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Listening to the Ball Games on My Radio

Baseball season is underway for 2012, and I've been in "conversation" with my tweeps on Twitter. One of the topic threads has been listening to baseball games (or any sport of your choice) on the radio. I grew up catching most of the games through the radio announcers calling them.

The Washington Senators didn't seem to have many TV broadcasts, but I could always depend on radio coverage of the game. After a while, I grew to trust the announcers' voices to describe what happened on the baseball diamond accurately and completely. Of course, it helped that they also wanted the home team to win the game.

I'm more of a words person than a visual person, but I'd no trouble picturing in my mind whenever, say, Frank Howard stepped up to homeplate take his turn at bat. Or how Del Unser looked pulling down a long fly ball in centerfield. Maybe it helped to have their baseball cards.

So, this season, if there's a baseball game on, and I'm doing my writing at the laptop, I'll probably be dialed in on my radio to follow the action. That way, I can be doing two things I love. How's that for multi-tasking?
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Published on April 04, 2012 13:06 Tags: ed-lynskey, mystery, noir, romance, thriller
Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)    post a comment »
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message 1: by Pamela (new)

Pamela I loved the old 11pm Murder-mysteries I listened on the radio with my Great-Aunt Bea in bed before we went to sleep - BUT ED?! Baseball!? I want to be in the stands, yelling and jumping up and down when my team hits that home run!


message 2: by Ed (new)

Ed Pamela wrote: "I loved the old 11pm Murder-mysteries I listened on the radio with my Great-Aunt Bea in bed before we went to sleep - BUT ED?! Baseball!? I want to be in the stands, yelling and jumping up and down..."

Sure thing! The ballparks are treasures like Wrigley Field yesterday.


message 3: by Drew (new)

Drew I've depended on the radio many times for baseball games and even football a few times. One of the many wonders of modern technology is that I can catch the game on my phone through the radio broadcast if I'm out and just pick up at home when I get there. Oh yea, Go Rangers!


message 4: by Michele (new)

Michele bookloverforever listen to ball games while driving all the time...or while on a family picnic.


message 5: by Joe (new)

Joe Walsh I remember listening to Dan Daniels, John McClean, Shelby Whitfield, and Ron Menchine broadcast Senators' games. And Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell do Orioles' games. Living then in DC area, I could also listen to Mel Allen and Red Barber do Yankee games; Bob Prince and Nellie King (Pirates); By Saam and Harry Kalas (Phillies); Ernie Harwell and George Kell (Tiger); Herb Score (Indians); Harry Caray (Cardinals; and Joe Nuxhall and Marty Brennaman (Reds. I would fall asleep w/ my transistor radio by my pillow.


message 6: by Ed (new)

Ed Joe wrote: "I remember listening to Dan Daniels, John McClean, Shelby Whitfield, and Ron Menchine broadcast Senators' games. And Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell do Orioles' games. Living then in DC area, I..."

That's a great list. Sure, I remember Shelby and Ron. Ron died recently, I think. The Orioles announcers were familiar to me. But I didn't like the O's. Funny, but their players Davey Johnson and Frank R. became Nats managers. Thanks for the comment, and memories, too.


message 7: by sarg (new)

sarg As a young lad in the 40's listening to baseball games with Red Barber. Usually the world series. I can also remember the announcer giving an account of the game and you could hear the Teletype in the Back ground, so He would be interpreting the game from a written account, now I see that as amazing. In the 60's one of my favorite announcers was Dizzy Dean but sadly he was fired for a very innocent remark he made during a game.


message 8: by Ed (new)

Ed sarg wrote: "As a young lad in the 40's listening to baseball games with Red Barber. Usually the world series. I can also remember the announcer giving an account of the game and you could hear the Teletype in ..."

Some of the announcers are so bad. I like getting used to a voice and personality for calling a game. I think I have a Red Barber book around here called something like Strawberries in Winter. I'll have to look. Thanks for the comments.


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Ed Lynskey
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