Ron Santo

[ctmason]

I'm not a Cubs fan at all but just had to share this. Listening to the WGN broadcast of the game online today (listening to ballgames at work is a great way to pass the time) I recognized just how precious of a commodity Ron Santo is.

During today's game against Houston (it's the end of the 4th, I believe) Santo has already flubbed several promos, seemed genuinely distracted during comments and allowed several to simply trail off without ending. He's also talked over action to refer to a particular banquet he attended with several old friends, talked about a deli he used to go to as a player that had sent up some sandwiches in the booth and of course added his usual grunts, groans, cheers and jeers for the Cubs players.

In the vein of Harry Caray and Phil Rizutto, Santo is one, perhaps the only one of a dying breed. In this era of super-packaged broadcasts and too-serious color analysts its refereshing to hear Santo call a game just like a buddy sitting next to you. Except this buddy is just slightly more credible. :)

I've been told that a lot of baseball purists don't appreciate Santo's commentary and find it distracting. I still have no idea what a "baseball purist" is, but I for one love Santo's broadcasts and find it something special about the game that is slowly being chased away.

If you get a chance, tune in to WGN some day, it's well worth it!

[JonInMiddleGA]

During today's game against Houston (it's the end of the 4th, I believe) Santo has already flubbed several promos, seemed genuinely distracted during comments and allowed several to simply trail off without ending. He's also talked over action to refer to a particular banquet he attended with several old friends, talked about a deli he used to go to as a player that had sent up some sandwiches in the booth and of course added his usual grunts, groans, cheers and jeers for the Cubs players.

With the exception of the last bit (I don't mind homer's), it sounds more like he's struggling with senility than performing as a working member of a broadcast crew.

[lordscarlet]

With the exception of the last bit (I don't mind homer's), it sounds more like he's struggling with senility than performing as a working member of a broadcast crew.

That was my thought from the description above.

[albionmoonlight]

An awesome bit of senile commentator can be found on the ESPN Motion site. I can't find a way to provide a direct link, but Beano Cook's broadcast from 3/29 is pretty funny. His (not unreasonable) point is that Billy Donovan should not take the Kentucky Job.

But he ends up spending the vast majority of his time ranting about the fact that Seattle and Temple should have won the 1958 NCAA title instead of Kentucky. Totally out there and totally funny.

[Ksyrup]

Strangest (and scariest) broadcast I've ever heard was a late-night talk show host in Ft. Lauderdale who, unbeknownest to himself, his producer, and the audience, was having a stroke on-air. He kept saying things that made no sense, questioning why he was saying them, then apologizing to the listeners. It was funny at first because I thought he was doing some sort of bizarre joke act, but after about 30 minutes or so, I guess a doctor or someone knowledgeable about strokes called in and suggested that he call 911 and get the hell off the air.

I found a reference to it by googling and apparently it happened twice. His name was Craig Worthing and he was on WFTL in the early-to-mid 90s.