Excluding Cawood Ledford, who's your favorite play by play announcer in different sports, past or present?

[ruppcat]

I’m surprised nobody has yet mentioned Keith Jackson for college football.

No other voice was ever more nationally and widely associated with that sport. And for several decades.

Oh, Neily!

 

[bigbluedon]

This is for the older guys here but I enjoyed Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese when they did the Yankee games every weekend for I think two years back in the early 60’s. They were fun to listen to.

 

[Titpwhami2014]

NBA - Kevin Harlan
NFL - John Madden
MLB - Joe Buck
College Football - Kirk Herbstreit
College Basketball - Jim Nantz

 

[BluPappi81]

As a broadcast tandem, Pat Summerall and John Madden. And perhaps singularly, Summerall as play-by-play and Madden w color.

 

[TopCatCal]

Howard Cosell could take a big time boxing match & give us the most unforgettable line in boxing history..... DOWN GOES FRAZIER, DOWN GOES FRAZIER, DOWN GOES FRAZIER

 

[STL_Cat]

NBA - Kevin Harlan
NFL - John Madden
MLB - Joe Buck
College Football - Kirk Herbstreit
College Basketball - Jim Nantz

Joe Buck over Jack Buck, though 😳

Jack Buck is my answer here.

 

[crashtestdummy]

 

[Kybluedude]

Joe Dean and John Ferguson or Tom Hammond and Larry Conley.

String Music

 

[Titpwhami2014]

Joe Buck over Jack Buck, though 😳

Jack Buck is my answer here.

I’m not old enough to remember Jack unfortunately.

 

[rivercatinfl]

I liked Curt Gowdy in Baseball

Larry Collmus for the Kentucky Derby.

 

[rivercatinfl]

I liked Curt Gowdy in Baseball

Larry Collmus for the Kentucky Derby.

 

[TopCatCal]

Al Michaels calling the 9th inning of the Reds come from behind win over Pittsburg in the 5th and deciding game of the 1972 playoffs that sent the Reds to the World Series.

 

[docholiday51]

Dizzy Dean (especially the first appearance of Jesus Alou)

 

[Big Blue in 502]

Tom Hammond
Marv Albert
Paul Rodgers

 

[darrellm1234]

Being a Detroit Tiger's fan it would have to be Ernie Harwell. I could listen to him on WJR Detroit after it got dark here in Tennessee. He was all class.

 

[Fantom8888]

I was fortunate enough to have listened to Sullivan and then Cawood. I would give a slight nod to Cawood over Sullivan but it truly is by a slim margin. Both of them were the best of the best. I dont mean for KY sports, but nationally.

My ranking:
Cawood
Claude Sullivan
Gus Johnson

 

[numberone4ever2002]

Gotta go with ESPN's Cotton and Pepper here.

 

[Graham51]

Any one else remember a UK announcer named J.B. Faulconer.

 

[docholiday51]

Any one else remember a UK announcer named J.B. Faulconer.

Yes, and I thought Sullivan and Cawood sounded somewhat alike

 

[IUfanBorden]

I think Vin Skully's voice was absolutely made for being a baseball announcer. Just perfect.

I know a lot don't like him, but I'd soon hear Vitale call a CBB game than anybody.

Iconic....And he was more than baseball. His ability to "story tell' was unrivaled. Who else could use Shakespere analogies, describing a sporting event?

Dude was in a league of his own.

 

[IUfanBorden]

Gary Bender- First play-by-play for CBS, NCAAT. Was their lead broadcaster in 82/83. Him, Musburger and Packer bacnk in the 80's was a great trio..

I actually like Romo calling football.

Local, Marty is the man for the Reds. IMO, his voice is up there(somewhat) with Scully. Just a voice that was made for baseball.

Wont be a popular choice, but Don Fischer for IU....He and Cawood, IMO, best there was on the radio. My brother and I would listen to separate radio's, and tbh, you couldn't always tell who was announcing for who. Both were usually evenly biased.

 

[RonRajon]

Marty might be the least talented play-by-play radio guy mentioned. There’s a reason he did it for baseball.

 

[Graham51]

The WORST baseball announcer was Waite Hoyt for the Cincinnati Reds.

 

[M4CAT]

Ken Squier - NASCAR

 

[Ukheadhunter]

Frank Gifford, Dandy Don Meredith and Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football. They played off one another so well.

 

[Elliott Tim]

Marty Brennaman.

 

[MasonCoBlue]

This wont be a popular answer...BUT: Dickie V about "30 years ago." Brought so much energy to each and every broadcast and took college basketball to another level. Loved hearing and watching him back then. But times have changed a bit for sure. But given what he brought to the sport...Hall of Famer very well deserved!! Anyone on here around 60 knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Well crap. I actually took the time to read the original question: "play by play." Dickie V wasn't play by play. But damned if he wasn't fun back in the day...

 

[bigbluedon]

Iconic....And he was more than baseball. His ability to "story tell' was unrivaled. Who else could use Shakespere analogies, describing a sporting event?

Dude was in a league of his own.

I remember watching the Yankees and the Dodgers in the 77 and 78 World Series against the Dodgers. Listening to Vin Scully made the Series even that much better. And with Bob Shepherd doing PA at Yankee stadium, it was fabulous.

 

[UK90]

I remember watching the Yankees and the Dodgers in the 77 and 78 World Series against the Dodgers. Listening to Vin Scully made the Series even that much better. And with Bob Shepherd doing PA at Yankee stadium, it was fabulous.

Even folks who hated the Dodgers loved listening to Scully do games. You know a guy is good when even the arch-rival fans acknowledge he's the best.

That's also how Cawood was. Even IU fans seemed to love Cawood ...it was the one thing we could all agree upon.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

Saturday baseball game of the week. Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese.

 

[bigbluedon]

Gary Bender- First play-by-play for CBS, NCAAT. Was their lead broadcaster in 82/83. Him, Musburger and Packer bacnk in the 80's was a great trio..

I actually like Romo calling football.

Local, Marty is the man for the Reds. IMO, his voice is up there(somewhat) with Scully. Just a voice that was made for baseball.

Wont be a popular choice, but Don Fischer for IU....He and Cawood, IMO, best there was on the radio. My brother and I would listen to separate radio's, and tbh, you couldn't always tell who was announcing for who. Both were usually evenly biased.

Gary Bender was one of my favorites. Wonder why he didn’t stay around long. Had a great voice.

 

[BigPeb]

Tom Durkin and Eli Gold

 

[working fire]

Mel Allen - MLB
Cawood- NCAA football