23
2011
The Boys In The Booth
An article by Former Writers
I remember the summer afternoon that Suzyn Waldman welcomed the fans to WFAN. I had always had a transistor radio to carry around and listen to ballgames, but now we had a 24/7 radio station for sports. How good was this?
Sweeny Murti was a student who worked part time at ‘The FAN’ mainly overnights with Joe Benigno and they got along famously. Mike was working with the ‘Mad Dog’ and that would continue for a long time.
During the nineties, the Yankees established their media turf with the YES network which mainly covered the Yankee games and other news about them. However you could tell that the TV crew was being monitored carefully to keep the Yankee name clean and clear.
Several years ago, we had another addition to the media coverage – SNY – which covered all the Mets games. Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling were the play by play broadcast crew and they are absolutely fabulous.
Of course, Ron and Keith played together on the Mets team of the mid eighties and the World Series. I can still see them now, particularly Keith who wandered all over the field like a street cop. I always thought some of the younger players were a bit afraid of him – and maybe they were. But he was a teacher and set an example for them on the field.
Now that SNY is established on TV, they have created a whole bunch of afternoon panel programs as well as the TV team which covers every Mets game home and away.
So, in this mode, I spent the three games of this past weekend watching and listening to these “three musketeers” who get along famously and are simply great. I’ve always been impressed with the baseball knowledge that Keith and Ron had, it seems as though they remember every inning of every game they played and can bring out examples of their own time on the field to match what is going on while they are broadcasting.
Of course they know everyone and so does Gary and the teasing that occurs is hilarious – they remind me of three brothers who have to share a room. For a long time baseball fan like me this is terrific and I’m still chuckling about some of the conversation. It’s amazing how they can change from casual talk to serious, information they’ve gathered from their own time on the field to their ‘before air’ reading every day.
I must say that I envy them a bit – I’ve always thought that many fans made the mistake of taking their teams too seriously – it’s a game, folks, just a game and they know it from both sides. There are serious things in our world that go on every day and we have no control and it can get scary, but just think of the Boys in the Booth and the fun they have while the game is on.
So, a big “Thank You” to Gary, Keith and Ron for their composure and knowledge and most of all for asking all of us to join them in their booth and watch the game with them.
About the Author: Former Writers
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/19/2013
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I also enjoy today’s SNY covg, but if you’re starting with WFAN, why skip right to YES and SNY? No love for WPIX? Or how about the old SportsChannel? McCarver (before he went wacky), Kiner (before the stroke), Thorne, Healy. Bob Murphy! Being in the NY media market has allowed us to enjoy some of the best of all time, so yes: it’s been and continues to be a great privilege. Thanks!
We are spoiled in that respect. If you hear what passes for commentary from other teams, including the one in the Bronx, you realize just how good the GKR booth truly is. Add in Ralph Kiner on occasion and you get perhaps the best booth in baseball.
I agree — these guys are the best. And while I do remember not only the McCarver days (I thought he was the best then, too) but the Kiner-Murphy-Nelson trio (back when they all did radio AND television!) I don’t think the Mets have ever had a TV crew as consistently good as this one. (And to someone like me, “no love for WPIX” is an anomaly; WPIX was, and always will be, the Yankees station… WOR-9 [no, not that new-fangled "WWOR"] is the TRUE home of the Mets!
Luckily for me, the WPIX broadcasts now are identical to SNY’s, because Dish Network dropped SNY this season and I can no longer watch most of the games. (By the way, Annie, you’re off a bit on that count: Saturday’s game was on FOX, so you couldn’t have seen it on SNY — but since McCarver did the broadcast, you may have been lulled into a sense of familiarity. I was able to watch all 3 games because Sunday’s was on PIX and Friday’s was on — yep — channel 9.)
Good catch, thanks: WWOR!
You may be right – I’ve been so confused with TV since MLB put their fingers in the pie meaning that you can be blacked out at any time. On Saturday I was switching between baseball and horse racing from Pimlico – where Boomer Esiason was – to see the Preakness. We didn’t get SNY up here in CT until a year ago and they got the hockey contract from the Hartford team. I live near ESPN and they will black us out on a moment’s notice. Note: I still have my transistor radio
being a women i am surprised you support people like keith who say stupid things like this. you people are so bias. the mets stink from the owner to the water boy, take off the orange and blue shades. this is a quote from your hero, lol another useless post.
“Who is the girl in the dugout, with the long hair?” Hernandez said. “What’s going on here? You have got to be kidding me. Only player personnel in the dugout.”
Hernandez found out later in the broadcast that Calabrese was with the Padres training staff.
“I won’t say that women belong in the kitchen, but they don’t belong in the dugout,” Hernandez said.
I’m actually not a fan of Hernandez as a broadcaster. He’s often only half paying attention and refers to “back in my day” way too often, regularly showing how out of touch he is. But at least he’s better than Tom Seaver, one of the worst broadcasters I can remember. Still, IMO Ron Darling and Gary Cohen are so good they make up for Keith’s shortcomings. And you gotta admit he plays the idiot well, he’s funny that way. Even if it’s sometimes more the laugh at you than with you sort. Kinda like a modern day Scooter.
If Keith is only half paying attention, it’s because he’s working on the NY Times Crossword puzzle – he and Ron finish it easily every day – he’s not an idiot.
Never said he’s an idiot, said he plays the idiot. Big difference. If he paid more attention and didn’t lose track of things so often, it would be more charming. As it is, it makes me feel like he’s taking us viewers too much for granted.
Still, what I enjoy the most about Keith that we hadn’t had since McCarver is his fielding analysis. He does a great job of explaining fielding position, the when and why, right and wrong. His batting analysis can be inconsistent, his 80′s comparisons tiresome, but his fielding analysis is definitely always welcome, esp coming from the best fielding 1B in NL history.
Keith is an idiot? Do you have a mental block? Puh-leeze, listen to what he adds to the team.
No other MLB announcers compare to them, though I do think Cubs guys are knowledgeable and professional.
Listened to Wells, etc. on YES. They couldn’t touch G, K, and R.
So happy when I get our guys watching MLB network.
As a teenager, I have grown up watching GKR for the past 5 or 6 years. The knowledge that these guys have for the game is incredible. Darling, with expert pitching analysis. Keith, with his hitting and playing first base. And Gary, has an incredible amount of knowledge of the Mets past. I feel like I understand the game so much better because of these three and will miss them when I go off to college next year.
There’s no doubt about it. GKR are terrific. They make Michael Kay and the Bronx hucksters look like the ‘homers’ they are. (I do enjoy Ken Singleton’s low key approach.) Listening to Michael and Suzyn suck all the air out of the room makes me want to skip their broadcast.
Regarding GKR — The chemistry is wonderful. Having a cerebral pitcher and a cerebral infielder on the broadcast team adds immensely to most listener’s knowledge and entertainment. And Gary’s puckish humor and great voice completes the team.
On the other hand, I find Howie Rose and Wayne Hagin chat and second guess too much. But they’re still very good.
Before I got SNY here in CT, I listened to Howie and Wayne all the time. Often Eddie Coleman would sit in with them. They are very, very good too – radio is harder than TV. The Mets have better broadcasters than anyone in my opinion – and I’ve heard them all!
I too like Ken Singleton – he was a player, maybe that’s the difference. Michael Kay and John Sterling add nothing to the games.
I don’t know whose homerun calls I hate more Kay with his “C-Ya’s” or Sterling and his “It is far…”.
I still have nightmares of Suzyn,
“Cough, splat, spit, oink, oh my goodness gracious, oink, oink, slosh, of all the dramtic things I’ve ever seen, splat, plop, burp, Roger Clemens is standing in George’s, box!!! Good gracious, oh my God I can see him standing in George’s box, good god, goodness gracious, it’s Roger Clemens and he is back. Blah, blah blah.”
Thank heavens for Gary, Keith and Ron.
I used to have a job that required me to watch many dozens of different broadcasts of ball games and you wouldn’t believe the drivel I’ve heard. None is worse than Hawk Harrelson.
I can’t say I’ve had the displeasure.
Yes, HH sucks, even Sox fans will admit it.
YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARDDDDDDDDD…..YES!
MERCY!
Stop. You’re giving me flashbacks.
While they are 50 times better than the yankee clowns-I have to say that I am not a fan of 3 in a booth. In any sport. I want to focus on the game, hear game sounds, not stream of consciousness, which is what a lot of broadcasting has become. I am sure this is a directive from the top. I honestly think that there is more talking on television now than there is on radio. Who needs it? I liked Gary on the radio more than TV. Just as I like Howie Rose on the radio more than TV. They are better suited to the radio, IMHO. TV play by play guys should be less nerdish. And his voice is not high quality. The announcers on TV in the old days all had fuller voices. Think about Gowdy, Scully, even our own Bob Murphy. They had pipes. There is something soothing about a good voicet. Gary screeches a little. He has an angry home run call. He thinks he knows more about baseball than anybody, when what he really knows is baseball trivia. He is certainly better than Dave O’Brien or whatever his name was, and the Steve Zabriskies of the world. He is better than Jon Miller, who has a nice voice but no brain. Wayne Hagens is the most annoying announcer I have ever heard. He is better than a lot of guys. I just think that the pool that stations have to choose from is seriously diluted.
Have to say I agree with you about Wayne. I know Annie feels differently, but I find him rather Ted Baxter-ish — big deep voice but not much going on upstairs. That’s where I differ with you, too — I rather like Gary’s voice and don’t find it at all screechy, but though he’s a legend and consummate professional, I’d have to say Vin Scully’s voice is not exactly a case of classic pipes. Nor, certainly, did someone like Red Barber have a great voice. Howie Rose is on a par with Gary as far as Mets knowledge goes, and he’s practically part of the furniture; I remember listening to his Mets Extra when it was still on WHN. I just wish he were partnered with someone less annoying. Though my personal vote for worst Mets announcer ever is Fran Healy. Luckily, I didn’t get SportsChannel, but the few times I heard him filling in on the radio, I had to shut it off.
I cannot believe I forgot about Healy. I don’t get angry at broadcasters. But I used to want to punch Healy in the face. I agree about Barber. I loved his approach, though. Let me watch and listen to the game as much as possible. But that is just me. I thought Vince Scully in his prime was smooth as they come. But vive la difference.
I have been watching Mets games since the middle 60′s and this is the best team they’ve ever had.
Having said that – I loved Tim McCarver for years – until he became in love with his own voice and was repetative – then bitter against the Mets. But he was great when he began broadcasting Mets games.
McCarver, as you said was good at one time, becomes more insipid each year. He dotes on the obvious. Ugh! Joe Buck has him in his hip pocket.
Hey Des…
Yeah, way back when, the first time you heard him say something was insightful…the third time might be clever…the fifth time might be appropriate…but the 25th time…the 50th time…the 1767th time…
He got to a point where he was no longer reporting on what was going on in the game but how many times he was right. And when he was wrong with his prediction he would take ten minutes to explain how the play should have been different to accomodate his prediction.
Exactly, tlagee. I’m really surprised that Joe Buck gets no real help anymore with good analysis of the games from Timmy. In Howard Cosell’s last couple of years, he became a walking book of trivia and irrelevance, just as McCarver is now. At least Howard was arrogant most of the time, so some of us remember him as the guy we loved to hate. McCarver is just impertinent.
Cosell – the guy we loved to hate – much like Dick Young…but you nailed it when you mention arrogance…we never ignored what they had to say. And they are missed.
But I doubt I will ever miss hearing Timmy say “That’s like throwing a lamb chop by a hungry dog” or how he had to say “They call that Lord Charles” every time Doc threw a curve ball for a strike.
Or how about: “That outfielder is playing too far in and I’ve been saying this for years”. The outfielder in question would then catch what normally would be a bloop single in front of him and Tim would say: “Now that shouldn’t have happened, he shouldn’t have put himself in position to catch that ball. Under normal circumstances there is a much greater chance of the ball being hit over his head. I still say he was playing too shallow.”" and on and on…
McCarver may have caught Gibson a lot, but Gibby kept his distance from him otherwise. Maybe Bob had a low tolerance for B.S.
I think Tim is shot and has been for several years. He used to beat the play to the punch. Now he just hacks it.
Just try listening to the Marlins announcers, Rich Walz and Tommy Hutton they make you want to bang your head against a wall.
I don’t say we do not have one of the better teams. I just wish they made it two in a booth EVERY game. When there are three of them it is too much talk and not enough game. If I want sports talk radio I will tune in somewhere else. I know people who do TV think baseball is boring and want the announcers to spice it up. I do not find baseball boring at all.
Yes, we do have a great broadcasting trio of Gary, Keith and Ron. They are informative, funny and not afraid to criticize the team’s play when it is so deserved. I remember listening to Lindsay, Bob, and Ralph as a kid in the early 60′s and Kiner’s Korner was everyone’s favorite. In those days we made fun of Lindsay’s colorful wardrobe and the country style of Bob Murphy’s broadcasting. Never cared much for Murph in those days but then 30 plus years flew by and we had the joy of “it gets by Buckner”, his unforgettable “the Mets win the damn thing” and so many more classics. Believe me when Bob passed away, I cried like a baby because he was a part of my childhood, my adolescence, and growth to adulthood.
Growing up in New York sure spoiled us as listeners to the great broadcasters. Nobody has ever called a basketball or hockey game like Marv Albert did in those days.Football games with Marty Glickman were special events.
These men should be revered for the excitement that they have created for us over the years and the great memories they have forged in our lives….
I loved the original broadcast team. Like you, Bob came in third for me but he grew on me. I have always liked Kiner, malapropisms and all. Ralph always tried to keep it simple for the viewer.
Alan – well put! Thanks
What I like most about GKR is that they are not homers.
I have watched many games, living in FL you are obligated to listen to Marlins broadcast crew and they are some of the biggest homers in town. The Rays announcers are pretty good.
I remember when Dribble was part of the crew with the Nats but is seems this year they dumped him and brought in Santangelo but wow what a pain.
I enjoy the fact that Keith will say it as it is while he may say some dumb things at times he calls it as it is and is not just toeing the company line.
Harrelson is a joke in Chicago, I hurt for those that have to hear him every night.
What a group – you’ve reminded me of all the announcers who came before TV was a daily program for baseball. Ralph Kiner’s name has been mentioned and he certainly deserves a lot of credit for his kids’ TV show as well as his announcing. It’s always an occaision in the booth when Ralph sits in for an inning or two.
You’ve also brought up some names I wish I had remembered and one – Vin Scully – who is golden.
It’s also nice to know that I wasn’t the only kid in America who had that transistor radio under my pillow every night during the baseball season.