Worst home-run call in MLB broadcasting
I can’t decide whose home-run call is worse: John Sterling’s (“IT is high, IT is far, IT iiiiiis…GAHN! Home run, [player name]!”) or Michael Kay’s (“Track; wall; see ya!”). Forced to choose, I would vote Kay, just because I don’t think this has always been his home-run call; I think he changed it from something else, and while the old one was probably irritating also, 1) this one is a clear effort to get a ™ for himself, 2) if the ball stays up a while, he just waaaaaaaits so he can maybe still do it (“Tra…aa…ack? Wall?”), and 3) then he often has to reverse himself (“Track; wall; s– Cabrera makes the routine play”).
(Infinitely worse, of course: “Yankees win! The-e-e-e-e-e-e Yankees win!”)
Who has the most annoying trademarky home-run call in broadcasting? (Who’s the “back, back, back, gone” guy — is that Joe Buck? Shut up, Joe Buck. Or whoever else it is.)
[NB: The game is on right now. Yes, it’s a dull one. You think I’m bored, you should have heard the “fascinating” discussion of the crappy round of golf O’Neill shot this afternoon, which was followed by a conversation about 17-year cicadas because it’s…Cicada Night at Comiskey?]
[Also NB: I know it’s not called “Comiskey” anymore but I hate those goddamn corporate ballpark names. The new stadiums in New York better not get lumped with some shit like “Kleenex Field.”]
While I loathe Joe Buck as much as anyone, I’m going to have to go with Hawk Harrelson’s “Stretch! Stretch!” It’s not as bad as his strikeout call (“He gone” is a perfect storm of bad grammar, robotic repetition, and trademark-iness), but man, that guy bugs. The best part of watching a White Sox game, really, is when Hawk runs out of things to say and sits there silently, for literally minutes on end. How does this yahoo still have a job?
“Back, back, back” is Chris “YWML” Berman. And, shut up, Chris Berman.
Also, are you watching this game on YES? Because I’m kind of loving the color commentary w/ O’Neill and Girardi now, reminiscing about Cone’s perfect game, and just shooting the shit.
Kay’s is the WORST. I hate to say this because a) it’s kind of pedantic and b) I love all the Pirates broadcasters, but Lanny Frattare never fails to annoy me when Jason Bay hits one.
“[Outfielder] to the waaall, and it’s gone. Ja-son BAY.”
“Bay with a drive, high to center field! Ja-son BAY.”
“Go ball, get out of here! Ja-son BAY.”
“Ja-son BAY.”
“Ja-son BAY.”
UGHH SAY HIS NAME LIKE A NORMAL PERSON. It seriously kills me.
The “back, back, back” guy is Chris Berman, of ESPN. But it’s never a mistake to tell Joe Buck to shut up, either, so it’s all good.
As a Red Sox fan, I’d also like to nominate (now ex-Sox radio broadcaster) Jerry Trupiano’s trademark home run call for your “worst” list, for the same reason you griped about Kay’s. (Though I’ve heard Sterling do it, too.) If had a dollar for every “way back… WAY BACK! …CAUGHT a few feet shy of the warning track by Ramirez” call, I could retire.
I’ve begun to accept Sterling’s campiness for what it is and just laugh at it now. As for Kay, I really don’t think he has any soul left. Such a kissass.
Watching the game here with J9, and have this absolutely true story to share. The Yankee announcers were just talking about the David Cone perfect game, and Paul O’Neill mentions how that evening, he was also at a Bruce Springsteen show. I know this to be absolutely true, for I was also at that Springsteen show and know that O’Neill was there. Ironically, my girlfriend Debbie(g/f at that time) was also at that perfect game. So how do I know that he was at the Springsteen show? Because I talked to him in the men’s room that night.
Before anyone gets silly thoughts, let me finish. I’m doing my business at the urinal, and I happen to notice that O’Neill is standing right next to me. So I simply said to him, “So, you’ve had quite a day, huh? Perfect game, plus a Springsteen show in New Jersey?”
And I’ll never forget what Paulie said to me. In a way that could only be described as O’Neill-esque, in that eloquent Paulie manner of speaking, he says to me:
“Yup.”
That’s it. Granted, there are men’s room urinal rules regarding talking to one another, but “Yup?” That’s it? That’s all he could muster? Sheesh. I returned to my seat and told Debbie the story and she basically said, “I bet he could tell you’re a Red Sox fan.” We broke up shortly afterward.
As for the corporate naming of ballparks, the new Mets Stadium is going to be sponsored by Citicorp, but they’re calling it “Citi Field,” which is as good as a Corporate name as you could possibly get.
I’d have to call it a push on Kay vs. Sterling, but I think Sterling has to be waaay ahead in the “It is high…it is far…it is…..caught by the second baseman” missed calls.
Sars, you’re not alone–most people in Chicago still call it Comiskey (which is kind of funny, if only because Old Man Comiskey was one of the true bastards who ever lived). And, yeah, all the news-types around here have been talking about the stupid cicadas for WEEKS. We get it already. It’s starting to remind me of local news channels doing team coverage of snow flurries in January. Oy.
Yeah! Fight the power–I flat out refuse to refer to the SkyDome as anything but its real name.
I love Detroit’s commentary (refreshingly unbiased at times, which believe it or not, I like in a home team commentary). I haaaaated the Indians crap I had to listen to the other night. My husband and I actually changed the station because we couldn’t handle it. It wasn’t too bad until their GM came up to the box and started waxing poetic about how, even though the Tigers were winning, this is why the season is so long, to rule out wins that are simply flukes, blah blah blah, they’ve gotten a lot of lucky breaks this evening, yadda yadda yadda (you mean flukes like, oh, we were missing THREE DAMN STARTERS, you jerk?).
And of course, at that moment, one of the Indians hit a home run to bring them into the lead, and the commentary turned into “I think we’re witnessing something special tonight! There’s something in the air! What a miracle that he just hit a home run! Huzzah!”. Not a playoff game, buddy! HATE!
“UGHH SAY HIS NAME LIKE A NORMAL PERSON. It seriously kills me.”
Yanks fans feel you on that. To wit: “Jason Gi-am-bi, the Giam-BINO!” At least now that he’s on the DL/going to get his ass chewed out by Sen. Mitchell, we’ll be spared that nonsense for a while.
Having moved away from Minnesota and my beloved MN Twins, I’ve been catching all their games on XM and thus have been introduced to some REALLY bad radio announcers. People think the Twins have kinda bad ones in our TV guys, Dick and Bert (“You are hereby circled! Only 274 days until my birthday! Also, a 643 double play to end the inning.”), but man, some of these radio guys for other teams are baaaaaad. Like this dude who announces for Cleveland, who basically has a damn aneurysm of pants-wetting spittle-spraying excitement every time a Cleveland player does anything even remotely noteworthy, like…a base hit into shallow left? “And he hits a sharp liner pastthethirdbasemanINTOLEFTFIELDANDIT’SABASEHITFORSIZEMORE! A BASE HIT! THERE’S A RUNNER ON FIRST WITH 1 OUT IN THE SECOND!”
I always picture this announcer, whoever he is, sort of collapsing back into his chair after every action and fanning himself with his scorecard, blotting sweat with the end of his tie. Seriously, if he’s that worked up over a base hit or a routine stop by the third baseman? How does he react when somebody does something REALLY good? I’m betting his head explodes. I don’t know myself, since I can’t stand listening for more than an inning. I’ll watch GameDay and its creepy ghost batter instead, thanks.
I have to agree on Kay over Sterling for pretty much the same reason. Right out of college in ’93 I worked for a radio station that would simulcast Yankee games. I would have to sit there and plug in local commercials during the breaks. Sterling was doing the play-by-play on radio that season and had the same shctick back then. Yanks weren’t too good that year but at least I got to hear Rags throw a no-hitter.
For me, the ultimate baseball announcer will always be Harry Kalas for the Phillies, having grown up listening to his “Swing and a long drive…it is OUTTA HERE! Home run [player’s name]!”
Kalas is the man. This past winter, or maybe the one before, I heard him announce a Giants football game on the radio, and I had a total disconnect. Wrong sport, wrong city, although I was always perfectly happy to hear his nasal voice doing voiceovers for NFL films. When I think of the Phils, especially the teams of the 80s, it is always narrated in his voice. Most particularly Juan Samuel. Why that name? I have no clue.
Up on the North Side, we call that stupid block down there where the Sux play, “The Cell” or “US Commiskular.” I hate all those dumb names. And i know, Wrigley isn’t much better, but at least it’s not changing names all the time.
Lately I’ve been listening to news radio on my hour commute to work since I want to kill all morning DJs in the DC Metro Area in a slow painful fashion. But I’ve begun to really hate when the Nats win.
7:15am
The Announcer: And with that the Nats get a cuuuuuurly W!
Me: The fuck? What the hell is a curly W? Is that like some kind of won on errors kind of thing?
7:25am
The Announcer: After a stellar play the Nats get another cuuuuurly W!
Me: What the fuck is a Curly W??? Oh wait! No! They wouldn’t! Yeah I get that the logo is that cursive W. They wouldn’t. They couldn’t!
7:35am
The Announcer: A big cuuuuurly W in the books for the Nats
Me: UGh! I can’t believe how girly they are making baseball sound. Curly W! Gross!
7:45am
The Announcer: And with that the Nats get their 2nd cuuuuurly W in a row
Me: SHUT UP WITH THE FUCKING CURLY FUCKING W! Gah! I wonder if I can tolerate the other stations for a few minutes…maybe just around the 5s.
I am in favor of human cloning if for no other reason than that we’ll always have a Vin Scully. My husband and I subscribe to the Extra Innings package, and we’ll stay up late just to listen to Vin.
As someone mentioned, Hawk Harrelson is just egregiously bad, and though Cubs fans have a soft spot for him, I really can’t stand to listen to Ron Santo. SPIT IT OUT, RONNIE. I’d like to know the game situation, and Pat Hughes would like to tell me. Kee-rist.
OMG!! Harry Kalas is a classic! They even used him to announce for the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet during the Super Bowl! Fantastic!!
I became aware of JOE BUCK last year when he strayed over to football. I loathed him from his first utterance. I said, “Who IS this hack?!? And why is he messing up my football game?” Answer: “He’s Joe Buck, he usually announces baseball. His father was one of the great announcers.” Me: “Is he any better at announcing baseball, cause he SUCKS announcing football?! He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Now I know. Thanks for the info!
At least the new Shea Stadium will be called something like “Citi Field” while named after Citibank still sounds better than Dorito Stadium or my non-favorite, PNC Bank Arts Center (formerly and currently to me known as Garden State Art Center).
Hey, if you were bored, maybe you shoulda switched over to ESPN to watch the Phillies spank the Mets in New York, again. (I actually like the Mets, but I LOVE the Phillies). Jimmy Rollins hit a nice n’ easy 3 run homer, and Antonio Alfonseca was enormous. The roster lists him as 6′ 5″ and 250 pounds, but if he’s a pound under 300 I will eat my hat (unless he gest to it first).
Have a look: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=110134
He pitched good, though. The announcers were Orel Hershiser and some ESPN guy, they were fine. They kept wondering aloud why a team with so many good players just can’t seem to get anywhere. Good question, guys.
The place where the Celtics and Bruins play used to be called the Center.
But the last people to buy the naming rights decided to call it the TD Banknorth Garden.
And why is that clever?
Because what used to stand there was the much-abused, much-venerated Boston Garden. Which means now everyone in town can just call the new place The Garden, which is how they used to refer to the old place.
I don’t watch/listen to a whole lot of coverage besides the televised Red Sox games, so I don’t know a whole bunch of announcers besides Don & Remy (love!) and the national guys. But Berman needs to shut up with that “back back back” nonsense, absolutely. And while I wouldn’t choose Joe Buck over … most announcers shy of Fran Drescher, really … I can’t hate on him completely, because every now and then he’ll give Tim McCarver shit for being so very … McCarveresque. As in, he’s openly mocked things McCarver has said, during the game, in a national broadcast! I’ve gotta respect that. … Okay, done now.
Compare Kay’s histrionics with O’Neill’s call on Tuesday night of Rodriguez’s home run: A sotto voce comment at the crack of the bat: “Well, that’s gone.”
Of course Kay had to follow that gem of understatement with his booming. “A loooooooong home run. etc.”
I’m always grappling with the guys who do the Jays’ radio. First off, there was the (now late) Tom Cheek, who seemed destined to jinx the Jays at every opportunity. I swear to god, one game I listened to, it was the sixth inning, and Roy Halladay was pitching with a man on second. Cheek jumped all over himself talking about how Roy hadn’t let a man past second so far in the game? Literally, on the next pitch, the runner stole third, and then right after that, the batter hit a triple. Thanks, Tom.
So the new duo is Jerry Howarth (sp?) and Alan Ashby, and while they’re okay, I kind of wish they were a little less fair. They seem to get just as excited when the other team does anything as they get when Toronto has a big play. Arrrrrgh…
Chris Berman became my new most-hated announcer during the Home Run Derby a couple years ago. It’s a freaking HOME RUN DERBY! Stop saying “back back back gone” every time! They are TRYING to hit home runs! Arrrrrgh!!!!!
michelel, agreed. Joe Buck is more palatable than he would be otherwise because he sits next to the pile of dumb that is McCarver.
I’m growing to really like Hershiser.
“The announcers were Orel Hershiser and some ESPN guy, they were fine. They kept wondering aloud why a team with so many good players just can’t seem to get anywhere. Good question, guys.”
Oh, Sarah, believe me, I wonder the exact same thing. I had to listen to that game on the radio because of the sucktacularness that is Comcast, ESPN was blacked out. (“Is it on? It’s on, right?” “Hold on, lemme check… Sports Center’s still on…aaaand… ‘This program not available in your area.'” HAAAAAAAATE.) That said, I’ll take hearing Kalas announce things over Hershiser and some ESPN guy any day.
Oops. I said Rags threw a no-hitter in ’93. It was Jim Abbott. I was only off by 10 years saying it was Rags. ;]
Bob Murphy, once in a while, would have his “and it’s a long fly ball, this could be — and it’s caught by the short stop!” moments.
Buck could learn, for once, the difference between a fly out and a pop up. A pop up does not almost clear the fence, dude.
My wife cannot watch the HR Derby anymore, due to Berman. Between back back back and his “AAWWWWWWWW!” everytime one is crushed, it’s a little much for her. I don’t blame her, as I turn the volume down myself.
My all time best/worst moment is Susan Waldman the day Clemens announced his return to the Yanks. I’m still laughing about it, as I’m sure any of you will be if you search for it on Youtube.
TwinsFan: THANK you. That’s exactly why we turned off the Cleveland broadcast that night. Oy. I love XM forever for giving me my games, don’t get me wrong, but wow was that some bad stuff.
Like michelel, I really just follow the Red Sox on TV, so I’m most familiar with Don and Jerry (in fact, I own a Don and Jerry bobblehead NESN desk :). Don and Jerry have a great comfort level between them, a great sense of humor in their announcing, and announcing the Red Sox four/five days a week, they’re more likely to discuss interesting little tidbits about the team and the players than I hear on weekends when games are broadcast on FOX or ESPN. The national announcers (I always forget who they are) seem to take themselves way more seriously and rarely say anything that’s not trite and obvious and reductive about the Red Sox (and, I’m guessing, whoever they’re playing). At least they’re also rarely gratingly obnoxious – just boring and a little annoying.
And who can resist Wally in his teeny little Adirondack chair?
Boy, Astros fans must be the luckiest in the nation. I don’t find anything particularly irritating about our announcers. I even enjoyed a game on TV during which they got bored, cycled through the various cameras aimed at the stands, and got into an argument over whether or not two guys they saw were twins. Baseball game? What baseball game?
Yeah, for a while, it was “New Comiskey,” then just “Comiskey,” but frankly, both Cellular-whatsit and Wrigley (to a lesser degree) are known as “parks” to the Chicago natives – Cubs park, Sox park. I noticed the same thing in Baltimore, too – Orioles park, Ravens stadium. ‘Course, Baltimore got burned with a team move that they STILL haven’t forgotten twenty years later, so maybe it’s a reflex there ;)
Speaking of refusing to the “actual” name, as it were, as someone who grew up in DC, I refuse, utterly, to call our coolest airport “Reagan.” It’s NATIONAL. You fly into NATIONAL for the most beautiful view and occasionally a little scary approach over the river and it’s right on the Metro and it’s NATIONAL and how much do I hate those congressclones intent on naming EVERYTHING after Reagan?
Which is, uh, unrelated to corporate renaming, but still. NATIONAL.
I no longer follow one team enough to pick out an annoying announcer. For my taste, most of them just talk too damn much overall. When I was a kid, my mom use to listen to Giants baseball on the radio when Russ Hodges announced the game. Home runs were always called “and you can tell that one bye-bye, baby!” I can still hear his voice after all these years.
Here’s a great quotes link: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/quohomer.shtml
I agree, Jen K — it’s always such a letdown when you’re forced to listen to the national broadcasters. They’re so busy repeating themselves and drawing the same obvious conclusions that they can’t spare 30 seconds to, say, discuss whether that guy really WAS out at second or not. Far too much “commentating” and not nearly enough announcing the damn game (if you look away from the screen, you won’t have a clue what’s going on). They make me crabby.
Everyone on the Harry Kalas fan train needs to check out one of the Phillies commercials for this season (link below) — it strings a bunch of calls together into a sort of Harry Kalas rap song. It’s the most brilliant thing I could imagine and I walk around singing it all day long. The video clips guys did a great job too, so that everyone shown looks like they’re dancing to the rhythm of the call. It’s beautiful — go watch it immediately! My new goal in life is to figure out how to rip the audio and set it as the ringer on my cell phone.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/phi/fan_forum/commercials.jsp
[click on “Fine Play”]
I’ve actually never heard “Stretch! Stretch!”, which MB pointed out, but I’m going with Hawk for “You can put it on the board! Yes!” Started as a one-off thing, I’m sure, but he liked the sound of it and kept repeating it until it wasn’t even words anymore. And his voice went up at the end of “board” so it sounded like a question. “Yuuu can putitontheboooooooooard . . . (?) Ayusssssssss!”
Or maybe it was just that way in my head. Still, the odious “He gone” inevitably led to the incomprehensible “He Gong” for Iguchi, although I’m not sure if Hawk made that adjustment himself.
Whenever I try to say “U.S. Cellular Field” I always screw it up as “Comerica Park,” a symptom of having migrated to Michigan. So screw that, it’s Comiskey to me too.
Ever since Sean McDonough left the booth the quality of Jerry Remy’s commentary has depreciated considerably to the point where I can’t listen to NESN’s broadcasts any more. Remy just seems so blah these days…that is in-between his constant shilling of whatever the latest thing he’s tied his name to.
I miss McDonough: while Orsillo comes off as a lesser version (which is saying a lot because McDonough was probably the best Sox play-by-play guy since Gowdy), there’s no chemistry between the two. Or, if there is, it pales in comparison to what McDonough/Remy brought to the table.
Maybe I’m in the minority, but I loved hearing Trup’s excited calling of fly-ball outs to the outfield.
I also am a card carrying member of RSN, and love Orsillo and Remdawg. I rarely have any complaints about them.
As for Joe Buck, he’s certainly not my favorite, but I have given him a pass on a lot of things for the Slam A Lama Ding Dong commercials from a few years ago. They had those written on little signs in one of the newspapers back in 04 and we have ours framed.
“My all time best/worst moment is Susan Waldman the day Clemens announced his return to the Yanks. I’m still laughing about it, as I’m sure any of you will be if you search for it on Youtube.”
My personal favorite way to watch it is via YTMND: http://ofallthedramaticthings.ytmnd.com/
I definitely watch it on days when I am sad. :)
Carolyn, Hawk’s “Stretch!” is what he squeaks out when a fly ball is borderline, and he’s trying to coax it over the wall. I flat out refuse to acknowledge his “put it on the board” nonsense.
Maybe it’s just that I grew up on the North Side in the Harry Carey era, but nothing will ever top, “It might be. It could be. It is! Holy Cow!” for me. It’s cheesy as hell, but it’s a classic for a reason. Len Kaspar, though? Needs to get the hell off my TV. When I watch Cubs games, I mute the TV and listen to Pat & Ron on the radio. Ron Santo’s moans of agony as the team implodes really make you feel for the guy, but they’re also hysterical.
I didn’t see Waldman’s freakout live, but saw it on Mike Francesa’s Sunday night wrapup show on WNBC. Even he played it about 6 times in a row and kept laughing. Then I think Olbermann ran it a bunch of times too.
One of the unintentionally greatest broadcast moments evah.
All this homerun announcer talk makes me nostalgic for Dave Neihaus, Seattle’s voice of the Mariners. “MY OH MY!” And for the grand slam, he’d holler out, “GET OUT THE RYE BREAD, GRANDMA, IT’S GRAND SALAMI TIME!” Good times, good times.
Speaking of the Nationals, one of the tv announcers [can’t remember which one, they can’t seem to stick around] … it’s going, going, gone, GOODBYE!
And Melissa — the National’s home caps have a curly “W” for “Washington” — so if they win, it’s not just a regular boring W, but a special *Washington* W. Or something.
The Mariners have the weirdest confluence of announcers in baseball. No need to listen to anyone else to compile the evidence. The anchor PBP guy, Dave Niehaus, is amazing–only his grand slam call (“Get out the rye bread and mustard, grandma! It’s Grand Salami Time!”) is annoying, and he’s so sincere that he overcomes his own corn.
But they have all these other color and PBP guys on the roster–they literally employ 5 full-time announcers between tv and radio, rotate them in-game, and they *all* work directly for the Ms.
So who’s the worst? Ron “Red” Fairly, who struggled for years to come up with his TM, and he just mutters…”see yuh later.” Even when he called some of Ken Griffey Jr’s dramatic/record home runs, he sounds apathetic and wistful, like he’ll miss seeing that ball so much that the fact that his employers just scored (or even set a record) takes a far back seat. “Fly ball…see yuh later.” He sounds like he’s describing Ball 2. (And just for the record, HRs are my *least* favorite part of the game).
It’s enough to make you wish for one of the card-carrying spazzes the other teams hired.
// And his voice went up at the end of “board” so it sounded like a question. “Yuuu can putitontheboooooooooard . . . (?) Ayusssssssss!” //
Carolyn, that’s what I hear too. Or, more accurately, that’s what I used to hear before I wised up and started muting all the games where I got stuck with the White Sox feed. I don’t know how White Sox fans just don’t go terminally insane, I really don’t. Lord knows after five minutes of Hawk Harrelson I start to feel as though the crucial bits of my brain are evaporating.
So, yes. Another vote for Harrelson. Shut up, Harrelson. And “he gone” can die a miserable lonely death too.
Stennie – Dave Neihaus still announces, but only for half of the game on TV. Don’t know about radio. He is amazing. Grew up listening to him on the radio and now his voice IS baseball to me.
“As for the corporate naming of ballparks, the new Mets Stadium is going to be sponsored by Citicorp, but they’re calling it “Citi Field,” which is as good as a Corporate name as you could possibly get.”
Citi Field is not a good name.
“Great game at Shea!”
“We’re leavin’ for Shea in half an hour!”
Now substitute the new stadium.
Do it.
Not quite the same nice ring to it.
There’s only one good corporately named music or sports venue in the U.S. and that is —
Louisville Slugger Field
Signed,
a Mets fan
I wish I had a nominee for the worst home run call, but I’m a Twins fan and, unless we’re playing the Yankees or the Red Sox, none of the major networks will give us the time of day. Our games are all broadcast on the local Fox Sports channel with the same two guys calling all the games. I’m fine with that, as I loathe Joe Buck with every fiber of my being (don’t have an opinion on anyone else, as my non-Twins baseball watching is sporadic at best, and I developed my loathing for Joe on his football broadcasts), and even when we do have a game on ESPN or something I tend to watch the local broadcast. More locally relevant and all that.
Aw, I’m glad others love Harry Kalas. I love all the Phillies announcers…still miss Richie Ashburn. I love Larry Anderson’s laconic quips (that sounds like a contradiction in terms, but that’s what they are). Considering I don’t know any of them personally, it’s silly how sad I get when I hear that Harry Kalas doesn’t want to work with Chris Wheeler (why???? they both seem so nice???) and that they let Scott Graham go. I get mad at the Turkey Hill Graham Slam Ice Cream ads because they don’t have Scott Graham mistakenly assuming the fan letters are for him instead of for the ice cream any more.
I mean, who couldn’t love Wheels saying the other day “That’s the kind of thing that gets you in a pickle?” For whatever reason a lot of these guys seem…quaint, but in a good, wholesome way.
They all seem to start to mirror each other so I couldn’t say whose quirk was whose, like the inverted sentences: “tagged out at second is so-and-so.”
Do other, non-Phillies announcers say Eleven “Ee-oh-leven?”
I had one of those diconnects mentioneed above when I visited the Philadelphia Mint (before they closed it after 9/11…fun taking some visitors there in 2003 and discovering it was no longer open for tours, argh) and heard Kalas’ mellifluous tones echoing around me as part of the tour.