Baseball Broadcasters, 1945 and 1970

Even more than the players themselves, the home team's broadcasters provide a sense of continuity which contributes to baseball's sense of timelessness. Many announcers remain with a team for twenty or more seasons, their familiar -- or sometimes irritating -- voices and trademark expressions becoming an indelible part of a local fan's summer. The table on the following page, compiled from the Sporting News annual radio/TV guide, lists the major league radio broadcast teams from 1945 and 1970 -- twenty-five and fifty years ago. See how many of these names bring back memories...

1945

Boston Braves and Red Sox: Tom Hussey and George Hatrick

Brooklyn Dodgers: Red Barber and Connie Desmond

Chicago Cubs: Bert Wilson and Wayne Osborn

Chicago White Sox: Jack Brickhouse

Cincinnati Reds: Waite Hoyt and Lee Allen (yes, the future Hall of Fame historian)

Detroit: Harry Heilmann and Donald Watrick

New York Giants and Yankees: Al Helfer and Bill Slater

Philadelphia Athletics and Phillies: Byrum Saam, Claude Haring and Doug Arthur

Pittsburgh Pirates: Rosey Rowswell and Jack Craddock

St. Louis Browns and Cardinals: Harry Caray and Gabby Street on one station, France Laux and Johnny O'Hara on another

1970

Baltimore: Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell

Boston: Ken Coleman, Ned Martin and Johnny Pesky

California: Dick Enberg and Don Wells

Chicago White Sox: Bob Elson and Red Rush

Cleveland: Bob Neal and Herb Score

Detroit: Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane

Kansas City: Buddy Blattner and Denny Matthews

Milwaukee: Unknown [franchise arrived from Seattle only days before the season began]

Minnesota: Herb Carneal and Halsey Hall

New York Yankees: Phil Rizzuto, Frank Messer and Bob Gamera

Oakland: Harry Caray and Monte Moore

Washington: Shelby Whitfield and Ron Menchine

Atlanta: Milo Hamilton and Ernie Johnson

Chicago: Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau

Cincinnati: Jim McIntyre and Joe Nuxhall

Houston: Gene Elston, Harry Kalas and Loel Passe

Los Angeles: Vin Scully, Jerry Doggett and Mike Walden

Montreal: Dave Van Horne and Russ Taylor

New York Mets: Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner

Philadelphia: Byrum Saam, Bill Campbell and Richie Ashburn

Pittsburgh Bob Prince, Gene Osborn and Nellie King

St. Louis: Jack Buck and Jim Woods

San Diego: Jerry Gross, Frank Sims and Duke Snider

San Francisco: Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons and Bill Thompson

Copyright © 1995 Doug Pappas. All rights reserved.
Originally published in the Summer 1995 issue of Outside the Lines, the SABR Business of Baseball Committee newsletter.