Breaking in with a Starr

October 23rd, 2009

The following originally appeared on thesoundofbaseball.com in April, 2006.

One of the great things about spring training is having the chance to catch up with broadcasters from the other league. Recently in Lakeland, FL, I had a chance to meet three announcers who are in their first year in the big leagues after spending many seasons broadcasting in the minor leagues chasing the big league dream.

Brett Dolan and Dave Raymond of the Astros and Dave Jageler of the Nationals were in town broadcasting for their respective teams and I had an opportunity to chat with all three. I couldn’t help but to think back to my first year broadcasting big league baseball after eight seasons in the minor leagues. I wondered if these three announcers were going through the same things I was. The odd feeling of both excitement and anxiety.  Getting your first real opportunity and hoping that you make the most of it.

I have always appreciated how lucky I was to break in when I did with a consummate professional.  Bob Starr was the lead voice of the California Angels when I was hired to be his partner in 1995. There was one striking difference between us. He was in his sixties, and I was in my early thirties. A generation apart in age to be sure. But the one thing that really impressed me about Bob was his willingness to help me grow and establish myself, instead of trying overshadowing me. Bob was known as the “Burly Broadcaster” to his friends. I assumed it was because of his size, but I never did ask because I was too afraid to.  In my mind though, the only thing burly about Bob was his generosity. He was always quick to pick up the check at every dinner on the road and even purchased an expensive briefcase for me to carry my stuff around my first year.

He was generous with his money, but he was also well respected for his talent. Broadcasting in the shadow of the great Vin Scully in Los Angeles most of his career, Bob was one of the lesser known treasures of baseball broadcasting. LA has produced some of the giants in the sports broadcasting industry. Whether it was Scully with the Dodgers, Chick Hern with the Lakers or Bob Miller with the Kings, Bob Starr always seemed to be in the background.  He didn’t mind. Bob never chased attention. In fact, he hid from it.  I’ve said this many times, but for me, Bob Starr was what baseball broadcasting should sound like.  A deep smooth voice with a down home tinge that made you feel like listening to the Halos on your radio was like being at the game.

My one enduring memory of Mr. Starr (everyone called him that, including me) was the night in Baltimore in 1995 when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played. As luck would have it, the Orioles were playing the Angels, and there we were at Camden Yards. I called the play-by-play for the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but because the record would become official in the fifth inning, I decided that I would turn the mic over to Bob. He insisted that I call the inning because it was mine and he wanted me to enjoy the experience. I told him that it was he was the senior member of the crew and it was only right that he have the honor.   Besides, I was convinced that I would find a way to screw it up and we needed the “A” team calling the historic moment. When the game became official and Ripken took his lap around the field, I simple turned my mic off and listened.  It was the best fifteen minutes of radio I have ever heard. He captured the moment to perfection. Bob would look over to me as if to say, “Well, are you going to say something?”   I just smiled and took it all in.

Bob always had a saying about players.  “Just because you wear a big league uniform doesn’t make you a big leaguer.”   The point was that you needed to earn that respect. Bob was always a big leaguer.   As I look back at that first year in a big league booth, I realize now how much his friendship and guidance helped shape my attitude toward the profession. Mr. Starr made it fun to come to the park and always made you respect the game and your job.

Bob passed away in 1998, but for me, the memories still live.

Posted in Blogs | 1 Comment »

Home run calls

October 12th, 2009

For fans of Major League baseball, the comfort of identifying with the home team’s broadcaster makes the game special. In many cases, it is an announcer’s home run call that serves as a signature. I am often asked to share my home run call with inquiring baseball fans. One problem: I don’t have one. My opinion is certainly not shared by all, but it’s my belief that all home runs are different and attaching a scripted phrase to every long ball, be it a moon shot or a wall scraper, doesn’t accurately tell the story.

Early in my big league career, I was pulled aside by a broadcasting executive who told me that he was going to take me to the next level. I thought he meant they were moving my office from the second to the third floor. I should have been so lucky. It seems that this executive felt I needed a unique home run call and that I should crank my volume up a notch or two to reach my full broadcasting potential. I have always felt that it is important to listen to constructive criticism, so I obliged. The next month and a half, I proceeded to call every pop up to second base with the same fervor as a Barry Bonds McCovey Cove shot.  Every time I think back to that conversation, visions of Joe Buck screaming, “Slam-a-Lama-Ding Dong” bounce around my head. The lesson I learned, was that just like most home runs, great home run calls just happen.

For my money, the best home run calls are those that are spontaneous and capture the moment. For that reason, the most memorable home run calls are born from some of the game’s most memorable moments. While I’m not old enough to remember Russ Hodges’ classic call of Bobby Thompson’s three-run homer to lift the Giants over the Dodgers for the Pennant in 1951, I have had the privilege to hear some of the most memorable home run calls in recent history. With that, here is a list of my top five favorite home run calls. These obviously are all big game calls which gives them an advantage, but in my mind, they are some of the most memorable. Some are very basic and simple and some are more descriptive. To me though, they all captured the moment brilliantly.

5. Jack Buck-October 1985.

Game five of the NLCS-St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers. Ozzie Smith’s improbable ninth inning home run beat the Dodgers. “Smith corks one into right down the line! It may go! Go crazy folks, Go crazy! It’s a home run! And the Cardinals have won the game 3-2 on a home run by the Wizard….Go Crazy folks, Go Crazy.”

4.  Jack Buck- October 1991.

Game six of the World Series-Atlanta Braves vs. Minnesota Twins. Kirby Puckett’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning. “Into deep left-center for Mitchell…..and we’ll see you tomorrow night.”

3. Vin Scully-October 1988.

Game one of the World Series-Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland A’s. Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run off Dennis Eckersley beats the A’s. “High fly ball to deep right field…..she iiiiis gooone.” Over a minute later, Scully added, “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”

2.  Tom Cheek-October 1993.

Game six of the 1993 World Series-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Toronto Blue Jays. Joe Carter’s walk-off home run ends the World Series. “Touch ‘em all Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life.”

1.  Jack Buck-October 1988.

Game one of the World Series. Kirk Gibson’s home run off Dennis Eckersley. “Gibson…swings and a fly ball to deep right field! This is gonna be a home run! Unbelievable! A home run for Gibson! And the Dodgers have won the game, 5 to 4!  I don’t believe…what I just saw.”

This is a short list to be sure, but some of my favorite calls of all time.


Tags: , ,
Posted in Blogs | No Comments »

Keeping Focus

September 25th, 2009

If you broadcast professional baseball long enough, sooner or later you’ll be tested. Usually sooner.  One of the toughest things about broadcasting this game is keeping it fresh.   When you are working every night for five months straight, or in the case of the major leagues, six straight months, keeping the broadcast from going stale is a challenge. Baseball is unique in that you don’t face one team and then head out to the next city for a fresh opponent.  Instead, calling a three or four game series can test your story digging abilities. Especially in August or September when you are seeing a club for the 18th or 19th time.

It is still important though to broadcast every game in September like you would in April or May, regardless of where you are in the standings.  In 2003, I covered a Tigers team that lost 119 games.  We were, in effect, out of the playoff race shortly after the national anthem was performed on opening day.   Yet, for as difficult as it may have been to treat every game as a new day, that’s exactly what I did.

I learned how important it was to stay focused all year when I was broadcasting minor league baseball.  One season in late August, I called a 12-inning game with our club out of the playoff hunt.  The next day I was talking to one of our fans who told me that I sounded like I couldn’t wait for the game and season to end.  He could hear it in my voice.  It was a friendly critique, but it has remained with me my entire career.   As a broadcaster, you may be tired from the hot summer grind and your team may be eliminated from post season consideration, but fans still expect you to do your job… until the very final out of the season.

This year, I have the luxury of being involved in a tight pennant race that will go down to the final week.  There is an extra jolt of energy that goes with that.  But I also see how difficult  it can be for the broadcasters of other teams who are counting the days until their next round of golf.  Keeping focused is no easy task, but its what every listener expects.

Posted in Blogs | No Comments »

My Hero Ernie, the news business and you

September 23rd, 2009

I hope each and every single one of you had the chance to read the front page article on Wednesday’s USA Today sports section about Ernie Harwell.  I know that several of  you know Ernie well(Mario for sure), and consider him a hero.

Suffice it to say he certainly is one of mine.  For many reasons he ranks at the top of my list– including his low key yet profound celebration of his Faith.   But here’s another Ernie achievement to talk about.  And I am so glad we now have these forums to get us all back on track discussing what’s real and what’s not in this business.

Did you realize, and I knew this because Ernie and I have talked about it before..that Ernie Harwell actually covered WWII as a young reporter for Stars and Stripes, which was THE daily information sheet of and for the U.S. Military, especially during WWII.  That means he covered combat..and the Japanese surrender–as a REPORTER…before he really ever ascended to the play by play heights.

And whether or not you know this, I too, had a chance to work war zones in the Middle East during the Gulf War and in Haiti during the violent overthrow of the Haitian President in the early 90s for Cable News Network.

Now before you go throwing your head back and guffawing something along the lines of, “Why does this graybeard need to tell us this?” listen up.

First and foremost, the very core of the talent of a play by play broadcaster in ANY sport is his or her ability to report facts, fairly and equally.  The really outstanding reporters not only write well, but they speak as well or better than they write..descriptively, center cut and to the point, adding sophistication as they grow in confidence through hard years of toil at their craft…the same as play by play broadcasters.

I promise you faithfully that the same requirements that allow the upper echelon reporters on television and radio today..the ability to take a few notes and then ad-lib in a pressurized situation..is no different than a play by play broadcaster doing his or her homework, then delivering in a live setting, descriptively describing what transpires on the field.

Take it from one who has been in BOTH venues…no doubt the more fun of the two is the play by play booth…and that should be obvious.  No one faces immediate danger other than being hit by a pitch a foul ball…or injured during the game…In only the rarest of instances like the earth quake that disrupted a World Series 20 years ago, or the unfortunate death of my late friend Mike Coolbaugh in a baseball setting, do play by play broadcasters find themselves in such misery.  But what a comfort to know that you have the ability..in doing play by play..to be a news reporter.

And let’s let others in on this discussion with this closing line or two.  Let’s just say that coming out of school, or coming into the industry, you cannot find a suitable play by play gig.  That’s fine.  Why not become a radio or TV reporter?   You practice the same craft, essentially.  You’re feeding yourself and paying your rent.  And you get on air, live experience.

The play by play gig will come..if it is supposed to come.  And while on the one hand you are working to make that happen, why not work to make yourself a reporter and a BROADCASTER first…and then add on the play by play?

Capps has called Round Rock Express baseball for 10 seasons. He has worked on-air and behind-the-camera for WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, for ABC News in St. Louis and KPRC-TV in Houston. While working for CNN, Capps covered the Gulf War as well as the Waco Siege, which garnered him an Emmy Nomination and a CableACE Award.

Posted in Blogs | 2 Comments »

A night of thanks

September 21st, 2009

Wednesday, September 16th was a very special night at Comerica Park for the 25,000 fans that attended the Tigers/Royals game. Yes, it was a nice comeback win for the home team. Yes, the Tigers are in the middle of a pennant race. The night was special however because of one special human being. Ernie Harwell provided the crowd with a very special heart-felt moment in the third inning. He addressed the crowd and thanked them for their support and loyalty. Except, we are the ones the should be thanking him for those very traits.

As a native Detroiter, I am keenly aware of what the greatest Tigers broadcaster of them all means to this city and to the game. He is the single greatest inspiration in my professional career. Ernie’s abilities grab hold of you and never let go. His call of Tigers baseball in the 70’s and 80’s drove me to pursue a career in broadcasting. In my mind he was, and will always be, the voice of the Detroit Tigers. All of us are just keeping his seat warm.

So, on Wednesday night, for one last time, I had a chance to share a booth with Ernie. This time, we weren’t calling a game. We just talked. I thanked him for inspiring me to become a broadcaster and more importantly for setting the bar so high, that you can’t afford but to give it your best every single night. For being one of the truly great people in the game. He smiled brightly and thanked us for all we have done for him. Classic Ernie, always shining the spotlight on others.

Tigers fans have been blessed with a rare talent since 1960. On Wednesday night, weak from his illness, Mr. Harwell showed yet again why he just may be the greatest sports figure Detroit has ever seen.

In 2002, my first year broadcasting with the Tigers, I had an opportunity to watch Ernie in action. I did television, and Ernie radio, but just having the chance to travel with him was a treat. The way he represented himself and the club was truly first class. He was a walking lesson in humility and always displayed how a genuine person conducts himself. Over the years, I have had several opportunities to broadcast with Ernie when he would fill in on the TV side. The first time was in 2003 at Comerica Park when Roger Clemens was making a bid for his 300th win. I actually got to work with Ernie for two games that day…the game went 17 innings. For 17 innings I heard Ernie spin tale after tale. It never got old. Not too many of us in this profession can pull that off,  but Ernie is not like most of us.

Tags:
Posted in Blogs | No Comments »

Idaho Falls will miss their voice

September 21st, 2009
Jim Garchow

Idaho Falls baseball broadcaster Jim Garchow died Sunday.

A quick note to memorialize a good man, and a good broadcaster.

I suspect you probably haven’t been to Idaho Falls, let alone listened to Jim Garchow call a baseball game. If you didn’t, you really missed out. Jim died Sunday.

Missing baseball, I left my talk show in Jacksonville, Fla., in the summer of 2007 to call ball games for the Pioneer League outfit in Great Falls, Mont. In that league, we traveled once to Melaleuca Field, where I met Jim.

His voice was as resonant as his personality was kind. Jim told me about Idaho Falls baseball lore – the Braves days – and how the stadium once burned down, and, more recently, was demolished and rebuilt all in one (very cold and snowy) off-season.

Having several years of experience under my belt, I was used to tutoring the fresh-outta-college broadcasters around the league. But that first night in Idaho Falls, I left my booth immediately after the inning ended — and rejoined the action, admittedly, a bit tardy, just so I could hear Jim deliver baseball to his community.

The news of his passing probably doesn’t extend far beyond Pocatello, but that didn’t diminish its significance to the baseball broadcasting community. Jim was one of the good guys whose only limits in this business were self-imposed.

Tags: ,
Posted in Blogs | No Comments »

Silent inning didn’t translate well on radio

September 11th, 2009

Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling all vacated the Mets’ TV booth in the sixth inning Tuesday. Only a fire alarm would justify SNY from reprimanding their television trio for playing hooky, right?

Instead the planned “Silent Inning” offered fans the sounds of the game, without interruption from the broadcasters, none of whom were even visible to cameras in the Mets’ 4-2 loss to the Marlins.

In a down season where the Mets fell way short of expectations, it was a clever change-of-pace issued by SNY producers to shake things up. But it’s not a new idea. When I was a part of it, nine years ago in Charleston, S.C., it  wasn’t quite termed clever.

I was a pro baseball rookie, working the pre and post-game shows for the Charleston RiverDogs in the South Atlantic League. My job was to kick off the broadcast — briefly — and then tidy up the particulars after the game ended, so that broadcasters Jim Lucas and Don Wardlow could make the bus on time.

I worked out of a small radio studio, and, took calls after the game. Sometimes there weren’t any. That night, when Jim and Don decided to make the third inning the “Silent Inning,” I never had to give out the phone number. Charleston found it.

Coaxing the vending machines to drop free candy bars, poring over my fantasy baseball roster and lazily keeping score of the game? All out. Instead, I was explaining to dozens of angry callers why Jim and Don were silent during the seemingly endless third inning.

I was instructed not to break in with updates on-air, instead letting the ambiance of the ballpark in Macon, Ga., come across the airwaves uninterrupted, pristine and increasingly maddeningly for the audience who missed a half-dozen RiverDogs runs in the nearly 40-minute inning.

The Mets got lucky. A routine frame, which, by the most ardent fan, could still be tallied if they watched closely.

That night in Charleston, I learned that the adage, “You never know who’s listening,” is a load of malarkey. I ended up knowing each and every one of them.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Blogs | No Comments »

Brad Golder, Great Lakes Loons

September 10th, 2009

BBB:  Let’s start with your education.  You earned a Bachelor’s
Degree from Vanderbilt University.  Your Degree was in Political
Science, so how did you end up behind a microphone?

BG: I knew when I went to college that my dream job was to broadcast
baseball games, but I had never done it before and knew that it was a
very difficult profession to get into.  I wanted to get a well-rounded
college education and a degree that would allow me to get a job
outside of baseball if things didn’t work out for me.  I went to Vanderbilt
and walked on to the baseball team my freshman year, but was cut
after the fall scrimmage season.  I then started writing for the student
newspaper, the erotically-named Vanderbilt Hustler, and was
eventually named sports editor.  During my sophomore year, I talked to
the Vanderbilt ISP Network about broadcasting baseball games and
was hired as the No. 2 broadcaster for the Vanderbilt baseball
broadcasts, which proved to be a great learning experience for me
broadcasting SEC baseball games.  I fell in love with broadcasting
baseball and have been doing it ever since.  My degree is in poly-sci,
but I took a lot of classes in English and Communications, especially
after broadcasting the Vanderbilt games, and I gained valuable
experiences with the student newspaper, the campus TV station and
with Vandy baseball.

BBB:  Your resume includes stops in Tennessee with the
Diamond Jaxx and Sounds.  Talk about those experiences and
how they came about.

BG: I was living in Nashville and broadcasting Vanderbilt baseball
games as a student my junior year when I applied to work for the
Nashville Sounds.  I was hired as a No. 2 broadcaster for home games
at the age of 20 and was the youngest broadcaster in the Pacific Coast
League.  I worked with Chuck Valenches, the Voice of the Sounds, who
really taught me a lot about broadcasting and allowed me the freedom
to work games solo.  He had a tremendous amount of patience with me
as I was learning the craft.  I worked for the Sounds for three years
(2002-2004), broadcasting home games.  I also traveled with the team
at my own expense to Memphis, Omaha and New Orleans on several
different occasions just to have the opportunity to get more experience
and more innings under my belt.  In 2003, I also worked the final month
of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx’s season.  Their broadcaster Matt Park
left to take advantage of a great opportunity to work for his alma mater,
Syracuse.  I had applied to West Tenn before, so they had my resume
and demo and called me and asked me to fill in during the final month
of their season.  It was my first opportunity to work as a lead
broadcaster.  Before I had even graduated from Vanderbilt, I had
already worked major college and Triple-A baseball as a No. 2
broadcaster and served as the lead broadcaster for a Double-A team,
so I consider myself very fortunate.

BBB:  You have also worked as a producer and remote
engineer.  How important is it to be involved in as many aspects
of the business as possible?

BG: I would encourage every young broadcaster who wants to be on-
air to spent time learning the business behind the scenes.  While I was
in Nashville, I also worked for a news/sports talk station, where I served
as the station’s jack-of-all-trades.  Kind of a radio version of Jose
Oquendo.  I was a producer, board op and engineered remote
broadcasts.  Additionally, I worked my way into on-air roles at the
station as a reporter, update anchor, and weekend sports talk show
host.  Without these experiences, I never would have been hired by the
Braves and the Loons.  In Minor League Baseball, especially, it’s so
important to be well-rounded.  Some minor league teams have very
small front office staffs, and in order for broadcasters to make
themselves attractive to potential employers, they must be versatile.
One thing that I have never done is hold a sales position, but many
teams look for sales experience first and foremost when hiring a
broadcaster.  Almost all broadcasters below Triple-A are also in charge
of media relations, making communications skills and writing skills very
important.  Additionally, most minor league broadcasters work solo and
serve as their own radio engineer.  Minor league broadcasters must
know how to operate simple radio equipment.  One thing that made me
more attractive than other candidates for the Loons job was that I had
experience in radio and was a part of the Braves Radio Network when it
began its first season with Clear Channel in Atlanta.  We began a new
broadcast for the Braves in 2005 and I was a part of a similar setup
with the Loons, where in our first year, we were beginning from
scratch.  The knowledge that I had gained at Clear Channel in their
first season as the Braves’ rights holder served me well in the Loons’
inaugural season.

BBB:   You were the Executive Producer and Operations
Manager of the Atlanta Braves Radio Network.  How did that job
help expand your experience?

BG: As I mentioned above, the skills learned in how to set up a major
league broadcast – the formatics of a pregame and postgame show,
the setup of equipment, the structure of commercial breaks and the
relationship between the team and the clients – proved to be an
invaluable skill learned.  I didn’t sell advertising time, but I learned a
tremendous amount of how to work with clients to meet their
expectations.  Advertisers can be an absolute pain in the rear, but
without them no one has a job.  I learned a lot about how to please
them without “selling out” to sponsors and cluttering the broadcast with
live sponsor reads.  But more than anything, I spent two years
observing the broadcasters that I grew up listening to and working with
some of the best talents in the game.  I saw how they prepared in great
detail for a ballgame and how they interacted with the players, coaches
and managers.  I can honestly say, I learned more in those two years
than I did in my four years at Vanderbilt.

BBB:  Talk about your current job with the Loons.  It looks like
you have covered just about every level of the minor leagues.

BG: Yup, and if you look at my career chronologically you’d think I was
going backwards – Triple-A to Double-A to the big leagues to Single-
A.  But this was a huge step for me, joining a brand-new organization
and becoming a lead broadcaster.  I think I have one of the elite jobs in
all of minor league baseball.  I work for a team that operates as a non-
profit and has made an overwhelming commitment to the community.  I
work every day at a beautiful 38-million dollar ballpark that was
completely privately funded.  I’m also the program director for a sports
radio station that the team recently purchased.  I’m in charge of all of
the team’s communications efforts and media relations.  And because
of our proximity to Detroit, I was able to take an off-season freelance
job as the studio host for the Detroit Lions Radio Network.  It’s easy to
get caught up in the level of minor league baseball and say this job is
better than that job because it’s higher in classification, but there are
great organizations that draw well at Single-A or even independent ball
and there are lousy organizations with staggering attendance at Triple-
A.  Last year, the Loons played in a ballpark that was named the new
ballpark of the year and outdrew 18 Double-A franchises and four
Triple-A teams.  With the Loons, especially here in their infancy, there
is a tremendous amount of support for the team and the fan support
has been tremendous.  I think in some jobs in the higher classifications
the fan support is not as strong because there other sports teams in
that market.

BBB:   What advice would you give to young broadcasters
looking to break into minor league baseball?

BG: – Gain as much experience in the business as you can, even if it’s
not on-air work.
- If you can’t get anyone to hire you, go to a ballpark, sit in the stands
with a recorder, and build your demo.
- Meet as many people as you can – without being pushy – and
continue cultivating those relationships.  You never know who will hire
you next.
- Get a good education and learn to write.  The skills you learn in
writing are invaluable when you’re trying to formulate sentences
spontaneously on the air.

BBB:  Favorite baseball broadcaster growing up?

BG: I grew up in Atlanta following the Braves and I loved the Braves’
team of broadcasters – Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Joe Simpson
and Don Sutton.  So many fans became loyal followers of the Braves
because of their work on TBS, but I also listened a lot on radio.  I didn’t
have a favorite amongst them, but they were the guys that I grew up
listening to.  One of the neat things about the Braves broadcasts was
that there was no lead broadcaster; they all worked in an equal rotation
on TV and radio and as the lead broadcaster and as the analyst.  And
all four of them have their own unique style and characteristics that
made them good at what they do.  Pete is the most well-prepared
broadcaster I’ve ever met.  Skip has a tremendous sarcastic wit that
makes even blowouts interesting.  (He once said on the air of an
umpire, “Sometimes Joe West is guilty of a premature ejection.”)  Joe is
equally good on play-by-play as he is on color and always gives an
honest, objective analysis.  And Don is able to analyze the psyche of
pitchers better than almost anybody.  I remember growing up and
listening to the Braves on the radio at Lake Lanier outside of Atlanta
on weekends, and during that time (early ‘90s), there was so much
excitement about the Braves because they had been so lousy for so
long and finally started winning.

BBB:  Who has had the most influence on you professionally?

BG: I worked with those four guys plus Chip Caray, and I’d have to say
working with them on a day-to-day basis had a huge influence on me.
To work with the guys that taught me so much about baseball when I
was listening growing up was an invaluable experience.  But there have
been so many people along the way who have impacted me.  Pete
Weber, the Voice of the Nashville Predators, has always been
supportive of my career and provided me with advice.  Paul Barbeau,
who’s our GM with the Loons, has taught me so much that I never knew
about minor league baseball.  And my family has been great. My wife
knew that broadcasting baseball was my passion when we met, and
she has sacrificed a lot (including warm climates) to allow me to follow
my dreams.  My parents taught me the love of baseball.  My mom is a
die-hard Braves fan, and my dad taught me everything there is to know
about the ’61 Yankees.

Originally published on TheSoundofBaseball.com in 2007.

Tags: ,
Posted in On the Way Q&A | No Comments »

Kirk Agius, Brevard County Manatees

September 10th, 2009

BBB:  Your work experience includes time as a mortgage broker
and a luggage claim adjuster.  How did you get into baseball?

KA: First and foremost I would like to take the time and say thank you
for the opportunity to be a part of the monthly featured article. In my
short time as a minor league broadcaster, I have gained an incredible
amount of respect for all of us in this business. With that being said, my
introduction to baseball began several years ago. Sure I still recall the
days when my father would take my two brothers and me to Tiger
Stadium, but little did I know that I would one day be the voice of a
minor league ball club. It was during my senior year of high school
when I took a few classes in television productions. I actually did a
segment on the Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium and knew from that
point on that I wanted to be in baseball. However, things didn’t quite
work out the way that I had hoped. I began a 9 year tenure within the
airline industry working out of Detroit Metro Airport when I was 19 years
old. I had the notion that this would be just a part time job for me while I
attended school, but it quickly turned into full time work. I did it all from
baggage handling, to parking aircraft, to deicing in the winter and then
finishing up as a luggage claim adjuster. The airline industry was in
shambles so I ventured into the mortgage industry. Boy was that the
wrong direction considering the housing market in the state of
Michigan. I needed a new direction and my fiancé at the time and I
decided to move to Florida to pursue a new avenue. My wife received a
great opportunity to be a part of the police force and I could not stand
in her way to meet her dreams. I began to chase my dream and was
brought on board by a local radio station in Melbourne, Florida. We
already had a relationship with the Washington Nationals for spring
training so I was introduced with the ball club and their brass. I began
showing up at the ball park just about everyday and go hooked up with
the current voice at that time of the Brevard County Manatees in which
I was offered the color position for the radio network. Who would have
thought that a change of scenery would bring about such good fortune?

BBB:  You took advantage of a great opportunity.  You started
as the color commentator for Manatees broadcasts and a month
and a half later you were given the lead job.  How did that
happen?

KA: My advancement within the radio network definitely evolved at a
rapid pace. I was very much comfortable handling the color
commentator role along with the pre and post game interviews for the
network. However, a month and a half into the season, one’s loss was
my gain. Unfortunately, our lead play by play voice got himself into a
sticky situation with the ball club. Without going into such great detail, I
will just say that some things were done that were not valid and that the
team was forced to let our lead voice go. I received a phone call shortly
there after, was informed of the situation and was offered the lead job. I
remember that night like it was yesterday. I thought it was a little
surreal, because just 6 months earlier, I was living in Michigan and very
unhappy with where my career was going. My fiancé and I married and
next thing I know I am living out a dream of calling baseball games on
the radio. I still have to pinch myself some times to realize it’s true. I
suppose I just happened to be in the right situation at the right time.

BBB:  You have served as an official scorer.  Has that
experience helped your broadcasting?

KA: Serving as an official scorer has definitely helped my
broadcasting. I recommend that everyone take the time to learn how to
keep score regardless if you’re in the broadcasting field or not. For
me, keeping score has allowed myself to be more in tune with the
game. Everyone develops a different approach when keeping score
and the more I continue to score games the better I feel my call gets. It
may sound strange, but I rely on my score keeping so much for in
game statistical purposes and for on-air conversation down the road. I
do take the time to review my scorebook to look for the outcome of a
player during a certain situation that may have occurred earlier in the
year. I think it adds some credibility to my broadcast when I can recall a
specific at bat the first time the same two teams got together.

BBB:  Does working in Florida give you any advantage with
spring training so close by?

KA: Spring training in Florida has been great and without a doubt can
definitely have an advantage to working here in the sunshine state.
However, the one draw back is that the Milwaukee Brewers (parent club
for the Brevard County Manatees) hold their spring training in Arizona.
Unless I take a trip out to Arizona, I have to get all my updates through
the ball clubs websites and other media outlets. I sort of went into last
year blind as far as knowing the players and the history of the ball club.
However, each night leading up to opening day I was reviewing my
notes and reading my media book to play catch up with the Manatees.
What is confusing for the fan base in the local area is that the
Manatees play their games in Space Coast Stadium where the
Washington Nationals hold spring training. Some fans still believe the
two teams are associated with each other. The real big advantage of
working in Florida and having spring training games playing all around
me is that I can travel around with the media and get some really good
insight on other ball clubs. Of course I pay close attention to the major
league players, but I always have my eyes and ears on the minor
league ball players. Plus it is good to talk with some of the
broadcasters that are in the big leagues and get their perspective on
things.

BBB:  You are from the Detroit area.  Did Ernie Harwell’s work
have any influence on you?

KA: Talk to any Detroiter about the Tigers and the name Ernie Harwell
is sure to come up. There is no question that Ernie has been a huge
influence on me. Going back to my television production days when I
did the segment on the Tigers, I interviewed several players including
Todd Jones who was preparing for the first season of inter league play,
manager Larry Parrish and the legendary voice himself, the great Ernie
Harwell. It was a complete surprise for me to get the opportunity to ask
Ernie some questions and even though I had none prepared it was
rather easy for me to conduct the interview with someone I looked up to
since I was a kid. The one thing that stands out in our interview and I
will never forget it, was the response from Ernie to my first question. I
remember asking a question about his many years in baseball and the
joy that the game has brought to him. Ernie’s response was, “Well Kirk,
I’ve enjoyed it.” The fact that he said my name meant the world to me.
It showed the type of man he is and how respectful he was towards me.
I was just 18 years old at the time, but Ernie treated me like I have
been doing this for 18 years. Back in the day when baseball was on
television for just a few games out of the year, everyone turned on
their radios to hear Ernie Harwell call the Detroit Tigers. Ernie not only
painted a picture for all to see with his call, but he did it in such a way
that his personality shined. To me he was able to capture your
attention and bring the game right into your own living room. For the
longest time I could never forget how Ernie knew where the fan was
from who caught the foul ball. He would say something like, “and a fan
from Livonia caught that foul ball.” Plus the ever so popular strike three
call, “he stood there like the house by the side of the road.” Not a
game goes by that I don’t think about Ernie Harwell. In my opinion,
Ernie was the best and I hope that someday I can walk in his footsteps.

BBB:  What do you feel are your strengths as a broadcaster?

KA: I feel that I have several strengths as a broadcaster, but one that
I pride myself on the most is the ability to paint a picture for those
listening to their radio or on the internet. I want the listener to feel as if
they are right there in the ball park and see the batter step out of the
box with one foot, take his helmet off to wipe his brow then dig back in
to take the next pitch. I want to be descriptive, but not too descriptive
where I talk too much. I have had listeners come up to me and tell me
they love to listen to my call. I find it extremely humbling to hear that
from a fan and the first time is always the best. Although I remember
asking myself, wow people really do listen. My knowledge of the players
not only on the ball club for which I call, but the opposing players are
key. I always take the time to get to know the guys, find some
interesting facts about them and relay that back to our listeners.
Taking the time to exchange notes with fellow broadcasters goes
without saying, but adds to my knowledge. I think another strength of
mine is the ability to not stumble on a name, or a break in the call
because I am unsure of whom the ball was hit to. I become very familiar
with each player at their respective positions so that if there is a
ground ball hit their direction or a fly ball, I know exactly who it is in a
timely fashion. You have to be quick on your feet and knowledge of not
only the game, but the players within the game which will define you as
a broadcaster.

BBB:  You would be a great broadcaster to ask if there is any
advice to give for those looking to break into the business.

KA: It’s sort of ironic that you should ask what my advice would be for
those looking to start out in this business. I have been approached
several times with that same question which is very humbling. I have
only been around the game a short time from a broadcaster’s
perspective, so it’s quite an honor to share my advice. For me, I would
say be persistent. You have to put yourself in the right situation to
obtain the right opportunity. What I mean by that is you need to
network. You need to be in front of as many people as possible. We all
know that you don’t become a lead voice for a major league ball club
overnight. Find out in your area who the minor league teams are and
do whatever it is to get a foot in the door. Does the ball club have a
broadcast team and are there any local radio stations that would be
willing to air the games? Be prepared to call games for food vouchers.
Bottom line is that if you truly love what you do and want to be in
broadcasting, you will do whatever it takes to continue your dream. Just
about every major league broadcaster I have talked to has said one
time or another they called games for peanuts. Therefore, if you have
a dream, pursue it and good things come to those who are good
people.

BBB:  Are there any challenges to broadcsting in the Florida
State League in the summer?  Such as the weather?

KA: Calling games in the Florida State League has been very exciting.
The everyday travel by bus with the exception of a few overnight
series, and the heat can wear a player down. As for calling games, the
weather does pose a problem from time to time. First of all it is a long
season, 140 games in all, but as we all know there is rain just about
everyday somewhere in Florida throughout the dog days of summer.
As a matter of fact, Brevard County led all of the minor leagues in rain
outs during the 2006 season with 12, not to mention the rain delays.
However, it pays to have a good grounds crew and drainage system.
The heat can definitely be another factor when calling games. There
were several days when I would be hotter than a pistol. The headset
would be very sweaty and your water would stay cold for about 2
minutes. One issue I kept having were the unusually large bugs and
flies that were making their way into the broadcast booth. Speaking of
bugs and Florida, about halfway through the season we developed an
ant problem throughout the ball park. I had ants crawling all over the
equipment, paperwork, landing in my drink. It became comical after
awhile. All in all you become accustom to the weather in Florida and
just learn to accept it.

BBB:  What would you consider to be your dream job?

KA: Although I felt as if I was living a part of my dream last season
calling games in the minor leagues, I would ultimately like to make it to
the big leagues just like every other one of us. As a native from the
Detroit area, who wouldn’t want to return back to their roots and call for
the Detroit Tigers? However, I don’t see that job opening up any time
soon as the Tigers are blessed with great broadcasters both television
and radio. I love calling games on the radio because like I mentioned
earlier, I take pride in painting a picture for the listeners who are not at
the ball park. Furthermore, I have always wanted to be in sports
broadcasting on television which go back to the first time I stepped in
front of a camera in high school. Being around baseball for me is an
honor however, at the same time there is one person who has touched
my heart so much that was taken from me and my family before he
could hear my call of the game. My grandfather, better known as Papa
passed away about 6 months before I got to call my first ever game.
Papa loved baseball and would tell me stories from when he used to go
see the Tigers play when he was a kid. He would attend spring training
games in Lakeland and bring us back baseballs and cracked bats. I
learned so much from my grandfather and that’s why I would have to
say that ultimately my dream job would be just to call one game that my
grandfather could hear on the radio. If I never called a game again
after that, I would be 100% completely satisfied in life.

Originally published on TheSoundofBaseball.com in 2006.

Tags: ,
Posted in On the Way Q&A | No Comments »

Rich Burk, Portland Beavers

September 10th, 2009

BBB:  Let’s start with your education.  You received your
degree from Pacific University in Broadcast Journalism in
1988.  Tell us about your college days.

RB:  To put things in context, I’ll take you back even further than
that. I get the sense that most people in our industry (that is,
baseball play-by-play guys) grew up dreaming of being baseball
broadcasters — as kids, they turned the sound down on the
television and practiced play-by-play. I never did that. Don’t get me
wrong… baseball was my all-consuming passion. It’s just that I
thought I would be the one down on the field that the broadcasters
were talking about. And I maintained that goal through my college
playing days.
My coach at Mira Costa Community College in Oceanside,
California — a grizzled, tomato-faced, my-way-or-the-highway
veteran named John Seeley — gave me the idea of being a
broadcaster when I was considering four-year schools. “Burk,” he
said to me (I don’t think the man knew anyone’s first name), “you
need to go to Pacific University in Oregon and study announcing.
You can play baseball, and during football and basketball seasons,
you can be the Voice of the Boxers.”
It was as if a light bulb went on in my head. I had grown up listening
religiously to Vin Scully – not because I pictured myself in his seat
(I can honestly say the thought never crossed my mind), but
because I was intensely interested in how the Dodgers did. Wow, I
thought… what a great backup plan in case I don’t make it as a
player. (Of course, everyone else knew I wouldn’t make it as a
player – there is little call for a singles-hitting, slow-footed first
baseman, even if he does have good hands. I was the last to figure
it out.)

So that’s exactly what I did. Pacific is a great school — one of the
best Division III liberal arts colleges in the country, in a small town
(Forest Grove, Ore.), but close enough to the big city (Portland)
that there is a lot to do. On the other hand, Pacific wasn’t a great
broadcasting school, at least not in terms of direct instruction in
being on the air. There was a radio station there, and the county’s
cable access TV station was located on the campus, so
opportunities existed for those who were self-motivated, as I was
(most of the time, anyway). But anything I learned at Pacific about
play-by-play I learned on my own through trial and error. Lots of
error.

I’ll never forget my first-ever sports broadcast — a televised football
game between Pacific University and Simon Fraser University of
Vancouver BC. Again, it was cable access, and our guys (all
students) did a great job, but the equipment meant that the
production quality wasn’t the best. Geez, I was horrible. No freakin’
clue. In an absolute fog. But there is one thing I remember about
that game: one of Simon Fraser’s linemen was (I think) from one of
the Polynesian islands. His name was Viscesio Fakatufafita.
Stumble on that one the wrong way and you might not even be
allowed back on cable access.

I played baseball at Pacific for two years, so my baseball play-by-
play training was limited to calling games off the television and
going to then-Civic Stadium in Portland (now PGE Park) and calling
Portland Beaver games into my tape recorder.

One other note… all three of my baseball coaches had a direct
hand in the path my life has taken. Bob Canary, my coach at Dana
Hills High School in Dana Point, Calif., suggested I go to Mira Costa
CC to play ball (shockingly, it didn’t appear as if Cal State Fullerton
wanted me as I had hoped). Seeley sent me from Mira Costa to
Pacific. And my coach at Pacific, a legend in these parts named
Chuck Bafaro, introduced me to Jack Cain, who (with his wife
Mary), owned the Class-A club in Bend, Oregon. Jack and Mary
gave me my first job in professional baseball.

BBB: After a brief time in Bend, Oregon broadcasting in the
Northwest League you began working for professional
golfer Peter Jacobsen.  Why the shift in career path, and
what was the experience like?

RB: I spent the summer of 1988 in Bend as the number-two
announcer and administrative assistant. That meant I got to call
two innings of play-by-play at the home games, and the rest of the
time I did the grunt work. Bob Hards, who’s now with the Double-A
club in Midland, Texas, was the lead broadcaster there. It was his
first year in baseball too, but he’d been in radio a long time, and I
learned a lot from him.

Believe it or not, ever the optimist, I maintained my goal of playing
pro ball during that summer. I actually worked out with the team a
couple of times. We were an Angels affiliate, and Bill Bavasi was
the farm director. Probably because I badgered him about it, he
said, “Rich, if you want to come to spring training next year, we’ll
give you a uniform and give you a look.” It pays to have contacts.

So I went back home to Southern California in the fall of ’88, moved
back in with my parents, got a job at the Dana Point Athletic Club,
and worked out  like a fiend in preparation for the following March
in Mesa, Arizona. Along with my workouts, I ate 7,000 calories a
day (ugh…), and over the five-month period I put on 30 pounds of
muscle. (Nope, no ’roids… I honestly didn’t know such a thing
existed.)

My five months of work got me three days in Mesa, working out with
the Angels’ Class A club. Mr. Bavasi didn’t have to humor me for
long before I figured out what everyone else had known for years:
the speed of the game at that level was beyond my capabilities. I
will say this: I have fond memories of taking infield there. I could
always pick it.

When I was done with that, I returned to Oregon, where my fiancée
lived. We were getting married the following fall, and at the outset
of our marriage, I didn’t want to have to move around from
Poughkeepsie to Medicine Hat to Utica like most broadcasters have
to do. I knew I’d get back to baseball play-by-play someday, but in
the meantime, I just wanted a job in sports, and I wanted to stay in
Portland. The two main sports entities in town were the Trail
Blazers and Peter Jacobsen Productions, a golf tournament
management company. I made contact with PJP and hounded them
until they hired me, and I stayed there for nearly five years, first as
operations assistant, and later as advertising & graphics manager.

It was an amazing experience. I got to rub elbows with the likes of
Arnold Palmer, Jack Lemmon and Huey Lewis. I learned a great
deal about sponsorships, and how to maintain those relationships.
And I built friendships that exist to this day.

BBB:   In 1994, you were back in Bend, as the lead
announcer.  Did you always know you would get back into
baseball?

RB: Yes, absolutely. During my five years at PJP, I developed and
sold a package to put the University of Portland’s baseball games
on the radio. Over a three-year period (1991-93), I called about 30
of their games, and I also did countless “broadcasts” of Portland
Beavers games into my tape recorder at Civic Stadium, and many
more off the television. In the winter of ’93-94 I was ready to get
back in the game — my wife Heather and I had been married for
four years, and we were still a few years away from having kids, so
we both decided it would be the right time to pick up stakes if
necessary and move about the country while I worked my way up
the baseball ladder.

As I recall, I distributed about 70 tapes, then went to the ’93 winter
meetings in Atlanta. (The only time I’ve ever been to the winter
meetings.) When I got there, I found out my former boss in Bend,
Jack Cain, had an opening for his lead guy. I applied and got the
job.

At the same time, the Portland Beavers moved to Salt Lake City,
and there was no baseball in Portland in ’94. Jack and Mary Cain
were lifelong Portlanders (Bend was about a three-hour drive
away), and they had applied for the rights to the Portland territory
for 1995 — if Triple-A wasn’t interested in Portland anymore, Jack
and Mary figured short-season A-ball would be perfect. With the
possibility of the club moving to Portland the following year, my wife
and I decided to spend that summer of ’94 apart. She stayed in our
apartment in the Portland area, while I roomed with a family in
Bend. We saw each other on weekends when her schedule allowed
her to come wherever the Bend Rockies happened to be.

Well, lo and behold, in the fall of ’94, the Bend Rockies were
granted the right to move to Portland by both the National
Association and the City of Portland. We shifted operations there in
early October of 1994. Later that month, my wife and I bought a
house. It’s more than 13 years later, and we’re still in that house. I’
ve never had to move — Class A ball came to me, and then in
2001, Triple-A came to me. There is no question: I’m the luckiest
guy in professional baseball.

BBB:  The Bend franchise eventually moved to Portland and
so did you.  Describe what it’s like to work and live in
Portland.

RB: Amazing. Sometimes I just shake my head at how fortunate I
am. Portland is an incredible blend of big city and small town.
There are areas within five miles of downtown that seem like they’
re way out in the country.

Rain? Yeah, it rains. Mostly from November through March, then
off-and-on in April and May. But it doesn’t bother me. It just makes
me appreciate it when it’s nice, and I think that’s true for most
Portlanders. And from June through October, there is no nicer
weather anywhere in the country.

BBB:  You are also a featured speaker for the Portland
Beavers.  How important is that aspect of your job to the
organization?

RB: Very important. The more any team can get the word out at
the grassroots level, the better off they are. I speak here and there
to service clubs, and I emcee the occasional baseball banquet. I
really enjoy it, too… it’s a great forum to tell favorite stories and
test out new ones to see the reaction and know if they’ll go over
well on the air. I’ve also spoken at schools over the years, and I like
that too — it’s nice to expose kids to something new. Whether they’
re in elementary school, junior high or high school, most of them
have no idea what it means to be in professional sports.

BBB:   You have had several opportunities to broadcast at
the major league level, filling in for the Padres, Blue Jays
and Expos.  How rewarding was that experience and did it
prove to you that you could broadcast at the major league
level?

RB: All three experiences were incredible. In 2003, I did a couple
of spring training games with the Padres, filling in for Ted Leitner,
and Jerry Coleman treated me like an absolute prince. He could
not have been a nicer guy. He acted like we’d been doing games
together for years. I was very glad when he made it into the
broadcasters’ wing of the Hall of Fame. Not to sound sappy, but he
was already a Hall-of-Fame person.

In 2004, I got to do 10 games with the Expos, during their
“homestand” in Puerto Rico just before the All-Star break. I gotta
give props to Brett Dolan, who was (at the time) in the PCL in
Tucson, and for the past two years has been with the Houston
Astros. Brett had done some games for the Expos, and he told me
they didn’t have a #2 guy for their final stand in San Juan. He
encouraged me to contact Elliott Price, the Expos’ lead
broadcaster. Twenty-four hours later, I had the gig.

Elliott was a great guy to work with — I’m sorry that the Expos
moved out from underneath him and that he’s not in the big-
leagues anymore. He too made me feel welcome, and I thank him
for giving me a lot of responsibility while I was there. He also gave
me a hard time for tethering my laptop into the broadcast booth. I
have a cable lock that I put on my laptop, and I lock it in every
press box. That laptop is my life. Elliott thought that was hilarious,
and I still laugh when I think about it. I also crack up when I think
about this off-the-cuff bit Elliott did during a game Livan Hernandez
pitched.  Elliott acted as if he were Livan’s thoughts, and he did this
spontaneous stream-of-consciousness monologue that was truly
one for the ages.

During one of those series, the Expos played the Blue Jays. Tom
Cheek was ill, and Jerry Howarth had made the trip alone… so he
invited me to come over and call a few innings on the Jays’ radio
network over back-to-back nights. Jerry is a true professional, and
he has given me some great advice on a couple of occasions. Like
Jerry Coleman and Elliott Price, Jerry Howarth treated me with more
respect than I probably deserved. For that I thank all three of them.

Yes, I guess it proved to me that I could do major league baseball,
but on the other hand I think I’ve known that for awhile. I can
honestly say I’ve never felt more comfortable doing a baseball
broadcast than the very first big-league games I did with Jerry
Coleman. It probably had something to do with Jerry. I felt like I’d
been in the big leagues a long time.

BBB:  You have your own website which features your own
line of scorebooks that are available for purchase at
richburk.com.  What led to developing scorebooks and the
website?

RB: The website came first, during the 2006 season. I wanted a
place where people could hear, at their convenience, the
interviews I’d done, as well as highlights from Beavers games, etc.
Also, while I’ve done a pretty decent job (I think) of marketing
myself to major league teams, I’ve never been much of a self-
promoter here in the Portland community. Maybe I should be.
Whatever the case, the website was also an attempt to have more
people know who I am. I think all of us, particularly in the minor
leagues, long for that. We all pour our souls into this profession,
and it’s nice to be recognized for what we do.

I designed my own scorebook, which features a pitch-tracking
system, about 15 years ago. People have been telling me for a
long time that I should put the scorebook on the market. So last
year I did, along with a number of other versions I developed. In
fact, I have seven different versions of scoresheets, and when you
factor in the number of games available in those versions, there
are 25 different models of scorebooks. Sales have been good,
although I haven’t promoted them nearly as much as I should.

BBB:   Favorite baseball announcers, both past and present?

RB: In 1991, in his preface to the second edition of Voices of the
Game, Curt Smith described my favorite broadcaster by saying
“the enduring magic of the marvel named Vin Scully.” At the time,
Scully had been doing Dodger games for 40 years. Well, it’s 17
years later, and the magic still endures — Vin hasn’t lost a step. Jon
Miller, Joe Buck and Dan Schulman are all outstanding. Living here
in the Northwest, I’ve really enjoyed the Mariners’ duo of Dave
Niehaus and Rick Rizzs. And I’m kind of a Red Sox geek — my wife
and I honeymooned at Fenway Park, and for the past 10 years, my
daughter’s room has been painted to look like Fenway. So I’ve
listened often to Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano, and then last
year, Dave O’Brien and Glenn Geffner – their games begin at 4:00
Pacific, so I can listen while I’m getting ready for my own game.

BBB:   Any advice for those trying to break in to minor
league baseball?

RB: More than 10 years ago, I had a chance to meet with Jim
Healey, who was in charge of broadcasting for the Red Sox, and he
told me this: you’ve got to be good, and you’ve got to be
persistent. That has stuck with me. So I would advise anyone trying
to break in to keep getting better — I try to improve every year, and
I hope that’s true as long as I’m in this business. And while it can be
frustrating at times, I’ve been able to stay persistent and build my
network with major league teams.
I’ll expand on those two items.

– First, “You’ve got to be good.” When I was working for Peter
Jacobsen Productions, Peter served as an on-course reporter for
NBC during their telecast of the Skins Game golf tournament over
Thanksgiving weekend. Peter knew of my broadcasting aspirations,
so in 1993, he arranged it for me to sit alongside Vin Scully as Vin
did the broadcast. It was a dream-come-true — for two days, it was
Vin, Vin’s producer, and me inside a truck at Bighorn golf club near
Palm Springs, Calif. Just the three of us. I got to watch Vin do his
thing, and we had lunch together each day.

He told me two key things that have stuck with me. The first of them
is this: be yourself. This wasn’t easy for me. Honestly, it took me
300 professional baseball broadcasts before I knew up from down,
and another 500 before I felt like I’d truly developed my own style.
Vin also told me something Red Barber had taught him (which is
akin to Plato telling you something Socrates said). “Red,” Vin said,
“told me to read. Read anything you can get your hands on.” He
explained that, as broadcasters, words are our tools, and by
reading, we expand our tool chest.

– Second, “You’ve got to be persistent.” It’s all about who you
know. I’ll pass along my Networking 101 for someone trying to
break into minor league baseball. If you don’t have any contacts to
begin with, you’ll have to cold call a few people and hope you get
someone decent on the other end of the line. Focus on GMs and
other broadcasters. And DON’T approach them looking for a job
within their organization. First, ask them, “Do you  have a couple of
minutes, or should we schedule a time to talk later?” This will
disarm them and show that you have respect for the demands of
their schedule. They will almost always say that now is a good time.
Next, say something along the lines of, “I’m trying to break into
minor league baseball [or “I’m trying to move up in minor league
baseball”], and I just wanted to get your thoughts on the best way
to do this, and if you’ve heard of any openings in your league.”
Remember, you’re not asking about their team specifically, so you’
re not an annoying job-seeker — instead, you’ve made them the
expert, someone from whom you’re seeking advice. Most people
like that approach, and if they happen to have an opening, they’ll
let you know.

Next, say, “Would you mind if I sent you a copy of my tape — I’d
love to get your opinion.” You might get some good critique on
your work. And if you’ve accomplished step number one from
above — that is, if you’re good — you might have someone new who
appreciates your work.

After that, ask them, “Is there anyone else in your league or
anywhere else you suggest I contact?” Then, when you call the
next person — the name they gave you — you can say, “So-and-so
with the team in Moose Breath suggested I give you a call — do you
have a couple of minutes…?” Giving a name provides a big “in”
with the next person you contact.

When you’re all done, send them a thank-you note. Hand-written is
better than e-mail — it shows you go the extra mile. Say, “I’ll send
you my demo tape for your critique soon.” Then, send that two or
three days later.

And finally, follow up with them every few months to stay in contact.
In this case, e-mail is a good way to go, but follow-up phone calls
are good too.

If a broadcaster is good and they put the time in to build a network,
I’m confident they will get a job in minor league baseball.

Originally published on TheSoundofBaseball.com in 2006.

Tags: ,
Posted in On the Way Q&A | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »