RSS
Home
FOX's Buck and McCaver part of a great All-Star broadcast history
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
TV - FOX 8p.m.
Radio - ESPN and Sirius/XM
Pre Show - MLBN 4p.m.
Broadband - MLB.com and Fox Sports.com
There is something about baseball broadcasting that really connects with the fans. Announcers of America’s pastime are by far the true voices of sports. Tonight, the FOX team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver will do their 11th All-Star Game — which is a record for a broadcast team.
McCarver has the distinction of calling the most All-Star Games, a record 18, and he’s the only broadcaster to do the game on three different networks — FOX, ABC and CBS.
Buck’s 11 broadcasts top his legendary father — Jack, the Hall of Fame broadcaster — who did three broadcasts, two of which coincidentally were with Tim McCarver in the early 1990s.
It should be noted that the elder Buck also called four All Star Games and 11 World Series broadcasts on CBS Radio.
In honor of McCarver and Buck’s achievement, I thought it might be a nice time to look at some of the great broadcasters that have done the game in the past.
Starting in the early 1950s the “Voice of the Yankees” and Hall of Fame broadcaster Mel Allen was the main voice of the All-Star Game on the NBC broadcast from 1952-1962 — only calling one game each season from 1959-1962 when they played two All-Star contests.
Curt Gowdy, who has 13 All-Star telecasts, made his debut on NBC back in 1959 when he and Allen teamed up to call the game from Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
Joe Garagiola, close behind Gowdy at 12 appearances, took the mic for the first time with Gowdy at the 1961 game at Fenway Park in Boston.
Other names from the past include Vin Scully — the longtime voice of the Dodgers — who did eight All-Star broadcasts and Tony Kubek, who many of us grew up with, logging 10 games.
It should be noted that, for the 50 years the All-Star Game has been broadcast, no other major sports all-star game has come close in the ratings race. This makes the Midsummer Classic the king of professional sports’ all-star games.
Some final game notes....
Opening ceremonies include a salute to St. Louis baseball great, Stan "The Man" Musial. Also President Barack Obama will throw out the first pitch plus there will be a video presentation from all four living Presidents.
President Obama will join Buck and McCarver in the booth sometime during the telecast at this point we do not know when.
There will also be Major League Baseball and PEOPLE “All-Stars Among Us” campaign, which recognizes individuals who are serving their communities in extraordinary ways.
Those are some othe pregame highlights you will see on FOX.
.gif)
For more info: Plenty of good All Star information can be found here at the Examiner. We have a number of gifted writers on the topic. So do check them out.
Related Articles:
Comments
.jpg)
