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Bob Costas, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a broadcaster in 2018, has confirmed he is retiring from play-by-play. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic received confirmation from Costas directly. He told Marchand he will discuss his decision at a later date.
The 72-year-old Costas is expected to continue working at MLB Network, contributing as an analyst and on special projects, but not in a play-by-play capacity. He’s been calling games for the network since it launched over a decade and a half ago.
Marchand reported, “The decision to retire was made by Costas prior to the season, which coincided with his contract ending, according to sources briefed on the decision.” Costas has been calling MLB games at the national level since 1982 and for many years was paired with Tony Kubek followed by a stretch with both Joe Morgan and Bob Uecker.
Costas was criticized heavily on social media during the ALDS playoff series. As it turns out, the New York Yankees/Kansas City Royals matchup will be his last calling play-by-play.
The Hall of Fame broadcaster graduated from Syracuse University in 1974. He started at KMOX in St. Louis where he did play-by-play for the American Basketball Association and the University of Missouri. Costas joined NBC in 1980 at the age of 28.
Since then, he has been a prominent part of the coverage of virtually every major sport. From the World Series to the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, Kentucky Derby, and the Olympics.
A native of Queens, NY, Costas famously says he would sit in his father’s car on summer nights, tuning into baseball broadcasts from around the country, soaking in the voices of the game and developing an appreciation for the craft of broadcasting.
