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It’s hard to imagine a recent Mets moment without Howie Rose or Gary Cohen. And it’s impossible for many Mets fans to watch or listen to a game without them.
They are direct descendants of a generation that saw and heard Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner, and Lindsey Nelson. That’s what makes them beloved: they are who we are. Howie and Gary are not transplants. They became a central part of our Mets’ lives in the 80s, but they’ve essentially been a part of it since the early days. Their loyalty to the Mets has been evident over the decades on the air, supported by an encyclopedic knowledge of the team’s history.
On June 1, 2012, each raised their level just as Johan Santana was doing the same. As the night culminated in the franchise’s first no-hitter following more than 50 years of trying, Rose and Cohen fully understood its significance.
They’ve been there as the soundtrack for many happy moments — every “put it in the books” and every “outta here.”
They’ve been there when the only reason to follow the game is to hear them — for familiarity, reflection, and humor.
Rose began doing play-by-play for the Mets in 1996, but he’s been a presence at Mets games dating back to 1987 when he hosted pre-and post-game shows for WFAN. In 1989, Cohen joined the radio broadcasts and paired with Murphy through the 1990s and early 2000s.
It was on the radio that Gary implemented his signature home run call — repeating it if the occasion warranted it.
While Gary was doing then what Howie does now, Howie was the television voice. The networks may have changed but he hasn’t. His call of the Mike Piazza home run on September 21, 2001 — letting the crowd tell the story — remains unforgettable.
The retirement of Murphy followed by the birth of SNY in the mid-2000s led to a shuffling of the chairs. The familiar voices were still here, just on different mediums. Howie and Gary shared the radio booth in 2005 before each landed in their current roles. They split time for the 2006 playoff run, which gave Cohen an opportunity to brilliantly describe one of the greatest plays in franchise history.
Howie has excelled with various partners while Gary is the master of ceremonies alongside Keith and Ron — the best television broadcast in the business and so engrained saying their last names would be unnecessary. A Mets game on FOX or ESPN is more than enough reason to press mute, sync up the radio broadcast, and bring in some normalcy.
After all, who else would we want to hear about the pennant victory in 2015?
When the miracle in San Diego took place in 2016 off the bat of Bartolo Colon, the amazement and amusement from both of them were clearly apparent (only the Gary call can be found).
The sound of Gary Cohen’s excitement is special enough. Watching him react has been a perfect accompaniment.
Hall of Famer Howie Rose. Hall of Famer Gary Cohen. That sounds as pleasing as listening to them on the air.
