Home Run Derby

February 18, 1998. 

Baseball lost one of its most beloved voices.  Harry Caray, the longtime broadcaster of the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs passed away ten years ago today.

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since Harry left us.  His voice is still everywhere.  At both US Cellular Field and Wrigley Field, Harry is remembered in the seventh inning of every game when fans sing “Take me out to the Ballgame.”  A tradition he didn’t invent, but he made into an integral part of Chicago Baseball.

There’s a huge statue of Harry outside of Wrigley which will probably have a small brewery’s worth of Budweiser around it by the end of the day today.  So long as there’s no goats.

One of the things that made Harry Caray different from many other broadcasters was that he called the game like a regular guy.  He had criticism for players and management when they deserved it and he enjoyed baseball more than anything else.  He said things that we would have said if we were in the booth.  He danced and sang while the organist played.  He kept his number listed in the phone book.

He broadcast games not just for the fans, but as a fan.  He truly loved the game of baseball.  Too many announcers treat it as a job.

Let’s go back and recall some of Harry’s finest moments behind the mic …

On Baseball and Broadcasting …

Spring Training is BS. Two weeks is all the players need to get ready. It’s the fans that need Spring Training. You gotta get ‘em interested. Wake ‘em up. Let ‘em know that their season is coming, the good times are gonna roll.

I’ll tell you what’s helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game.
It’s something where people can go out, enjoy and have fun. Nothing more.

My whole philosophy is to broadcast the way a fan would broadcast.

When this isn’t fun anymore, I’ll get out.

On how he developed HOLY COW as his signature Home Run call …

So I wouldn’t say something unprintable on the air by accident.

About Phil Rizzuto stealing “Holy Cow”

I started in broadcasting in 1945 doing the Cardinals and saying ‘Holy Cow.’ Rizzuto was just a shortstop. ‘Holy Cow’ is mine.

On life outside of Baseball … 

Booze, Boards and Bullshit. If you got all that, what else do you need?

To some people this is beer. To me it’s bread and butter.

You see a lot more guys dropping dead jogging than going to the neighborhood bar.  I see a lot more old drunks than old doctors.

Boy oh Boy.  Budweiser.  How can they make it so cheap and have it taste so good?

Anyone who tells you that you can have as much fun sober as you can drinking is lying to you.

Memorable On-Air Stuff

Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

Caray: Put it on my tab.
Stone: A sizeable tab, no doubt.

Stone: It’s not unusual for a pitcher on a hot day like this to lose ten pounds.
Caray: Why can’t we lose it up here in the booth?

Aw, how could he (Jorge Orta) lose the ball in the sun, he’s from Mexico.

We oughta send Howard Johnson a Christmas Card. (after HoJo had six errors in a series in 1986)

As long as this game is taking, I’m gonna have to shave again.  One hour and twenty minutes to play three innings.  Aw come on, throw the ball.

I don’t know what the big deal about Cracker Jack is … I only sing about it because it’s in the song.

Don’t forget that Harry broadcasted for the White Sox and the Cardinals (his childhood team) before became he voice of the Cubs …

The Cardinals are coming … Tra-La Tra-La (1969)

If the Cubs lose two more games, (Mayor) Jane Byrne will move into Wrigley Field (1981)

What does a Mama bear on the pill have in common with the World Series?
No Cubs.

That last one hurt, Harry.

And what’s a Harry Caray post without Audio?

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