Top 5 Announcer Home Run Calls That Will Go Down in History [VIDEOS]
For baseball fans, witnessing a home run at a critical moment is only part of the fun. It’s up to each team’s announcers to lend a sense of scope and excitement to the moment. While every broadcaster has their own unique style for home run calls, certain major league fixtures have built a career on it. Let’s take a look at some of the most recognizable home run calls from around Major League Baseball:
Chris Berman
Tune into ESPN for any major football or baseball event, and you’re likely to see Chris Berman’s face staring back at you. The loquacious veteran has been a fixture on the network since its birth, most notably as the anchor of the annual MLB Home Run Derby. After a quarter century of hearing Berman’s “back, back back…gone!” call, many critics have begun to call for a change. Still, it’s hard to imagine listening to the event with anyone else at the helm.
Ken ‘Hawk’ Harrelson
Fans of the Chicago White Sox are absolutely rabid in their devotion to Ken ‘Hawk’ Harrelson, and it isn’t hard to see why. Hawk’s passion for the game and unabashed hometown bias make even the dullest White Sox moment seem like the World Series. Harrelson is best known for his boisterous “You can put it on the boooard….YES!” home run call, often accompanied by his cries of “Stretch!” as he wills the ball over the fence.
Jon Miller
Jon Miller is certainly one of the game’s more colorful broadcasters, in terms of both style and wardrobe. The flamboyant booth fixture has lent his voice to Giants baseball since 1997, and combined with Joe Morgan to form ESPN’s popular Sunday Night team. Miller has had the privilege of announcing several record-breaking home runs, and received the Ford Frick award in 2010. Given the team’s recent success, San Francisco fans have had ample opportunity to hear Miller’s famous “Adios Pelota!” call.
John Sterling
Forget baseball — John Sterling is one of the most polarizing announcers in all of sports. The veteran Yankees radio broadcaster is famous (or infamous) for his increasingly over-the-top home run calls, usually accompanied by equally absurd nicknames. “An A-Bomb from A-Rod” and “You’re on the Mark, Teixiera” are just two of the questionable catchphrases that Sterling has used over the years. While his antics are often a target of criticism, there’s no doubt that they make for some highly entertaining baseball moments.
Vin Scully
As any baseball purist will tell you, no memorable baseball moment is complete without the practiced cadence of Vin Scully’s voice. The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers announcer has been calling games for over 60 years, and has lent his expertise to some massive home runs along the way. Scully called Hank Aaron’s record breaking 715th home run, as well as Kirk Gibson’s legendary pinch-hit blast in the ’88 World Series. Even at 84 years old, Scully’s still got it.