For as long as I can remember, which is really only about 12 years, George Grande has been the voice of my hometown baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds. Now we will have to get used to another voice. After 17 years of being the play by play television announcer for the Reds, Grande is opting out of his last year of his contract to "spend more time closer to home." Grande helped pioneer the superstar hit that is ESPN. He anchored the first ever ESPN sportscenter broadcast and stayed there for 10 years before moving onto the Yankees, Cardinals and then finally the Reds. It is amazing to me that a man who has been reporting major league baseball since 1965 is just now leaving his job with the Reds and baseball in general. If only I could guarantee that my career would be that long! Grande is a great example of a man who kept up with the times in the broadcasting world. Who knows how things worked in 1965 but all I know is that in 2009, everyone still loved Grande so he must have been doing something right. It's a sad day in baseball history and in Cincinnati, but a hopeful day for all of those wanting to pursue a career in broadcasting sports... you could be around forever.
Thank you George!
Baseball sportscasters seem to be pretty loyal. Vin Scully has been with the Dodgers since 1950, although he's announced he might retire soon.
ReplyDeleteI guess they have good voices and a passion for what they do. It's like they become part of the community, sometimes more than the players who only stick around a few years.