Greg Schulte, legendary radio voice of the Arizona Diamondbacks since the team’s inception in 1998, is retiring at the conclusion of the 2023 season – something he hopes does not occur for several more weeks and ends in a World Series Championship.
In an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 morning program Bickley & Marotta, Schulte expressed how he knew the National League West was going to be a difficult division to come out of this season and gave a brief synopsis on the Diamondbacks season. Strong September play propelled the team into the postseason, which opened the possibility of his final season ending with the organization’s second World Series championship.
“I was hoping,” Schulte responded when asked if he expected to be calling games this late into the postseason. “I wasn’t going to hold my breath on it, but I just wanted to see a lot of improvement heading into next year with these young kids getting a chance to play on an everyday basis.”
Throughout the final season of his 26-year radio career with the Diamondbacks, the team has commemorated the broadcaster, culminating in a pregame ceremony, gift presentation and ceremonial first pitch on Sept. 29. He has called nearly 4,000 regular-season and postseason contests on radio and television, including Luis Gonzalez’s walk-off hit to clinch the 2001 World Series championship.
“I wanted the Diamondbacks’ kids, this ballclub, to experience Chase Field,” he shared. “We’ve seen it, guys. It’s Arizona – everybody’s from somewhere else. If you win, you’re going to get the fans out there.”
The Diamondbacks eliminated the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night, advancing to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2001. While the result was a disappointment for baseball fans in Los Angeles, Calif., it provides an influx of young, dynamic talent looking to make their mark in October. While Schulte is grateful for every chance he has to step behind the microphone and call games, he can only hope that this illustrious postseason run will end with baseball’s ultimate glory.
“That would be a lot of fun,” Greg Schulte said. “It’d be fun for me – obviously, I’d enjoy it – but for the ballclub; the organization [and] the Valley – just to have this fun right now going on [has] been thrilling and I hope it does continue.”
