Heading into the 2022 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame ceremony on December 13th at the Hilton in New York, SVG is profiling nine inductees in this year’s class.For more informationclick here.
What makes a play-by-play man generational?
Longevity? Joe Buck I’ve checked this box since 1989 when I called the first baseball game for the Louisville Redbirds, a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
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‘His voice was like butterscotch,’ recalls Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee David Hill, former president of Fox Sports. “A brilliant tone, mellow but dignified, excellent breath control and his use of pauses was brilliant.”
Is part of it lucky? Being in the right place at the right time for some of the most memorable moments in modern sports: Mark McGuire’s 62nd home run. David Tyree Catch at Super Bowl XLII. The 2004 Boston Red Sox World Series his championship and he made it to the finals of the 2016 Chicago Cubs. Miracle in Minneapolis.
“In my opinion, he Kurt Gowdy We do everything from the Super Bowl, the World Series and the US Open to bass fishing, horse racing and everything in between,” says the longtime Fox Sports producer. Pete Macheska“His voice is synonymous with some of the biggest moments and brightest spotlights, entertaining without distracting from the stories unfolding on screen. An industry-defining broadcaster, He’s an extraordinary man, and there aren’t many like Joe Buck.”
Or is it something more? Maybe what makes the play-by-play man generational is that he’s the perfect voice for the moment, no matter how wild and unpredictable that moment might be.
“Joe is an incredible talent and one of the greatest play-by-plays in sports television. Rich Russoa veteran director of Fox Sports who has been on the front bench for many of the back NFL broadcasts. Joe has made some of the most iconic calls in the history of sports television, and he knew and understood in that moment when to call, when to lay it out and let the pictures speak for themselves. You have an amazing ability to do that.”
Buck was called up to the big leagues in 1991 and was inducted into his father’s Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. jack back, at the Cardinal’s radio and television booth. But in 1994 he got his big break when Fox Sports launched.
Hill and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Former Fox Sports Vice Chairman Ed Goren has already secured a team and brought in a team of legendary Hall of Famers. Pat Summerall When John Madden, leading its first foray into football. They had signed another iconic veteran of the business. Dick StocktonNow they wanted a young voice to lead the brand into the next generation.
“[When we were starting Fox Sports,] I wanted a young, fresh voice,” says Hill. “I knew Jack Buck by reputation, and I’m a strong believer in lineage. Secretariat produced winners like Rising Star and Lady’s Secret, but none of his descendants emulate his stellar career.” I couldn’t, so I was a little scared [watched Joe’s] tape. boom. This child knew himself well. ”
At just 25 years old, Buck was the youngest ever to regularly appear in an NFL game, and his Fox Sports legacy and Buck’s career was headed for the moon.
In 1996, Fox Sports acquired the rights to Major League Baseball, and Buck followed in his father’s footsteps and became the star of the package, calling the sport most closely associated with his father: baseball. Back and baseball were similarly linked. Over the next quarter century, his voice accompanied every marquee moment in the sport, including 22 of his MLB All-Star games and his 24 World Series. He was the youngest person ever to call a World Series game on a broadcast network.
Then in 1998, Mark McGuire hit his 62nd home run. Yankees dynasty in the late 90’s. In 2004, the Bambino curse was lifted. The first championship for his two long-suffering fanbases in Chicago. Even a haunting throwback to his father at the 2011 Worlds in his series: David When his Fleece walk-off home run left Bush his stadium to win Game 6, Joe said Kirby his packet was his. I recalled the words my father said when we won Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. With a home run: “See you tomorrow night!”
In 2002, he doubled down on duties, becoming Fox’s lead voice of the NFL, partnering the former Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys quarterback from the start. Troy AikmanOver 20 years, the pair have called in over 280 regular season games, 40 playoff games, 18 NFC Championship games, and 6 Super Bowls.
“Joe doesn’t miss a moment and does every aspect of the job,” says Aikman. Simply, he’s the best I’ve ever seen.
From the annual Thanksgiving game to the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history — the New England Patriots’ victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI — Buck was a regular guest in the American homes, treating them to the biggest night of the downfall. took me to Winter — Some underestimate, some just want a voice calling out a play destined for the history books. Through it all, he has won an eight-time Sports Emmy Award for Best Commentary.
Buck is now in his 29th NFL season, marking a monumental shift to ESPN and an iconic monday night football brand. He moved in with Aikman.
“Joe is one of my closest friends, a relationship that extends far beyond the broadcast booth,” says Aikman. “Having a trusted friend by my side and calling me some of the most meaningful and important games in the history of the sport is something I hold dear. are all great times away from the camera with each other and with their families.