HOUSTON -- Hall of Famer Milo Hamilton announced during a Wednesday afternoon news conference at Minute Maid Park that he'll retire from full-time broadcasting following the 2012 season.
Hamilton, 84, celebrated his significant moment on stage with new Astros owner Jim Crane and president and CEO George Postolos.
The legendary broadcaster spent a few minutes thanking the media and reflecting on some of his special career moments in the booth.
Hamilton will enter his 28th season as the radio voice of the Astros and 59th overall broadcasting Major League Baseball games.
His soon-to-be 59th season ranks second only to legendary Hall of Fame broadcaster and Dodgers icon Vin Scully (64th season).
Hamilton takes pride in his longtime tenure as an Astros radio broadcaster and will forever be a beloved icon among the fan base.
"It's great to be here today," Hamilton said. "For me, it's great to be anywhere. Today, I told a story at a sponsor luncheon that 67 years ago this month, I called my first game. So, here I am 67 years later still trying to do it until I get it right. It's been a marvelous road."
Hamilton stated that he planned to retire in 2010, but owner Drayton McLane Jr. asked him to continue calling games for Houston.
"Drayton had some plans for me," Hamilton said. "I was going to retire in 2010. Drayton came to me and said, 'At the end of the year, what are you going to do?' I said, 'Well, I'll probably come to a lot of games.' He said, 'Why don't you come and do the games, and I'll pay you.' That was a real easy decision for me."
Although Hamilton had been giving retirement a great deal of thought, he ultimately decided the 2012 season would be it for him.
However, Hamilton is only retiring from full-time broadcasting.
He will play a significant role with the Astros moving forward and still participate in many of the same functions outside of the booth.
According to the Hall of Famer, he wants nothing more than to get through the 2015 season, thus marking 70 years of being on the air.
"2012 was going to be it," Hamilton said. "Rather than let it go on during the year and let people wonder if it's the last year I am going to call games, I decided it was time. It was my call. Any headline that says I am retiring is now obsolete. I am not retiring. I am retiring from being a full-time broadcaster, but I am going to be with the ballclub, in Jim's words, as long as I want to be.
"If I can get through 2015, that will give me 70 years of being on the air. That would give the kids starting out something to shoot for."
The Astros plan to honor Hamilton over the course of 2012.
His 85th birthday will be celebrated on Sept. 2 at Minute Maid Park as part of "Milo Hamilton Day," with other events to be announced.
"We will provide a fitting tribute for one of the all-time greatest broadcasters in our industry," Postolos said. "The bond that Milo has built with our fans is very special. With that in mind, we have created ways for our fans to participate in our tribute to Milo. They'll have an opportunity to do that throughout the season."
Hamilton has broadcasted professional sports for the last 66 years.
He's battled some health problems in recent years, yet the legendary broadcaster continues to persevere and bounce back.
"It's been a wonderful time," Hamilton said. "It's great for me to be able to finish up my broadcasting of games in Houston. I've been here longer than I have been anywhere else. This will be my 28th season. I've had some great stops along the way. I've had some bumps along the way. Some of you know a little bit of my health history. I've had some chemo in recent years. The cost was really staggering. So, I've said whenever I quit, I would like to be with the ballclub in some capacity. I got good word last Tuesday that I'm not going to have any chemo this year.
"I'm going to be doing things here. I will be doing some guest appearances in the booth. I'll keep doing all the things you've seen me do. It has been a great game for me. I did football for 25 years and basketball for over 40 years. Baseball has been the greatest game in the world when I first started, and it still is today.
"When the end of the season comes, I will do the last game as the voice of the club. I'll still be around doing a lot of things for Houston."
Hamilton will broadcast from his 59th career ballpark in 2012 when Houston visits the Marlins for a three-game series (April 13-15).
He's the recipient of the Ford C. Frick award -- the industry's most prestigious honor -- in 1992 from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Overall, Hamilton is a member of five Hall of Fames.
He has called 11 no-hitters, Ernie Banks' five grand slams in a season, Stan Musial's five homers in a doubleheader, Roger Maris' 61st home run in 1961 and Hank Aaron's historic 715th homer.
Furthermore, Hamilton called Nolan Ryan's 4,000th strikeout in 1985, Barry Bonds' major league-record tying 70th homer in 2001, the Astros' historic six-pitcher, combined no-hitter in June 2003 at Yankee Stadium and Astros icon Craig Biggio's 3,000th hit.
Hamilton was in the booth when Roger Clemens passed Steve Carlton for second on the all-time strikeout list and later called Chris Burke's 18th-inning, game-winning homer in Game 5 of the 2005 NLDS.
He had the honor of calling the Astros' first ever World Series appearance in 2005 when Houston faced the Chicago White Sox.
Hamilton may be heard saying his catch phrase "Holy Toledo, what a play" a couple of more times throughout this upcoming season.
Crane, who officially took over ownership of the ballclub last November, wanted Hamilton to stay another season with the Astros.
"Jim said to me the day the sale went through if I was ready to do it another year," Hamilton said. "I said, 'I sure am.' He said, 'Why don't you go upstairs. Your contract is ready.' That was the earliest I've ever signed a contract for a baseball season. I have another new contract to do a lot of other things. They [the Astros] have made it work. I will be seeing you in a lot of different places."
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