Raider Nation
Devil's Advocate
Who ya got?
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I respect his contribution to the game, and I know I'll get killed for this, but he bores the pants off of me. One of the great things about having the MLB Extra Innings package is that I can put the Dodgers game on in the background so Scully can put me to sleep.He's calming. He's gentlemanly. But I don't think he ranks above Kalas, Harwell or Buck purely in terms of calling the game.Scully is a poet
Scully is a poet
I'd consier putting him ahead of Jack Buck, but that's because that ******* is the reason Joe Buck is in a broadcast booth.And as for Cubs announcers Brickhouse >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Carey.There will never be another
I want to put in a good word for Jack Buck though, excellent at both baseball & football.As far as his son goes, I'm blaming that on the mailman.Harwell is the best I've heard, though it was just a few innings here or there when he was in the booth for a Yankee game or something. MAN he was good!
I loved Skip Carey and Pete Van Wieren too.Scully is the only one who can handle the booth by himself. Everyone else needs a wingman. if I had to vote for a 2nd, it would be Kalas.
Only correct answer is Scully in this poal.Scully is a poet
You probably need to get out more.Only correct answer is Scully in this poal.Scully is a poet
Dale Berra, Mel Hall, Danny Tartabull, Ed Whitson, Alvaro Espinoza, Pags..... oofI know you seem to be going more PBP than analyst here, but only Phil Rizzuto actually had his own book of poetry published though.He was tremendously underrated and was legitmately funny to listen to, and boy did we need him in those stinkeroo yank years of the late 80's/early 90's.
I used to watch all those Mel Hall WPIX years and he was no Scully. I actually met scooter and he was a great guy and he took a pic with my yank fan bro in law. As a Sox fan I refused to join in.I know you seem to be going more PBP than analyst here, but only Phil Rizzuto actually had his own book of poetry published though.He was tremendously underrated and was legitmately funny to listen to, and boy did we need him in those stinkeroo yank years of the late 80's/early 90's. The only other guy I've ever felt that way about was Bobby The Brain Heenan calling wrestling.
I definitely like Kalas more than Buck. As far as I'm aware, I'm not familiar with Allen, or Barber. I grew up with Kalas, though. Scully is terrific and worth listening to at any time, no matter what I think of the Dodgers. If I'm stuck in LA traffic and Scully is on, there's no rush.I do know that the Padres guys are completely unbearable. I was disappointed in how terrible they were when I realized I could get Padres games on the radio in LA.No Mel Allen? Really? Red Barber? Here are the top five all-time:Red BarberMel AllenErnie HarwellVin ScullyJack BuckHarwell is my favorite and since he had a resume including being th announcer for the Dodgers, Giants, Tigers, and Orioles and called the World Series games in the 90s as well as the first ever TV game, I think he is arguably the best ever by resume. Plus he's the only announcer to ever be traded for an actual player in 1948 when the Dodgers needed him when Red got sick. I think you can make an argument for any of those five though and if you ever get a chance look for their old clips and take a listen. personally I like Jack Buck second best but I always really liked Scully also. Never heard Allen or Barber do an actual game, but their voices are very recognizable to me. I love Kalas but think he's in the next tier below the five I listed although his voice and his impact beyond baseball eclipses probably anyone on that list and then some in the modern day. Carey? He was entertaining....
Really.I'm assuming most posters here are under the age of 97.No Mel Allen? Really? Red Barber?
That's brilliant. When you come up with a poll for greatest Firstbaseman ever please exclude Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, and Hank Greenberg because most posters here are under the age of 97. oofReally.I'm assuming most posters here are under the age of 97.No Mel Allen? Really? Red Barber?
Thanks for the link. I do recognize Barber, but he had such a distinctive voice. The link made me think of the old Home Run Derby tv series. I remember liking the way that Mark Scott hosted it. I had to look him up and I don't know what made me think of him.Greatest Baseball Announcers
You can link to some of the more famous calls. For all of you who are under 97, you can finally enjoy a Red Barber and Mel Allen call (unless of course you watched This Week in Baseball in the 80s and 90s).
Agreed...this is a little different. Just a little.Raider Nation said:That's brilliant. When you come up with a poll for greatest Firstbaseman ever please exclude Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, and Hank Greenberg because most posters here are under the age of 97. oofReally.I'm assuming most posters here are under the age of 97.No Mel Allen? Really? Red Barber?
Of course it is. We can look up stats and compare era to era.If someone can find me full game calls by Barber and Allen, I'll listen and add them to the pole.Agreed...this is a little different. Just a little.Raider Nation said:That's brilliant. When you come up with a poll for greatest Firstbaseman ever please exclude Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, and Hank Greenberg because most posters here are under the age of 97. oofReally.I'm assuming most posters here are under the age of 97.No Mel Allen? Really? Red Barber?
Who was better? Mantle or Mays? Koufax or Pedro? Big Train or Big Unit? At some point these become subjective just like the broadcasting argument. Barber is probably the standard which all other baseball broadcasters are judged because he essentially blazed the trail. He was doing it in Cincinnati when people were first using radio to listen to games, and then he spent the next 30 years calling games for the two most popular franchises in the Dodgers and Yankees. Dismiss this all you like but Barber, not any of those you listed is the true pioneer in play-by-play baseball broadcasting and he was exceptional. He was a big part of the racial integration of baseball, he helped move baseball to TV broadcasts, and he recruited, employed, and mentored Vin Scully.Raider Nation said:Of course it is. We can look up stats and compare era to era.Tom Servo said:Agreed...this is a little different. Just a little.Raider Nation said:
I was just dropping his name at first but as someone who always wanted to be a sports broadcaster, has done sports broadcasting at several levels, and someone who still loves baseball on the radio I just found it odd he wasn't mentioned up to the point I posted. Barber is a guy who gets tremendous respect from former and current broadcasters (would love to hear Scully talk about him), from former players, from historians, and from fans regardless of age. I'll try to find longer clips later but here is some good stuff courtesy on NPR. Red Barber quotes, calls, and interviews w/nprIn 1978, Barber and Mel Allen became the first broadcasters honored by baseball's Hall of Fame.
I can't believe I'm about to say this, but after listening to Scully several times this year (including tonight), it seems he's lost NOTHING off his fastball. Which, at age 83 is absolutely remarkable. He has no long pauses caused by confusion, he rarely misidentifies a player and the stories still roll off his tongue beautifully.
Im a sox fan who never misses a Scull game all year. I'm really hoping it's him tonight!I can't believe I'm about to say this, but after listening to Scully several times this year (including tonight), it seems he's lost NOTHING off his fastball. Which, at age 83 is absolutely remarkable. He has no long pauses caused by confusion, he rarely misidentifies a player and the stories still roll off his tongue beautifully.
I guess he didn't "bore the pants off of you" that night?I can't believe I'm about to say this, but after listening to Scully several times this year (including tonight), it seems he's lost NOTHING off his fastball. Which, at age 83 is absolutely remarkable. He has no long pauses caused by confusion, he rarely misidentifies a player and the stories still roll off his tongue beautifully.
MEOW!I guess he didn't "bore the pants off of you" that night?I can't believe I'm about to say this, but after listening to Scully several times this year (including tonight), it seems he's lost NOTHING off his fastball. Which, at age 83 is absolutely remarkable. He has no long pauses caused by confusion, he rarely misidentifies a player and the stories still roll off his tongue beautifully.
He's an institution and a great storyteller but I wouldn't list him among the all-time greats. I have family in Milwaukee and always catch a few innings of Uecker when I visit in the summertime. Maybe it's his age but he seems disinterested at times and does a poor job on some of the PBP basics. He does signify the city as much as any sports figure since Al McGuire though.Uecker really should get mentioned in these sorts of things too. Wouldn't vote him over Scully, but he's in the conversation
Incredible how lucid he is. He's way sharper than I am most days, I can tell you that. To deliver consistency in broadcasting is very difficult day to day, doing radio for example is hell if you're a moody ####er. Vin sounds the same every night and these stories about the opposing team are something I have simply overlooked before now. I mean I know he tells them, but until you hear him call your team you don't fully appreciate it.I can't believe I'm about to say this, but after listening to Scully several times this year (including tonight), it seems he's lost NOTHING off his fastball. Which, at age 83 is absolutely remarkable. He has no long pauses caused by confusion, he rarely misidentifies a player and the stories still roll off his tongue beautifully.
When the Yankees were in LA last year, Vin Scully called Rivera closing out a game. It being Mo's last year and Vin Scully being Vin Scully, I set up the DVR so I could record just that half inning to keep it. Thanks for this thread bump and the reminder that I have that saved. It's going to be a great way for me to end my night.Incredible how lucid he is. He's way sharper than I am most days, I can tell you that. To deliver consistency in broadcasting is very difficult day to day, doing radio for example is hell if you're a moody ####er. Vin sounds the same every night and these stories about the opposing team are something I have simply overlooked before now. I mean I know he tells them, but until you hear him call your team you don't fully appreciate it.I can't believe I'm about to say this, but after listening to Scully several times this year (including tonight), it seems he's lost NOTHING off his fastball. Which, at age 83 is absolutely remarkable. He has no long pauses caused by confusion, he rarely misidentifies a player and the stories still roll off his tongue beautifully.
Just wonderful, wonderful broadcasting.