Q : After you retired from professional baseball , you served as a coach for a few years , but you ultimately decided to pursue a career in sportscasting . What about sportscasting appealed to you in the beginning ?
A : I started doing radio work in the 1960s during the offseason covering high school games . In the 1970s , I was invited up into the broadcast booth to talk baseball during rain delays at games . When I was playing with the Phillies , I went up to visit the producer there , Jody Shapiro . Jody said , “ Boy , you ought to think about getting into this business !” Eventually , Jody became the Executive Producer of Home Team Sports . The first game I did for them was during the strike in 1981 . I did a few games , and I started getting some nice comments . I put a tape together , and before long , I was doing it for a living . I never aspired to do it – it just sort of happened .
Q : What do you think is the secret to good sportscasting ?
A : I think I ’ ve picked up things over the years from a lot of great broadcasters , starting with Dick Enberg , who has since passed away . He taught me a lot about the timing and mechanics of broadcasting . Dick Stockton was also a very influential figure for me . I learned a lot from him , and we worked very well together . He did the “ Who ” and “ What ,” and I did the
“ How ” and “ Why .” He would give a little biography for players , then my job was to explain how and why they did things on the field . I also was fortunate to be able to learn from John Madden . He had very few notes , but he was able to watch games and react to what was happening on the field very well . Whenever I ’ m broadcasting , I imagine myself sitting there with three different types of fans : one is a newcomer to baseball who is maybe watching a game for the first or second time , one is a slightly more experienced fan , and one is an avid fan . I have to be able to give them each something about the game that they didn ’ t know before or that will pique their interest . I don ’ t try to speak like a network news anchor – I just try to be myself when I ’ m broadcasting .
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