RIP Pete Van Wieren

Longtime Braves broadcaster dead at age 69 from cancer:

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/braves-broadcaster-van-wieren-dies-after-bout-with/ngssg/

I'm a huge Braves fan as many of you know, and grew up watching/listening to Pete and Skip Caray on WTBS and radio. Skip was always more colorful and good for a laugh (which we needed with those bad Braves teams of the late 80s), but I always preferred the cerebral approach of "The Professor."

He did not make the trip to Cooperstown for induction weekend (even though he was originally from upstate New York), which was telling. RIP.

 

Part of my after-school experience every day: come home, putz around, turn on TBS at 4:30 and baseball.

(And when it wasn't TBS then WOR for the Mets or WGN for the Cubs, and sometimes you surfed all 3.)

 

A piece of my childhood is officially closed now. Pete, Skip Caray and Ernie Johnson Sr. were so integral to Braves baseball. Now, at least, I can picture them all back together, representing for America's Team from above.

Maybe they can settle that ostrich race, once and for all.

So long, Pete.

 

I'll still never forget the Giants-Braves game where Jeffrey Leonard was up with 1 out for SF......Caray chimbs in with........"We'll get right to (insert movie name) just as soon as Leonard hits into a 6-4-3 double play."

Next pitch.

6-4-3.

 

It was "The Magnificent Seven," and here's the clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJv51w7DBFw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkgrqlgEv_4

Induct Skip and Pete, together.

 

Crap. One of my favorite broadcasters.

 

Grew up watching Braves games on TBS and will always remember how Skip and Pete called games. Those two were great together.

 

Van Wieren also called college football and NBA games on TBS. I had hoped when TNT got their first NFL package in 1990 that he would do NFL games, but they went with Caray instead.

 

Thanks Steak and Fart.....

Those clips bring back a lot of memories.

 

Exactly... RIP.

 

Not even a week after one of the best days in Braves history, and this happens.

I listened to a lot more radio in the 70s, 80s and 90s than I do now. That broadcasting crew fostered my love of sports in general and baseball in particular. It was such a great fit between the three of them. Skip provided comic relief and Pete broke the game down in such a cerebral way, the end result was just a complete listening experience. If you haven't read Of Mikes and Men, I highly recommend it. Very interesting picture of life around baseball.

As a sportswriter, I had occasion to chat with him several times, and no matter the topic, he was personable and offered great insight. We all value information wherever we can find it, and he had a diamond notes segment that shamed the vast majority of full-time beat writers.