in the next few decades, there will eventually be different announcers behind the mike, but for me, Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow will always be the voice of the team by the bay. Their voices have rumbled out of TV and radio speakers for as long as I can remember watching
See, broadcasters who last so many years don’t just relay what’s happening from the field, although the pitches and hits and catches are the main part of the game. Great announcers like Mr. Caray and Mr. Kuiper and Mr. Krukow give little details that they know are important—like the outfield formation or the rivalry between pitcher and hitter—from their days playing and following the game. Guys like these make even a better connection with fans than if they were at the game, because they explain why things are happening as they are and not just what’s going on. Such brilliant insight is why men like Mr. Caray are so missed at the end of the day.
Who’s the announcer for your favorite team? Do they help you feel any special connection with the team you root for?
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