One of the most memorable things about great sports moments is the call made by the broadcaster. Whether it be a game winning touchdown, a ninth inning home run or a buzzer beating three pointer, someone has always been there to make the moment even more memorable. Hundreds of people attempt this job each year but few people get to experience the greatest plays firsthand. Furthermore, when they have a chance to call the moment, only the greats know what the right thing to say is.
One of the first great sports announcers was Vin Scully, who called Los Angeles Dodger baseball games and various football games. His most famous calls were the 1956 World Series when Don Larsen pitched a perfect game, the 1988 World Series walk off home run by Kirk Gibson and the amazing catch made by the San Francisco 49ers Dwight Clark from Joe Montana in the 1982 NFC Championship game.
Another great sports announcer was John Madden. He became enormously popular for his calls on Monday Night Football. His jovial nature and ability to break down the game so every fan could understand it allowed him to become popular all over the world. One of the most imitated quotes of his was a simple “Boom”, which he used often to describe big collisions on the football field.
Some other well-known sports broadcasters were baseball announcer Harry Carey (“Holy Cow!”), basketball announcer Dick Vitale (“It’s awesome, baby”) and baseball announcer Chris Berman (“Back, back, back, back, gone!”), to name a few. You don’t always know their names but you will remember what they said.
Sports can be very exciting at times but some broadcasters have a way of bringing each moment to a new level. Whether you are listening to sports on the radio or watching them on television, great calls can make each game that much more memorable.