Hey Rich Thanks for the memories. The bay area had the cream of the crop when it comes to media of all kinds. I grew up like you and many others here and remeber the good old days. Anyone that critisises someone that remembers the greatness of the past is not an honest person of the present.
Rich, nice piece on the great Bay Area sports broadcasters. I heard all of them. Agree that King and Simmons with the A’s were the best twosome we ever had. One quick note, since you often talk about young reporters looking and sounding as if they just got off the bus from Fresno. Lon Simmons came to KSFO as sports director from KMJ Radio in Fresno, where he had been sports director. He was simply a great natural talent.
Gregory Papa has turned into a worthless comedian on 49ers broadcasts. I sadly had to hear his dribble on TV yesterday. He doesn't talk to the viewers/listeners. And he was better with the Raiders. He wasn't a gong show for the Silver and Black.
Frankly, most of the announcers for the local teams just don't get it. Krukow and Kuiper are overrated. Grab some pine, Meat. The A's radio announcers are decent. Dan Rusanowsky doesn't get the attention he deserves. He's solid.
Rich, I had the honor of working with Lon, Joe S, Al Michaels, Bill King, Bob Murphy, Barry Tompkins, Art Eckman, Joe Angel and I'm sure a few more that I can't think of. They were all gentlemen and superb at what they did. But like everything, The Radio/Sports business has gone in the tank. I am retired now, and I am glad I am. But I did have the honor of working with some of all-time greats. Both in Sports/Music and NewsTalk Radio. If only we could bring back that time, but sadly that time is gone. We have 2 choices left, listen to what we have now, or just stop listening to the CRAP they call radio.
Thanks for making the king of them all BILL KING. He had snap and crackle. He did not just announce the games, he rode them. And I only knew him from baseball. Monte Moore was another live wire whom I loved. The warmly embracing Ken Korach was the perfect complement for the King. Sorry that I can’t share your high regard for Giants announcers, all of whom I found bland and boring. I have come to appreciate the excellence and stature of Jon Miller. Roxie Bernstein is a voice I wish someone here had signed. We have our share of mediocrities too.
Roxie works for ESPN, so he has to have it pretty good. A's really screwed up their television this year. They made two embarrassing hires. Would have been so much better served had they hired Roxie.
Joe Garragiola? Jim Nantz? Curt Gowdy? Jim Barnett? Chris Economaki? “Whoa Nelly !” himself Keith Jackson? Russ & Lon. Hank Greenwald who once during a boring Giants game gave the play of the game ($100 call in) to a historical figure - a midget in the 30’s! Ray Fosse. Mitch Jurevich. “FORE !!!”
Glad you gave Russ Hodges a plug. He was the greatest Giant announcer of all time. The pairing of Hodges and Simmons was the greatest combo in Bay Area sports IMHO. They were objective. Kruk and Kuip (homers) are amateurs next to Russ and Lon. Never cared for Starkey. He committed the cardinal sin for broadcasters during "The Play." You always have to leave another level in your voice when doing PBP because what you are describing could be topped in the next sequence. Starkey ran out of voice before the tuba player got drilled in the end zone. You are correct, Rich. Basketball was Bill King's best sport. He was the greatest of all time (with no color guy) at hoops. Ted Robinson is the most versatile and has a humility about him that Papa and Fitz should follow. Best hockey announcer -- Roy Story with the minor league (WHL) San Francisco Seals in the early 60's at the Cow Palace. His "SHOT ON GOAL" call was epic.
Story was a very good hockey announcer, and I too loved his signature "SHOT ON GOAL" calls, but IMO he was no Randy Hahn or Dan Rusanowsky. And reportedly Story was one difficult weird-ass character, off-air.
Story went down to LA for a short time and pretty much alienated everyone, to the point where he even tried to "big time" Jack Kent Cooke (the then owner of the Kings and Lakers, who had a notoriously huge ego). None of that worked out too well for Story, and the Kings replaced him with Bob Miller. Miller's longstanding work with the Kings eventually earned him induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Miller is rightly revered in the LA area.
Sadly, I think that Story's strange personality traits cost him the appreciation, respect, and exposure that his announcing work should have garnered him.
For me, Bill King is top of the pyramid. Lon Simmons was excellent, but Bill was must listen to at all costs. His vivid descriptions of some of the Raiders mist iconic plays (The Holy Roller, The Sea of Hands and the play where he explained that the refs told Madden to get his fat but off the field) were immortal. His play by play style was also fast paced enough to follow basketball, a very fast game, in a natural manner, rather than feeling hurried. He had enough folksy stories to fill out the dead times during the more slow-paced baseball games he called. Just the ultimate sports play-by-play guy.
Joe Starkey was not a good pxp announcer too bad he got to announcer the 49ers . Don Klein was much better when on KCBS and since KGO had rights Joe Starkey was announcer.
Starkey was good with the 49ers and terrible with Cal. Why? Because with Cal he was a terrible homer, devoid of professionalism. I could understand it if he was a Cal alum but he went to Loyola-Chicago! Rusanowsky with the Sharks is a HOFer. The guy is a real GOAT among hockey pbp. Greenwald and King were superb as were Lon and Russ.
Hey Rich
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories. The bay area had the cream of the crop when it comes to media of all kinds. I grew up like you and many others here and remeber the good old days. Anyone that critisises someone that remembers the greatness of the past is not an honest person of the present.
Rich, nice piece on the great Bay Area sports broadcasters. I heard all of them. Agree that King and Simmons with the A’s were the best twosome we ever had. One quick note, since you often talk about young reporters looking and sounding as if they just got off the bus from Fresno. Lon Simmons came to KSFO as sports director from KMJ Radio in Fresno, where he had been sports director. He was simply a great natural talent.
ReplyDeleteBill King was the GOAT of broadcasters.
ReplyDeleteWhen I close my eyes, I can still hear Bill King.
ReplyDelete"Branch to the left, Chandler to the right. Stabler takes a four step drop........"
I thought it was Branch to the left Biletnikoff to the right.
DeleteI'll add Greg Papa for the Raiders, but not for the 9ers.
ReplyDeleteGregory Papa has turned into a worthless comedian on 49ers broadcasts. I sadly had to hear his dribble on TV yesterday. He doesn't talk to the viewers/listeners. And he was better with the Raiders. He wasn't a gong show for the Silver and Black.
DeleteFrankly, most of the announcers for the local teams just don't get it. Krukow and Kuiper are overrated. Grab some pine, Meat. The A's radio announcers are decent. Dan Rusanowsky doesn't get the attention he deserves. He's solid.
Bill King. Game over.
ReplyDeleteRich, I had the honor of working with Lon, Joe S, Al Michaels, Bill King, Bob Murphy, Barry Tompkins, Art Eckman, Joe Angel and I'm sure a few more that I can't think of. They were all gentlemen and superb at what they did. But like everything, The Radio/Sports business has gone in the tank. I am retired now, and I am glad I am. But I did have the honor of working with some of all-time greats. Both in Sports/Music and NewsTalk Radio. If only we could bring back that time, but sadly that time is gone. We have 2 choices left, listen to what we have now, or just stop listening to the CRAP they call radio.
ReplyDeletemy ass stinks and has smelly dried up dingleberries
ReplyDeleteDoes your feet smells and balls itch you need to call anh phong sumthin wong
DeleteThanks for making the king of them all BILL KING. He had snap and crackle. He did not just announce the games, he rode them. And I only knew him from baseball. Monte Moore was another live wire whom I loved. The warmly embracing Ken Korach was the perfect complement for the King. Sorry that I can’t share your high regard for Giants announcers, all of whom I found bland and boring. I have come to appreciate the excellence and stature of Jon Miller. Roxie Bernstein is a voice I wish someone here had signed. We have our share of mediocrities too.
ReplyDeleteRoxie works for ESPN, so he has to have it pretty good. A's really screwed up their television this year. They made two embarrassing hires. Would have been so much better served had they hired Roxie.
DeleteJoe Garragiola? Jim Nantz? Curt Gowdy? Jim Barnett? Chris Economaki? “Whoa Nelly !” himself Keith Jackson?
ReplyDeleteRuss & Lon. Hank Greenwald who once during a boring Giants game gave the play of the game ($100 call in) to a historical figure - a midget in the 30’s! Ray Fosse. Mitch Jurevich.
“FORE !!!”
Hank Greenwald was the absolute best, period.
DeleteGlad you gave Russ Hodges a plug. He was the greatest Giant announcer of all time. The pairing of Hodges and Simmons was
ReplyDeletethe greatest combo in Bay Area sports IMHO. They were objective.
Kruk and Kuip (homers) are amateurs next to Russ and Lon.
Never cared for Starkey. He committed the cardinal sin for broadcasters during "The Play." You always have to leave another
level in your voice when doing PBP because what you are describing
could be topped in the next sequence. Starkey ran out of voice before
the tuba player got drilled in the end zone. You are correct, Rich.
Basketball was Bill King's best sport. He was the greatest of all time
(with no color guy) at hoops. Ted Robinson is the most versatile and has a humility about him that Papa and Fitz should follow. Best hockey announcer -- Roy Story with the minor league (WHL) San Francisco Seals in the early 60's at the Cow Palace. His "SHOT ON
GOAL" call was epic.
Story was a very good hockey announcer, and I too loved his signature "SHOT ON GOAL" calls, but IMO he was no Randy Hahn or Dan Rusanowsky. And reportedly Story was one difficult weird-ass character, off-air.
DeleteStory went down to LA for a short time and pretty much alienated everyone, to the point where he even tried to "big time" Jack Kent Cooke (the then owner of the Kings and Lakers, who had a notoriously huge ego). None of that worked out too well for Story, and the Kings replaced him with Bob Miller. Miller's longstanding work with the Kings eventually earned him induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Miller is rightly revered in the LA area.
Sadly, I think that Story's strange personality traits cost him the appreciation, respect, and exposure that his announcing work should have garnered him.
Lon Simmons is the best, Bill King foe the A's is the best
ReplyDeleteYou never mentioned the great David Glass. As a football broadcaster, Starkey was a great hockey announcer.
ReplyDeleteDavid Glass was terriable,his voice always sounded like he had rocks in his mouth,not a very clear voice.
DeleteAdam Copeland is top talent….lol
ReplyDelete@12:21am - I have some good recipes for that! Mmmm mmm good!
ReplyDeleteFor me, Bill King is top of the pyramid. Lon Simmons was excellent, but Bill was must listen to at all costs. His vivid descriptions of some of the Raiders mist iconic plays (The Holy Roller, The Sea of Hands and the play where he explained that the refs told Madden to get his fat but off the field) were immortal. His play by play style was also fast paced enough to follow basketball, a very fast game, in a natural manner, rather than feeling hurried. He had enough folksy stories to fill out the dead times during the more slow-paced baseball games he called. Just the ultimate sports play-by-play guy.
ReplyDeleteJoe Starkey was not a good pxp announcer too bad he got to announcer the 49ers . Don Klein was much better when on KCBS and since KGO had rights Joe Starkey was announcer.
ReplyDeletePeter Felch
KCBS
Starkey was good with the 49ers and terrible with Cal. Why? Because with Cal he was a terrible homer, devoid of professionalism. I could understand it if he was a Cal alum but he went to Loyola-Chicago! Rusanowsky with the Sharks is a HOFer. The guy is a real GOAT among hockey pbp. Greenwald and King were superb as were Lon and Russ.
ReplyDelete