Greatest Sport Announcers of ALL TIME

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

My favorite sports booth: Phil Rizzuto, Bill White, and Frank Messer. New York Yankees, 1971-1986.

I have to tip my cap to Ernie Harwell, Detroit Tigers voice of baseball for 42 years. I think the GREAT color commentators of yesteryear were FAR BETTER at keeping fans attention than the stat-jockeys of today. Do we really need to know that Player A hit 12 of his last 13 home runs after 9pm? Please....

Without further ado, my top 10 sports announcers of all time:

1. Phil Rizzuto
2. Mel Allen
3. Howard Cossel
4. Red Barber
5. Hary Carey
6. Jack Buck
7. Bob Costas
8. John McEnroe
9. Jesse Ventura
10. Bobby Heenan

[SaisMatters]

My favorite sports booth: Phil Rizzuto, Bill White

I have to tip my cap to Ernie Harwell, Detroit Tigers voice of baseball for 42 years. I think the GREAT color commentators of yesteryear were FAR BETTER at keeping fans attention than the stat-jockeys of today. Do we really need to know that Player A hit 12 of his last home runs after 9pm? Please....

Without further ado, my top 10 sports announcers of all time:

1. Phil Rizzuto
2. Mel Allen
3. Howard Cossel
4. Red Barber
5. Hary Carey
6. Jack Buck
7. Bob Costas
8. John McEnroe
9. Jesse Ventura
10. Bobby Heenan

ED WHALEN. Most people won't know him, he was a Announcer for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta and for the Calgary Flames, but he was a Canadian Icon and coined many phrases such as Ringadongdingdandy and "In the mean time and in between time", and many others.
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[chaos_infused]

The Philadelphia Phillies former announcer Harry Kalas... The best at what he did.

There was nothing like him calling a homerun.

[tomfar72]

HOLY COW!! what a great list. Special props for including Heenan and Ventura btw I would like to mention a cpl of guys, who while not there yet, have great chemistry imo and are THE best NFL announcing team going today. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Granted, they've not been doing it long enough to be considered in the conversation of best of all time yet, but I think at some time they may be.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

HOLY COW!! what a great list. Special props for including Heenan and Ventura btw

God Heenan and Ventura gave me so many laughs as a kid. They were so good...sometimes they would litterally overshadow some of the talent ..

Pro Wrestling may not be a "sport" in the scientific sense, however the training is very much the same, and in some cases far more dangerous. To me its more about YOUTH, and wrestling and baseball were as much a part of my youth as D&D.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Keep mentioning voices that meant something to us as kids, whereever you are from!!! The best of the best.

I love the mentions so far!

[Arkat]

The Philadelphia Phillies former announcer Harry Kalas... The best at what he did.

There was nothing like him calling a homerun.

/signed!

+1 for you!

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

ED WHALEN. Most people won't know him, he was a Announcer for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta and for the Calgary Flames, but he was a Canadian Icon and coined many phrases such as Ringadongdingdandy and "In the mean time and in between time", and many others.
,

Ed Whalen. Stampede Wrestling, Alberta Canada... Oh yeah!

Here's a rare pic I was lucky enough to acquire... taken October 1998. Two members of the legendary Hart family. Behind the scenes, both injured. The gentleman on the left, Owen Hart, gave his life to the sport his family helped build into what it is today. (Actually it was far better then, than it is now. This is one of the last pictures taken of the brothers together...)

[SaisMatters]

Ed Whalen. Stampede Wrestling, Alberta Canada...

Here's a rare pic I was lucky enough to acquire... Two members of the the legendary Hart family. Behind the scenes, both injured. The gentleman on the left, gave his life to the sport his family helped build into what it is today. (Actually it was far better then, than it is now)

Owen and Bret!
Saw Bret a few months back at a dinner here in calgary. He's a great guy, and not a bad announcer himself, though I'd give props to his brother Bruce over Bret when it comes to the mic!

[Bobthesponge]

Former SF Giants announcer: Lon Simmons.
Current SF Giants announcer (and ESPN Sunday Night): Jon Miller

what makes them both great is not the play by play or analysis, but what they do in slow, boring games (which happens a lot in baseball), rain delays, and blowouts. they start telling stories and go off on tangents and are absolutely hilarious. jon miller's impressions of other announcers is the best ever - his vin scully sounds more like vin scully than vin scully.

anyone can announce an exciting game but to make a dull game fun? that is talent.

[Vorn]

Love the list! I grew up listening to Harry Carey and Jack Buck in the 1960's. My dad and I would sit in his old Rambler station wagon and listen to Cardinal games on KMOX (we lived out in the country and couldn't get it on the radio in the house, lol.)

Another guy I admire is Denny Mattews of the Royals. He's getting a big older now, but back-when he was really, really good at giving you a radio 'picture' of the play by play so that you could see it all happen crystal clear in your mind's eye. Royals are a small market and their radio network is pretty small, so not a lot of folks know him.

[Dravik]

Fromer Boston Celtics Announcer Johnny Most...I can still hear that gravelly voice even now!

[mws2970]

As a kid, I always liked Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola calling baseball on Saturdays on NBC. I also like Jim McKay on ABC's Wide World of Sports.

[Arkat]

I'll add Myron Cope (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Vin Scully (Los Angeles Dodgers).

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Oh man these mentions are great!

Watching sports as a kid with my parents and grandmother (mostly my Dad, but we ALL watched wrestling) was so memorable for me, I just have to recommend to any parent to spend some time with the kiddies in front of a TV and turn on a game. They will remember it for the rest of their lives.

[Mourngrimm]

Cool Post....Lets Ressurect it!

1.Lon Simmons-SF Giants past
2.John Madden-Mon Night Football-Will never be as good with out him.
3.John Miller-SF Giants current
4.Howard Coselle "My Good Friend Mu-Hamed-Ali"
5.Harry Carry-Holy Cow!-Not a Cubs Fan but I liked him.
6.Hank Greenwald-SF Giants past yrs
7.Pat Sommeral-NFL Mon Night Football
8.Kurt Gowdy-MLB Game of the week years ago!
9.Vin Scully-I hate the Dodgers....But he's Good!
10.Al Michaels-SF Giants of old and former Mon Night Football.

I'm a SF Giants fan as you can see so that's my influence....There are a TON of good ones out there though....

[Shuleagh]

The black guy that announces for the New York Knicks (Basketball) and does the Hair commercials. "No play for Mr.Grey!" lol. Knicks could be down 30 points and he will still find something nice to say about them. "The Knicks are still in this with that masterful play by <X>. Only down 28 points now its time for the comeback!". I watch it sober and its funny as hell to me, can't imagine how hilarious it would be on booze or drugs.

[centuar1963]

the guy in the Movie Gladiator the anounces the action to the whole arena w/o a mic....
Voice projection Awsome

want him to do a ddo narration

[Club'in]

And at the top of my list for the most hated announcers...Joe Buck. That guy just gets on my nerves. I tend to like the guys that have been there, done that, and are humble. This guy, though, I'm pretty sure has never even played a team sport, yet does not hesitate with the petty criticisms. He just exudes arrogance. Bleech!