OT: Harry Caray

[OldRed]

HARRY CARAY CAPTURES FANS ON CARDS RADIO, 1940s
Harry Caray died in 1998, iconic sports announcer from St. Louis, with many recalling his independent nature and perspective. Caray had known as much back in 1945, talking his way into radio play-by-play at Sportsman’s Park, determined to be baseball’s best announcer.
“Like toasted ravioli, the Budweiser bowtie log and street pretzels, Harry Caray was a St. Louis original,” John M. McGuire observed for The Post-Dispatch. “And he left an imprint here.”
The television world knew Caray as beloved Cubs announcer, Chicago’s cool old Bud Man, the Mayor of Rush Street and so forth, reigning into his 80s.
But many Cards fans recalled Caray as their Everyman announcer from World War Two through the Sixties. Ol’ Harry spanned generations and World Series eras on the microphone in St. Louis, cheering and sighing with everyone else, riding high or low with his Redbirds.
Born as Harry Carabina on the Southside in 1914, he grew up listening to baseball’s early announcers, including Red Barber and Mel Allen from New York, and France Laux in St. Louis. After high school in Webster Groves, Harry excelled playing amateur baseball with a charger’s persona. As a spectator he envisioned calling the game on radio, announcing like no other.
“I remember going to Sportsman’s Park to see the Cardinals and Browns play then,” Caray told Mike Eisenbath in 1994. “I was a good baseball fan, not a great one. I couldn’t go as much as I wanted because I was still playing on the weekends.”
“But I noticed that every game seemed exciting to me. The nuances, the shadings—it all was so wonderful. When I listened to the games on radio, the games seemed dull. I thought either I was lucky to go just to the exciting games or something was missing from the radio broadcasters.”
In 1939 Harry Carabina married Virginia Kunz at St. Louis and they started a family. Restless in sales, Caray wrote to KMOX, declaring his talent for radio, and left St. Louis to gain airtime, experience.
Changing his name to “Harry Caray,” he worked sports and more on stations at Joliet and Kalamazoo. Enthusiastic for covering any game or topic, Caray made “Ho-ly cow!” his verbal mark.
The Carays returned to St. Louis in 1943, taking residence on Chestnut Avenue, with Harry employed as sports editor for KXOK. A city brewery was deep in sport sponsorships, Griesedieck Brothers Beer, for whom Caray cut radio commercials.
In 1945 Griesedieck solicited “big name” announcers for baseball play-by-play at Sportsman’s Park. Caray applied, convincing Edward Griesedieck well enough for a stint in the booth with Gabby Street. The Cardinals won the World Series in 1946 as Caray boasted a legion of fans.
Griesedieck had told him employment was temporary, “that they were looking for a name, guys like Red Barber, Bob Elson and Bill Stern” Caray said. “The only thing that happened is I became the name.”
In 1948 The Sporting News named Harry Caray as the National League’s outstanding broadcaster. He had critics, those scribes and listeners who rejected his homer attitude for St. Louis, but voices in his favor were dominant.
Followers relished his “Holy cow” fits and thrilled to hear him harken a home run: “It might be, it could be, IT IS!” Sometimes Harry proved wrong, lamenting instead, “It’s caught at the fence,” but no matter to his faithful.
“Harry Caray doesn’t announce a game; he brings it into your living room,” wrote John Brawley, Ferguson resident, in a letter to The Post-Dispatch. “He lives and exults with you when the Cardinals are winning, and he dies with you when things are going against the Cardinals”
“In my opinion, listening to Harry Caray broadcast a game is the next best thing to being at the game—television not excluded. In fact, I usually take my radio to the games.”
Sports editor Bill Flieschman intoned: “Caray admittedly thinks of himself as a celebrity of sorts and he probably is. Things got so bad several years ago that he removed his name from the telephone directory. Calls at all hours of the night from critics and admirers were too much for the household.”
The Caray home fractured, in fact, when Virginia sued Harry for divorce in 1949. He later confirmed his drinking and philandering split the couple; they shared three children, including son Skip Caray, bound for baseball broadcasting.
Harry Caray told reporters his personal issues were back-page news. He took residence in the Hotel Sheraton, a big name himself, signing autographs like a star athlete. Fans approached “Harry” in ballparks, hotels, restaurants and taverns. He averaged 1,500 letters a week, some 900 from outside St. Louis, for Cards radio stations in a dozen states.
“The far-flung network carried Caray’s voice beyond St. Louis, which then marked the western, southern and southwestern boundary of Major League Baseball,” wrote Bob Broeg, PD sports columnist. “Caray’s enthusiastic approach and oft-exaggerated accounts of action created new fans in new territory.”
“They became wild about Harry.”
TO CONTINUE
Click photos for notes and credits.
—30—
Compiled by Matt Chaney, USA

[12xu]

When I first started listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio in the early 60's, Harry and Jack made quite a pair, as they were quite different in style. Harry would exaggerate many a play, but he did make the game sound exciting. For certain, he loved the game and knew it well. I was not happy when he was fired. One thing that bothered me was his dislike for Kenny Boyer, who was one of my favorites.

[BrummerStealsHome]

When I first started listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio in the early 60's, Harry and Jack made quite a pair, as they were quite different in style. Harry would exaggerate many a play, but he did make the game sound exciting. For certain, he loved the game and knew it well. I was not happy when he was fired. One thing that bothered me was his dislike for Kenny Boyer, who was one of my favorites.

My earliest years of Cardinal fandom featured Caray and Buck on the Cardinals radio network. Caray was excitable and enthusiastic, and sometimes became bombastic. It worked for him. You know why? Because it was genuine. I loved Harry. Cardinals Nation, even though it wasn't called that, loved Harry. I might have shed a tear when I heard he was leaving. I remember watching a clip on TV during the sports report that they'd hired Mike Shannon as color man. I will just a kid but remember thinking what the heck? Why?! But Buck and Shannon became the summer soundtrack of the midwest for decades.

If you are a reader, pick up a copy of Caray's autobiography, Holy Cow! That guy had quite a life.

[swatski]

Harry had the best HR call ever, esp for radio. The listener was on the edge of his seat wondering if the ball was gonna make it over the fence.

[11WSChamps]

When Harry was here he had no peer in a broadcast booth.

[OldRed]

When I first started listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio in the early 60's, Harry and Jack made quite a pair, as they were quite different in style. Harry would exaggerate many a play, but he did make the game sound exciting. For certain, he loved the game and knew it well. I was not happy when he was fired. One thing that bothered me was his dislike for Kenny Boyer, who was one of my favorites.

Boyer always made everything the field look easy, he was a graceful player. That might have given Harry the opinion he wasn't putting out 100%.

[hugeCardfan]

When I first started listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio in the early 60's, Harry and Jack made quite a pair, as they were quite different in style. Harry would exaggerate many a play, but he did make the game sound exciting. For certain, he loved the game and knew it well. I was not happy when he was fired. One thing that bothered me was his dislike for Kenny Boyer, who was one of my favorites.

Boyer always made everything the field look easy, he was a graceful player. That might have given Harry the opinion he wasn't putting out 100%.

I suspect it was more personal than that.

[DwaininAztec]

When I first started listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio in the early 60's, Harry and Jack made quite a pair, as they were quite different in style. Harry would exaggerate many a play, but he did make the game sound exciting. For certain, he loved the game and knew it well. I was not happy when he was fired. One thing that bothered me was his dislike for Kenny Boyer, who was one of my favorites.

Boyer always made everything the field look easy, he was a graceful player. That might have given Harry the opinion he wasn't putting out 100%.

I suspect it was more personal than that.

It was very personal. Kenny had refused to be interviewed by Harry, which started an ongoing battle between the two giants in St. Louis.

[60 year Cardinal fan]

The Cardinal broadcast came over our local station (KDRS) in 1947 or 48. My dad, uncle, and grandpa always had the game on if they were in the house. I started paying close attention to the broadcast in 1957 as I listened to every game with Harry, Jack, and Joe. What a crew.

[Cusecards]

When I first started listening to Cardinal baseball on the radio in the early 60's, Harry and Jack made quite a pair, as they were quite different in style. Harry would exaggerate many a play, but he did make the game sound exciting. For certain, he loved the game and knew it well. I was not happy when he was fired. One thing that bothered me was his dislike for Kenny Boyer, who was one of my favorites.

Boyer always made everything the field look easy, he was a graceful player. That might have given Harry the opinion he wasn't putting out 100%.

I suspect it was more personal than that.

It was very personal. Kenny had refused to be interviewed by Harry, which started an ongoing battle between the two giants in St. Louis.

Living in the East I could get the powerful KMOX
signal but not until after 9:00.
And yes I grew up listening to Harry & Jack.
I’ll always remember their straightforward calling of the game!
Always....”Fly ball......it’ll be caught”!
Didn’t milk it to be over dramatic.
And I remember his comments on Boyer but I was young and never knew why??
One time:
“Two outs....bottom of the ninth....tying run on second. Boyer up. We’ll be back in a minute with the wrap up”!
WTF? LOL

[ScotchMIrish]

He was one of few announcers who could and would trash the home team.

[ramfandan]

Harry had the best HR call ever, esp for radio. The listener was on the edge of his seat wondering if the ball was gonna make it over the fence.

You mean ' it might be outta here ... it could be .. it IS.... a home run !

Though the listener on radio was on the edge of his seat .. Little did that listener know that the ball could be landing 10 rows up in the bleachers ..and gone from the time it left the bat ...lol

That was his HR call for every HR regardless if it was iffy or not

Just like Ueker with his ... Get up ! Get up ! Get outta here ! GONE ! call many of those balls certainly did not need to 'Get up ! lol
They were hit 425 ft LOL


Wonder if there was a national poll of other past announcers, media ,etc . who would have the higher rating H. Caray or B. Uecker I think it would be Uek ! IMO

[HorseTrader]

Harry had the best HR call ever, esp for radio. The listener was on the edge of his seat wondering if the ball was gonna make it over the fence.

You mean ' it might be outta here ... it could be .. it IS.... a home run !

Though the listener on radio was on the edge of his seat .. Little did that listener know that the ball could be landing 10 rows up in the bleachers ..and gone from the time it left the bat ...lol

That was his HR call for every HR regardless if it was iffy or not

Just like Ueker with his ... Get up ! Get up ! Get outta here ! GONE ! call many of those balls certainly did not need to 'Get up ! lol
They were hit 425 ft LOL


Wonder if there was a national poll of other past announcers, media ,etc . who would have the higher rating H. Caray or B. Uecker I think it would be Uek ! IMO

Yep and on at least one occasion, Javier caught that homer behind 2nd base. Harry couldn't see, so every flyball was really an adventure for him and the fans. Loved listening to him and Jack and later Jack and Mike

[tgharris]

My late father was a Cardinals fan for around seventy years at least. Back when cable TV was still fairly new in our hometown, we were watching the Cards vs. the Cubs on WGN. Harry (of course by that time working for the Cubs) was calling the game, which wasn't going well for Chicago.

Sometime around the seventh inning, I asked my dad if he wanted me to turn down the TV, and we'd listen to KMOX. And he said, "Nah. I want to listen to Harry cry."