Growing up in Chicago and the Midwest, I got bit by the play-by-play bug early in life. I had so many great examples to follow, in those that were covering my local teams at the time. People like, Vince Lloyd, Jack Brickhouse, Jim Durham, Pat Foley, Joe McConnell, Lloyd Pettit and others.
Radio was my thing as a kid. I used to love staying up late at night and seeing what “far away” station I could pull in on my transistor radio (Gen Z, millennials, google it!). I would hear hockey in Pittsburgh and baseball from St. Louis and New York among others.
Now that I’m a grown up, I have a greater appreciation for not only the job itself, but the way some of today’s broadcasters call games.
Radio play-by-play is not easy. It’s all about description. Which direction is the play going? Where is the ball? What are the uniforms like? There’s also keeping up with the action. Calling plays quickly and decisively is key. It’s also about keeping things entertaining. You don’t have graphics, or pictures to bail you out in slow times or in-between plays. Radio play-by-play announcers have to pick the right time for stories without compromising action. It is cliché to say, but you really are the eyes and the ears of your audience.
Play-by-play on radio is also about making a connection to the audience. Local radio announcers are “the voices of people’s childhood” and live on in the hearts and minds of fans, long after these voices retire. You are the conduit between the team and it’s fan base. Think about how awesome a responsibility that is. It’s one I never took for granted and neither do the top announcers of today.
I have been presented with an opportunity to call out only 5 of the announcers that I consider tops in the field these days. This was a tough assignment. I know most of, if not all, those that are in consideration for this list. That alone makes this a difficult task. The ability to do what we do is pretty special. It was very hard to whittle down this vast group of talented broadcasters to a list of only five.
Here are the criteria I based my thoughts on: Announcers must be the radio voice of a local franchise. They also have to be the current announcers for that team. The rankings were limited to the major four professional sports leagues. At the end of the day, I carefully took into account, the announcers’ work and how they were at doing the job. Here we go. These are in no particular ranking order.
Jon Miller, radio voice, San Francisco Giants, MLB
Baseball Resume: Oakland A’s (1974); Texas Rangers (1978-79); Boston Red Sox (1980-82); Baltimore Orioles (1983-1996); ESPN Sunday Night Baseball (1990-2010) and San Francisco Giants (1997-present). Ford C. Frick Award (2010).
There are very few radio voices like Miller’s. He’s not monotone, no way. The man uses his voice to his advantage. It’s an easy-going delivery, filled with excellent vocabulary, and tremendous descriptions regarding the field, the defense, the crowd and of course the game. Miller’s energy level rises to the occasion when something exciting happens and it never, ever, sounds forced or manufactured. His style is not matched by anyone, some have tried, but they can never duplicate the warmth and purity of his calls.
Perhaps the thing I most admire him for, is his sense of humor and timing. Miller doesn’t take himself too seriously, and is able to poke fun at himself at the drop of a hat. He is a purely entertaining listen, whether it be imitations or just some great stories. Giants’ fans are lucky to have a guy in the booth that comes across as friendly and someone you’d want to have a beer with. Miller does call it like he sees it. That’s the reason he’s in San Francisco. In his final season with the Orioles, owner Peter Angelos didn’t feel he was enough of a ‘homer’ and didn’t renew Miller’s contract.
Famous calls:
On August 7, 2007, Miller made the call of Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 756th home run on KNBR:
Three and two to Bonds. Everybody standing here at 24 Willie Mays Plaza. An armada of nautical craft gathered in McCovey Cove beyond the right field wall. Bonds one home run away from history. And he swings, and there’s a long one into right center field, way back there, it’s gone! A home run! Into the center field bleachers to the left of the 421-foot marker. An extraordinary shot to the deepest part of the yard! And Barry Bonds with 756 home runs, he has hit more home runs than anyone who has ever played the game!
In 2016, Miller accidentally called a grand slam by Hunter Pence for Buster Posey, but corrected himself mid-sentence:
Swing and there’s a high drive, deep into left-center field, it’s on its way… adios pelota! A grand slam for Buster Posey…’s good friend, Hunter Pence.
Miller used the phrase intentionally a week later when Pence hit another home run.
Tom Hamilton, radio voice, Cleveland Guardians, MLB
Baseball Resume: Columbus Clippers, AAA, NY Yankees (1987-89); Cleveland Indians/Guardians (1990-present).
Tom Hamilton is huge part of baseball history in Cleveland. Hamilton is in his 32nd year of calling Indians, now Guardians games. He had the daunting task of coming in and working right away with the legendary Herb Score. He has done so seamlessly. Hamilton took over as the main play-by-play voice in 1998.
Hamilton is a tremendous baseball announcer. I enjoy dialing in a game that he’s calling. He has a ‘giant’ booming voice that is full of inflection and description. The enthusiasm he displays is unparalleled and when he gets into a call, look out, it is usually legendary. Hamilton is revered by fans because of his style and larger than life calls. His cadence is unique, but it works. Fans just love his home run calls, especially when they are game changing. Don’t mistake him for a ‘homer’, because he will call out his own team when it messes something up. He’s one of a kind in the way he calls a game and it’s great.
Signature Calls:
“Swing and a drive, waaaay back, and gone!!” or “Swung on and belted, awaaaay back, and outta here!!” – for a Guardians home run
John Wiedeman, radio voice, Chicago Blackhawks, NHL
Hockey resume: Philadelphia Flyers (1996); Tampa Bay Lightning (1997); Columbus Blue Jackets (2001); New York Islanders (2001-06); Chicago Blackhawks (2006-present).
Knowing John is to really like him. A down to earth, friendly professional who, by the way, is darn good at his job. The fast-paced game is not too quick for him. Wiedeman makes it sound easy and describes the action in such an accurate way, it’s hard to understand how he does it. If you happen to be listening to the game with the television sound down, what he says, is what you see. He paints the picture so well. I had the opportunity to work with John and his partner Troy Murray for the playoffs in 2014. I marveled at what I saw, in preparation and detail. Wiedeman is a humble star, once telling me he thought what I did (baseball play-by-play) was more difficult than what he did for a living. I chuckled because he’s wrong!
As the voice of the Chicago Blackhawks, Wiedeman has been behind the mic for 3 Stanley Cup titles, won by the Hawks in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The first title, was the team’s first in 49 years. He captured the essence of the jubilation of a fan base so well, on a call that was nearly impossible to make. The Patrick Kane OT winner in Philadelphia in 2010, tripped everyone up, but John powered through extremely well.
Signature calls:
“For the third time in six seasons, it’s one goal achieved! The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup! The Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup! The Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup! The Chicago Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup! Lord Stanley, the Blackhawks organization along with the greatest fans in all of hockey, welcome you back to your new home: Chicago, Illinois, in the U-S of A!”
Wayne Larrivee, radio voice, Green Bay Packers, NFL
Football resume: Kansas City Chiefs (1978-84); Chicago Bears (1985-98); Green Bay Packers (1999-present).
Larrivee is a dynamic football play-by-play voice. His style seems to really fit the game and the NFL. Larrivee has an ability to speak quickly, while still being understood, which is something not everyone can do. His descriptions of the pre-play formations, the play itself and the aftermath are absolutely excellent. I love his cadence and the words he uses to describe things. Larrivee uses his analysts well, leaning on him for true expertise. When it’s a former player he’s working with, Larrivee understands that relationship with the fans, and knows how special it is.
He is also a straight shooter, not sugar-coating things when they go badly. But, when things go well, you know who he’s working for. I like the way Larrivee builds the anticipation to the play. Obviously, we, the listeners, can’t see what’s going on. He is a master of ramping up the drama. From the drop back of the quarterback, to the coverage scheme, to the receivers, to the ball going in the air and the result of the play, good or bad. It’s ‘edge of your seat’ stuff in big moments and the lead up is constructed so well by Larrivee.
Signature calls:
At crucial moments at the end of games, Larrivee refers to a clinching point as “The Dagger.” In 2011, Larrivee teamed up with Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based advertising agency to start selling merchandise with his signature phrase. If you’re a fan of the Packers, nothing beats a good ‘Dagger’ moment.
Mark Boyle, radio voice, Indiana Pacers, NBA
NBA Resume: Indiana Pacers (1988-present)
The longtime voice of the Pacers is a fan favorite. Boyle is regularly praised for his ability to paint the picture for the audience, making them feel like they are at the arena. Boyle is not your typical ‘homer’. If you didn’t know he worked for the Pacers, it would be hard to tell when listening to a broadcast. It’s only when the moment calls for it, he rises to the excitement level that Pacers fans can appreciate. There’s nothing phony about it.
You can tell that he knows what he’s talking about, he’s always prepared. The mark of a great play-by-play man is being ready for all moments, but not forcing information that really isn’t needed. Just because you prepped it, doesn’t mean you have to use it. He falls into this category. It’s a very ‘even’ broadcast, it finds a median that makes his broadcasts a comfortable listen. Great voice, great timing and great descriptions are his trademark.
Signature calls:
When the Pacers eliminated the Knicks in game seven of the 1995 NBA Eastern Conference semifinals, Patrick Ewing missed a winning layup at the buzzer.
“He missed, he missed. Ring the bell, baby. Ding-dong, the witch is dead. Ding-dong, the witch is dead.”
That’s my list. I know you’ll think there are people that I missed and I fully acknowledge that. The task was daunting and fun at the same time. Just so you know, there were others given careful consideration. Among them:
Bob Wischusen – Jets, Mitch Holthus, – Chiefs, Greg Papa – 49’ers, Dan Dickerson – Detroit Tigers, Ken Korach – A’s, Pat Hughes, – Cubs, Kenny Albert – Rangers, Judd Sirott – Bruins, Pete Webber of the Predators, Chuck Swirsky, – Bulls and Matt Pinto – OKC.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
