Harry Kalas -- Time to go?

Interesting but short article in Philly mag about the baseball team's resident legend broadcaster:

http://phillymag.com/articles/pulse_chatter_legends_the_trouble_with_harry/

This is a dilemma for teams. After the Ernie Harwel firing, it seems most clubs are inclined to let the legends dictate their own terms. Even if they're not sharp on the call, there's still a value in having a familiar voice.

 

But to me, unlike Ernie, Harry has lost a lot of timbre in his voice.. He sounds shaky. ANd unlike Ernie, Kalas has other irons in the fire in broadcasting

Woe to the person who replaces Kalas -- especially if he's 'eased' out.

I remember having a drink with Frank Beckmann one afternoon an airport discussing that. He didn't want to replace Ernie Harwell (Rizzbun were in the last year of their clusterfuck to replace Harwell), but I wouldn't mind being the person who replaces the person..."

 

I think most announcers today just don't smoke enough. They all sound like 14-year-olds doing Bob Costas impressions.

 

On a side note, it was announced today that Marty Brennenman re-upped for the Reds through 2010 today. IIRC he's 65 now.

 

Harry Kalas dictates when it's time to go. Period.

The legends like Harry, Denny Matthews, etc., should not be booted out the door. The axing of Harwell was a clusterfuck indeed (especially since the great, the wonderful Bo Schembechler did it). I worshipped at the altar of Bo as a football fan, but the man could not run a damn baseball team to save his life.

You run the vets out, all broadcasts in baseball start sounding the same.

 

Like a good soldier, Bo took the blame. The decision came higher up the food chain than Bo.

 

Man, what a tough call. A guy like that should be able to dictate how he leaves. His years of service both to the team and the game should entitle him to that. On the other hand, if he's making that kind of mistake frequently, then it really can't be allowed to continue. A Furman Bisher has someone reading his copy before it's published and, presumably, checking facts. Broadcasters don't have that luxury, and it's painful if they don't acknowledge their shortcomings. I'm not sure Harwell had any shortcomings, and what the Tigers did was shameful. But how do you tell Harry Kalas, "Harry, you're getting things confused an awful lot ..." ? No matter how you do it, you're going to look bad.

 

My guess is those anonymous "local broadcasters" couldn't carry Kalas' jock strap -- no matter how much the Hall of Famer slips.

 

Harry himself replaced a legend, By Saam, who was confused in his prime (actually, was just famous for malapropisms).
The sad fact is, teams want radio broadcasters to be indistiguishable voices. God forbid anyone should be independently popular or have an identity. It might detract from the commercials. Glenn Geffner is a great guy, and not a terrible announcer, just inexperienced, but I think he's the wave of the future-actual club employees, not professional broadcasters, doing radio.

 

Some of the biggest thrills of my career were meeting, on different occasions, Musberger, Harwell and Vin Scully. I can't imagine being thrilled to meet any of the current crop, but that may be a matter of perspective. Took my son to a Braves game over the weekend and he got really excited when we got reasonably close to Chip Caray, whom I wanted to tell to go back to Chicago.

 

Harry Kalas can put me to sleep no matter what time of day it is. I wish I could have listened to him five or 10 years ago to see him in a better state, but I'd prefer listening to about anyone else broadcast a baseball game.

 

Get the door, it's Domino's