Curt Smith, author of Voices of Summer, has ranked the top 101 baseball announcers of all time. Dave Neihaus comes in 26, which seems pretty low.
C'mon... Bob Costas and Tim McCarver in front of Dave? Give me a break.
Posted by Frinklin at April 13, 2005 05:45 PMOkay. Stop. I saw Vin Scully at number 1 and realized that Mr. Smith and I were never going to agree. I CAN'T STAND Vin - never have. I dreaded hearing his voice on NBC when I was growing up and I can't believe he's still doing Dodger games. Don't people ever die out there?
I would probably have put Jack Buck at the top. His son can't hold a candle to him.
The problem with this sort of thing is that most people know their own team's announcers on local t.v. or radio. I know more about Bob Murphy than all the others, although I know a fair bit about the Yankee announcers. Bill White was very good.
I don't like the real folksy guys like Harry Caray. I like Skip Caray better.
I also prefer real analysis rather than "color" from my color commentators. I like/liked Joe Morgan, Tony Kubek way, way, way more than guys like Ken "Hawk" Harrelson or Joe Garagiola.
I'm not sure Ralph Kiner was that good, but he's been around forever. However, nobody better to kill time during a rain delay. Great stories from the old days, only after the first 25 years of daily Mets broadcasts I'd heard them all.
Posted by: John at April 14, 2005 03:17 AMI have an intense dislike for McCarver and Buck the Lesser. When games come on for which they have been tasked with doing the audio, I watch the game on mute with the radio on. I cannot stand those guys.
Posted by: RP at April 14, 2005 01:17 PMHey Frinklin!
With my Pale Hose mixing it up with your Seafarers here in Chicago this weekend, how 'bout a little preview?
Best,
Ilk
John - You're lucky you're in Ireland, or else I'd be liable to give you a smack upside the head. Vin rules! The best part of every baseball season is the Freeway Series, when I am privileged to listen to Vin Scully call a few Angel games.
Posted by: Richard at April 14, 2005 02:57 PMI have to go with Richard on this one. When I lived in Orange County, listening to Vin was one of the few things that made me want to pay any attention to the Dodgers. I would put Ernie Harwell and Jack Buck 2 and 3.
Of the modern guys- I like Jon Miller, even when he's paired with Joe Morgan. Buck the Younger doesn't annoy me, but he doesn't interest me either.
Posted by: frinklin at April 14, 2005 09:34 PM