Rest In Peace: Skip Caray

[JonInMiddleGA]

Braves announcer Skip Caray dies | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/skip_caray_dies.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab)

The Atlanta Braves said Sunday longtime broadcaster Skip Caray died in his sleep at his Atlanta home Sunday.

"Our baseball community has lost a legend today," said Braves President John Schuerholz. "The Braves family and Braves fans everywhere will sadly miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Paula and his children."

This season marked the 33rd year Caray had been calling games for the Atlanta Braves, a majority of which were for TBS, which gave Caray a national audience and fan base.

[Chief Rum]

Braves announcer Skip Caray dies | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/skip_caray_dies.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab)

The Atlanta Braves said Sunday longtime broadcaster Skip Caray died in his sleep at his Atlanta home Sunday.

"Our baseball community has lost a legend today," said Braves President John Schuerholz. "The Braves family and Braves fans everywhere will sadly miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Paula and his children."

This season marked the 33rd year Caray had been calling games for the Atlanta Braves, a majority of which were for TBS, which gave Caray a national audience and fan base.

Wow, that's a surprise. He wasn't that old, was he?

[TCY Junkie]

I usually didn't miss a game for about 10 years. Although I haven't watched a game in a very long time, I definitely remember him and his voice. RIP

[JonInMiddleGA]

He was 68, would have been 69 on Aug 12, but had spent part of last season recovering from a serious bout with congestive heart failure in addition to diabetes.

[kcchief19]

He was 68. He was still working wasn't he? I wasn't aware of any illness (looks like Jon has that covered). That's too bad.

Skip could be a wise-acre but he was my kind of wise-acres. I always enjoyed his work on TBS. I think he developed his own style separate from his father. And he was another University of Missouri great. He will be missed.

[Alan T]

Oh man... alot of my childhood was listening to Skip and Pete announce the Braves games...

[Atocep]

One of the most distinct voices in the game. RIP. :(

[Subby]

Oh man... alot of my childhood was listening to Skip and Pete announce the Braves games...
Same here. :(

RIP

[JonInMiddleGA]

Much longer version with career highlights & anecdotes has now cleared at
Braves announcer Skip Caray dies | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/skip_caray_dies.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab)

Over the years I got frustrated with the curmudgeon side of Caray at times, something that mostly displayed itself on radio call-in shows rather than TV. But that aside I was 9 years old when he started with the Braves, so he's part of the soundtrack to countless hours of my life as he called over 4,000 games from the absolutely ridiculous ("You have our permission to turn off the TV and go to bed now ... as long as you promise to patronize our sponsors.") to the sublime ("Here comes Bream! Here's the throw to the plate! He iiiiiiiisssssssss ... safe! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! ... Braves win!").

Just doesn't seem right at all to think that we won't hear him when we punch up Braves radio. Godspeed.

[digamma]

RIP Skip.

Certainly a major part of my youth, like others here.

[miami_fan]

Wow, extremely sad news.

RIP

[Schmidty]

RIP

[GrantDawg]

("Here comes Bream! Here's the throw to the plate! He iiiiiiiisssssssss ... safe! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! ... Braves win!").


Every time I hear or even read that call, I get goose bumps. I'm going to miss that voice.

[CU Tiger]

RIP

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

A great journo grad from Mizzou. Terrible to hear.

[dawgfan]

I remember the early days of watching cable TV, and the Braves on TBS were one of the only options for watching baseball. That was in the late '80's, before the Braves got good, and while I had no affection for the team itself, I quickly became a fan of Skip Caray and his wonderfully dry sense of humor and biting sarcasm.

I'm sure most fans around the country have at least one local broadcaster they think is awesome, and I'm no different - I wish the rest of the country had been able to enjoy Dave Niehaus over the years as I have. Thanks to TBS, I got to appreciate Skip Caray as well, and he will be missed.

[Alan T]

One thing I remember thinking back about the Braves broadcasts over the year and Skip Caray, was something that they did back then which I am not sure why it was even done.

I remember back in the day they would rotate announcers around between AM 750 and the TBS channel 17 on air broadcast, where every 3 innings or so they would rotate around if I remember right. As mentioned above this allowed national audiences to enjoy all of the Braves announcers once cable took off, but I don't remember any other place I have ever lived doing that.

I remember back in the old days before cable tv and such, I used to sit in my room at night trying to pick up old AM stations for baseball games. There were some really powerful stations that would broadcast all the way to Atlanta where I lived.. To this day I think I still remember some of them.. AM 710 I think was the Detroit Tigers, AM 740 was the Reds for instance.

Anyhows, just some random thoughts that this topic brought back for me some 25 years later.

[JonInMiddleGA]

To this day I think I still remember some of them.. AM 710 I think was the Detroit Tigers, AM 740 was the Reds for instance.

Since I believe Skip would approve, here's a link to the list of the various clear channel AM stations in the US (of which WSB-AM 750 in Atlanta, home of the Braves for so many years, is one).
Clear channel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_channel#Clear-channel_stations)

I spent a lot of years listening to Marty & Joe do the Reds on 700 WLW & Jack Buck with the Cards on 1120 KMOX, just as people elsewhere listened to Skip & Pete and the others with the Braves on 750. Somehow listening online just doesn't have the same charm that fighting through the static used to.

[tucker rocky]

Much longer version with career highlights & anecdotes has now cleared at
Braves announcer Skip Caray dies | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/skip_caray_dies.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab)

Over the years I got frustrated with the curmudgeon side of Caray at times, something that mostly displayed itself on radio call-in shows rather than TV. But that aside I was 9 years old when he started with the Braves, so he's part of the soundtrack to countless hours of my life as he called over 4,000 games from the absolutely ridiculous ("You have our permission to turn off the TV and go to bed now ... as long as you promise to patronize our sponsors.") to the sublime ("Here comes Bream! Here's the throw to the plate! He iiiiiiiisssssssss ... safe! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! ... Braves win!").

Just doesn't seem right at all to think that we won't hear him when we punch up Braves radio. Godspeed.

Every time I hear or even read that call, I get goose bumps. I'm going to miss that voice.


YouTube - My Favorite Skip Caray call (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuYKTv8nqhM)

For those that want to reminence.

I also grew up listening to Skip Carey on TBS, as my dad was a Braves fan.

R.I.P.

[cuervo72]

Even as a displaced Phillies fan, I very much enjoyed watching Braves games with Skip and the TBS team (and was pretty annoyed the games were moved from TBS to Sports South or whatever it's called). Sad to hear this.

[miami_fan]

Damn, I wish TBS would have broadcast the Braves game tonight. I am glad I am getting to hear the radio broadcast though.

[FBPro]

Man, grew up listening to Skip broadast first the Hawks and then Braves. A "friend" I will certainly miss, one that will not be replaced. RIP Skip.

[miami_fan]

Damn it's been a year already? Sig change for the day.

[Tasan]

How did I miss this the first time around. I loved that guy's voice and the way he called games.

[RomaGoth]

Holy Cow!!! I missed this thread too.

RIP Skip Caray

[Ramzavail]

One of the most distinct voices in the game. RIP. :(

I agree, and even Met fans appreciated and recognized it whether they liked hearing it or not.

[larrymcg421]

It will never be the same without Skip and Pete calling the games. Without them, it's just ... baseball.