The Voices of Baseball: The Game's Greatest Broadcasters Reflect on America's Pastime

(Hardback)

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A fascinating tour of baseballs greatest moments and iconic stadiums, told through the reminiscences of 50 play-by-play broadcasters.

With careers spanning two to three times that of an average player, baseballs best broadcasters have no shortage of history to offer. They have witnessed opening days, no hitters, slugfests, and perfect games, all from arguably the best seats in the house. Broadcasters know their clubs, their stadiums, and their teams in a way that no one else can.

In The Voices of Baseball: The Game's Greatest Broadcasters Reflect on America's Pastime, Updated Edition, Kirk McKnight provides an in-depth look at each of Major League Baseballs thirty ballparks from the perspectives of the games longest-tenured storytellers. Fifty broadcasters reflect on their most iconic calls, fondest memories, what makes their ballparks unique, and more. This updated edition includes 14 additional broadcasters, two new stadiums, the latest World Series calls from the booth, and a special tribute to the recently-departed Vin Scully.

With decades of broadcasting between them, their stories encapsulate some of Major League Baseballs biggest moments. Generations of baseball fans will all enjoy the historic and triumphant memories shared by some of the games greatest broadcasters in The Voices of Baseball.

Reviews

McKnight, a sportswriter and blogger, nicely captures baseballs best moments, players, and places through the eyes of the folks whose job it is to paint pictures with their wordsbaseball announcers. McKnights choice to present each story in an announcers unique voice makes [the chapters] lively and charming, and each chapter comes together in its own special way. [A] testament not only to the baseballs TV generation, but also to its golden age. * Publishers Weekly *
Baseball broadcasters usually have longer careers than those of the players whose games they call. Its that unique perspective that gives their recollections a compelling context. [T]here is plenty of rich baseball lore here, and it comes straight from the mouths of those who have been there. * Booklist *
There are baseball books about ballparks, and ones about broadcasters. What author Kirk McKnight has done here is to fuse the two, getting broadcasters who know the parks well to describe them and the players and dramas that have enlivened all 30 current major-league stadiums, as well as some from the past. * The Christian Science Monitor *
Players may come and go, but the connection for many baseball fans to their favorite team remains constant thanks to the voices that describe the games. Kirk McKnight does a wonderful job profiling the people whose passion for the game in their accounts, win or lose, maintains that love affair for fans. -- Jack Corrigan, play-by-play broadcaster for the Colorado Rockies
Voices of Baseball is a great read. Kirk McKnight gets a knock with his ground-level look into baseballs historic ballparks and iconic plays that make them special venues. The moments and memories that make each stadium unique is perfectly captured by the home team radio and television broadcasters that paint the pictures and tell the tales in brilliant fashion. A well written baseball book for the ages. -- Paul Venosdel, author of Anger Throws a Curveball & Lying Strikes Out and NFHS sports broadcaster
It's one of the oldest expressions in the history of man: "If only these walls could talk!" In the case of Kirk McKnight's informative and entertaining The Voices of Baseball, the walls do talkor certainly they come alive in the words of some of the most prominent broadcasters in the game's history. What an idea Kirk had. Let's face it, I would buy a book to hear Vin Scully's tales alone, but Kirk also spoke with Frick Award recipients like Jon Miller and Eric Nadeljust to name a couple of the announcers whose recollections grace the book. If you are a fan of baseball and a fan of broadcasting (and Kirk does as good a job as anyone has ever done blending the two), I highly recommend The Voices of Baseball. Baseball is a sport for storytellers. If you close your eyes and use your imagination, the walls talk in his book. -- Ken Korach, broadcaster for the Oakland Athletics
The Voices of Baseball takes you through all the teams and all the ballparks in a fascinating, storytelling way from some of baseball's most spellbinding oral historians. Kirk McKnight sends you on a journey from Safeco Field in the Pacific Northwest to Marlins Park in South Florida, spinning accounts of historic games from students of baseball history. You'll be entertained by the descriptions and accounts of some of your favorite voices. -- Bill Brown, broadcaster for the Houston Astros
Kirk McKnight has done all baseball fans a great service. Hes bought you a ticket and takes you along with him right into the ballparks and right into the game. If you love baseball, youll love this read! -- Ted Leitner, broadcaster for the San Diego Padres
President Bill Clinton's appearance on the Baltimore Orioles' broadcast of Cal Ripken's record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game is one of the many stories that brings McKnight's book to life. The Baltimore chapter is one of the book's best, thanks to the storytelling ability of announcer Jon Miller, who now works in San Francisco. Miller talks about his call of Ripken's fourth-inning home run being drowned by Clinton's reaction. Other behind-the-scenes tales include how Ripken was dealing with a fever that week, amid the stress of approaching the record, and how he didn't want any kind of ceremony once the game became official in the fifth. Teammates practically shoved him out of the dugout to do a victory lap. The stories behind Ripken's record is an example of how McKnight went far beyond his original plan to describe the ballparks. * The Salt Lake Tribune *
In The Voices of Baseball, Kirk McKnight serves up a detailed and unique cross-section of baseball history. This history is told by baseballs broadcasters, using the sports ballparks as the backdrop. Each chapter is focused on a different MLB franchise, and McKnight immerses us in that teams ballparkits stories, eccentricities, top players, and gamesthrough quotes from the teams play-by-play voices. McKnights latest work is a gem for baseball fans of all ageseither to relive memories or to take a plunge into baseballs past. -- Sam Brief, play-by-play broadcaster, Chicago Dogs, Brisbane Bandits, Windy City Bulls
Whenever theres a picture of Vin Scully, I smile and listen in my mind even though hes no longer talking. Kirk McKnight has awakened that audio, and with it the audio of many of the other baseball broadcasters of our era. What a grand way to visit all our ballparks. -- Marc Katz, retired sportswriter, Dayton Daily News
If you have a love for baseball and, specifically, broadcasting, this book is for you. Its an opportunity to get first-hand insight from many of the games top voices on some of their fondest memories behind the mic, while also capturing some of the pristine details of the ballparks each of them have called home. Baseball is a beautiful game and that beauty shines through each page. -- Brian Goudsward, sportscaster, Brookdale TV

Author Bio

Kirk McKnight is an American author specializing in interview-based sports books ranging from the diamonds of baseball to the Zamboni-swept ice of hockey. McKnights other books include The Voices of Hockey: Broadcasters Reflect on the Fastest Game on Earth and Batting Clean: Why Dale Murphy Belongs in Baseballs Hall of Fame. McKnight currently serves as the associate editor for The Wickenburg Sun, a weekly Arizona newspaper. He resides in Wickenburg, Arizona.