HOVG Heroes: Skip Caray

JOSH CARAY on SKIP CARAY

My father was one of the most unique people I have ever met, simply because he was able to establish himself as a great broadcaster by taking on a style drastically different from the one my grandfather portrayed.

Harry was bombastic, Skip was mellow.

Harry was a homer, Skip was cavalier.

Harry lived and died with every pitch, Skip took every game in stride.

To listen to the two, you would have never known they were related. But regardless of style, dad achieved iconic status by simply being himself. To make things more impressive, while Harry built his legacy in the thriving baseball metropolises of St. Louis and Chicago, dad did it in a city that, until 1991, had as much interest in baseball as America has in water polo.

In 1976, the Atlanta Braves were on the verge of moving to Toronto when Ted Turner, in sheer brilliance (and maybe lunacy), bought a floundering baseball team that had drawn a mere 534,000 fans the year before. Turner then took his acquisition a step further and, in an unprecedented move, put the vast majority of his team’s games on a nationwide superstation (TBS). Mind you, this was before ESPN, FOX Sports, or even WGN. Turner was the first to promote nightly, televised major-league baseball. In so doing, he may well have saved the future of the Atlanta Braves.

But in order for this endeavor to work, Turner needed voices; ringmasters for the beautiful circus that is baseball. He wound up finding three men, so different in style, he covered the spectrum in broadcasting decorum.

1) Ernie Johnson Sr.-Before his son became the host for TNT’s "Inside the NBA," Johnson was the Braves version of Vin Scully. A former player and WWII vet, Johnson brought the grandfatherly, campfire, story-telling vibe that so many try to emulate, but so few accomplish.

2) Pete Van Wieren-"The Professor" as he was affectionately known was just that; a professor of baseball. Pete could recite box scores, game stories, and historical occurrences at the drop of a hat. There was no one who out-prepared Pete Van Wieren. He was simply one of the great broadcasting minds of his generation.

3) Skip Caray-The "Voice of Braves Fans." The smart-aleck cynic who would crack jokes and make fun of the team’s misfortunes, which were quite frequent in his first 15 years in the booth. As Pete was reciting a statistic, or Ernie was telling a story, dad was talking about the guy in the stands with the funny hat.

And that’s the way it was. Three men, three different personalities who came together to bring some of the best baseball broadcasting there has ever been. Quite remarkable when you consider just how bad the Braves were in the 70s and 80s. As dad said just before a game during one of those low years: "Like lambs to the slaughter, the Braves take the field."

So what made my dad special? Very simple; he didn’t care what you thought, he didn’t care what you said, and he didn’t care how he was perceived. He took what he saw on the field and said whatever was on his mind. Did he make enemies in the process? Yes. Would my dad’s style work today? No. But it worked at a time when those Braves broadcasts needed some humor to make those difficult summers bearable. Even Ted Turner saw it. Dad would rip his own boss’s ball club and be allowed to do it because, quite frankly, it was the truth.

He brought laughter when, as a Braves fan, there wasn’t a lot to laugh about, which I suppose is what made him so endearing to fans. He wasn’t afraid to say what the typical fan sitting in aisle 102 would. That’s why he was the "Voice of Braves Fans."

Whether or not my father gets into the Hall of Fame is irrelevant. Fans of his say it’s an injustice that he’s not in already. But really, when you consider that other greats such as Johnson, Van Wieren, Tom Cheek, and Joe Nuxhall haven’t gotten their just dues, there really isn’t that much to complain about.

Dad was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in 2004 and that was good enough for him. I just hope that the folks at ESPN and FOX remember that the pioneers to nightly baseball broadcasts were my dad, Pete, Ernie, and Ted Turner. If not for them and the success they created, who knows what would have become of sports networks. The chances they took and the broadcasts they gave paved the way for the 24-hour sports news cycle.

As for me, I miss my father. He was a strong guide early in my career and every success that I garner is lessened by the fact that he is gone. But I am strengthened in knowing that he brought so many smiles and so much excitement to so many people.

And if the Braves can ever achieve another World Series win, many fans are going to reiterate a phrase that my father made so popular:

Braves Win! Braves Win! Braves Win!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Josh Caray is a veteran minor-league broadcaster who, currently, is working as a news reporter for All News 106.7 FM in Atlanta.  Feel free to check out Caray's Friday Five from April 2011.

Happy Father's Day!

I stumbled upon a quote from the late, great Harmon Killebrew earlier today and it reminded me that The Hall has had a few Father's Day-related posts over the past year.

Last season saw Ken Griffey Jr. retire.  Thankfully, we were able to catch up with Ken Senior and talk about his Hall of Fame-bound son's future.  (Talkin' Baseball with Ken Griffey Sr.)

Draft Day is traditionally littered with second and third generation draft picks.  One pick that I was pleased to see was the selection of Delino DeShields Jr.  I started watching his Dad in A-ball years ago.  (Friday 5: Delino DeShields Jr.)

Of course, father and son combos aren't reserved to just the playing field.  Did you know that Josh Caray is a third generation broadcaster?  If you follow The Hall you do.  Friday 5: Josh Caray

Lastly...perhaps you'd like to see who some of the best father/son combos is baseball history? Why not head on over to Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest and see what he had to say.

Do you agree...disagree?

And yeah...here's the quote I referred to in the lede:

"My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You’re tearing up the grass.' 'We’re not raising grass,' Dad would reply. 'We’re raising boys.'

Happy Father's Day, gang!

Friday 5: Josh Caray

Baseball is known as a game that fathers pass down to their sons and, in turn, they’ll pass down to their sons.  And with that in mind…there have been a number of famous father-son tandems that have taken their acts to the Majors.

In some cases, that same tradition has even manifested itself in the broadcast booth thanks to the Bucks, the Brennamans and, most recently, the Suttons.

But no family has had more success than the Carays…Harry, Skip and Chip.

And now…a fourth Caray is trying his hand at broadcasting.

Josh.

HOVG: Are there pressures sitting behind the mic with the last name “Caray”? I’ve gotta think that everyone is going to want to tune in and hear the next Harry, Skip or Chip.

CARAY: There are certainly pressures, but they are only as big as I make them to be. The people who "expect" me to be another Harry/Skip/Chip are generally people who don't know this industry and all the politics that go into it. My grandfather and father could get away with a lot of things that I cannot. There is a lot that I don't control. So I simply focus on what I can control, which is my broadcasting, and let the rest take care of itself.

HOVG: What is Josh Caray’s style…and are you working on a catchphrase yet?

CARAY: No catchphrases. My dad didn't have one and niether does my borther and both have been very successful. My grandfather had one, but he would have been just as popular without one. I would say that my style is very similar to my father's. I try to keep the game relaxed and simple. I get excited when a big play happens, but overall I try to keep the game pastoral.

HOVG: You grew up in the ATL hanging around with your dad Skip and the Braves. Would calling games for Atlanta be the dream job for you? If not…what would be?

CARAY: Atlanta would certainly be one of them, but when you consider that there are only about 60-80 play-by-play men calling games each year, you become grateful for being one of those chosen few. I would go wherever the job is. Of course, places like Chicago and St. Louis would be great because of my family's history there.

HOVG: Did you ever have a chance to join your father in the broadcast booth? If so…how was it?

CARAY: He actually allowed me to call a half-inning of one game when the Braves were getting blown out by the Expos when I was still in high school. It was memorable because I did the inning with Joe Simpson (who is one of the best analysts in the game, by the way, and a good friend) while my dad stood behind me and listened. It was a cool moment just because he got to hear me do a Major League game before he died and I know that meant a lot to him.

HOVG: Lastly, I grew up outside Chicago and spent a majority of my life hearing your grandfather both on the radio and TV. That said, I’ve also been subjected to hearing countless Harry Caray impersonations. In your estimation, who does the best? And do you do one yourself?

CARAY: I do have one and its decent, but its not as good as Will Ferrell's. I think he has very good one as does comedian John Campanera. The worst is from Michael Wilbon and Jay Mariotti. Both should stick to writing.

Josh Caray begins his stint in the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs broadcast booth later this month. He has also called games alongside Brian Jordan for the Gwinnett Braves of the International League, the Rome Braves of the South Atlantic League and the San Angelo Colts of United League Baseball.

ANOTHER Caray Enters the Broadcast Booth

Last week, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs announced that the grandson of legendary Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Caray will be joining "Crustacean Nation" for the upcoming baseball season.

Josh Caray is the latest Caray to sit down behind the microphone as he follows his grandfather (Harry), father (Skip) and brother (Chip) into the family business

Caray will be in the Crabs broadcast booth and call all 126 games on BroadcastMonsters.com with live video webcasts set on ibnsports.com. Their season begins April 29.

This is the part of this post where I'm supposed to elaborate further and say something clever about the "apple not falling far from the tree" right?

Not. Gonna. Happen.

Well...at least not until Friday. Stay tuned.  In the meantime, check out Josh's audition to become "the Voice of Wrigley Field".