RIP, Lon Simmons

Dulcet-toned, dry-witted Baseball Hall-of-Fame broadcaster passes away at age 91.

Lon Simmons, beloved Bay Area sportscaster, dead at 91 - SFGate

He started with the Giants in the '50s and continued on a part-time-basis with the team all the way through the Bonds/Kent Era. In between, was at the play-by-play mike for a slew of legendary championship teams, most notably the 1962 Giants, 1988 49ers and 1989 A's.

NFL Films captured his voice in those now-famous clips of Montana hitting John Taylor to win Super Bowl XXIII, in addition to Steve Young's mad scramble to beat the Vikings earlier that year.

 

He just had one of those voices that you instantly recognized. As good as the Giants and A's announcers are now (I will never listen to a Raiders game—sorry Greg Papa—and Ted Robinson for the 49ers isn't anything special), Simmons was just that much better. I loved listening to that voice on the radio. It's a hard day for Bay Area sports fans.

RIP.

 

Bummer; I was fortunate enough to live in this area and got the joy of hearing "You can tell it goodbye!!" on the radio. Of course it was Dick Dietz hitting it in the 7th with the Giants down 6-3 to the Padres.

Thank you Mr. Simmons for the memories; may you RIP.

 

Another voice of my childhood silenced. Had to pull the car over to the side of the road this afternoon when KNBR was playing some sound clips. Don't know what else to say but tell him goodbye and the Bye-Bye-Baby Bonanza...

RIP.

 

Growing up in the Bay Area, we had Simmons and Bill King, they've kind of ruined everything for me that's come since. Two announcers who did the 49ers, Raiders, Warrior, Giants and A's for years. Those who have followed them have been good (and better than most of the homers and catchphrasiologists who now litter the field on the local level), but Simmons and King were genius.