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Lanny Frattare retires
- Thread starter Boss Radio
- Start date
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
I don't blame him. After losing season upon losing season, the job could not have
been much fun anymore. I remember being a kid in the car riding with my dad on
Banksville Road, and listening to that fateful 1975 game where the KD brass brought
Lanny up from Charleston, WV and threw him on there to relieve The Gunner for
a few innings. Prince, obviously hip to what was going on, said something to the
effect of "Slow down there, young fella! I still want to have this job next season!"
Of course, he didn't.
I wish Lanny well in his retirement.
been much fun anymore. I remember being a kid in the car riding with my dad on
Banksville Road, and listening to that fateful 1975 game where the KD brass brought
Lanny up from Charleston, WV and threw him on there to relieve The Gunner for
a few innings. Prince, obviously hip to what was going on, said something to the
effect of "Slow down there, young fella! I still want to have this job next season!"
Of course, he didn't.
I wish Lanny well in his retirement.
FreddyE1977 said:I don't blame him. After losing season upon losing season, the job could not have
been much fun anymore. I remember being a kid in the car riding with my dad on
Banksville Road, and listening to that fateful 1975 game where the KD brass brought
Lanny up from Charleston, WV and threw him on there to relieve The Gunner for
a few innings. Prince, obviously hip to what was going on, said something to the
effect of "Slow down there, young fella! I still want to have this job next season!"
Of course, he didn't.
I wish Lanny well in his retirement.
KDKA brass didn't put him on the air in '75. The invitation came from Prince.
E
ejjeff
Guest
I spoke to Lanny a couple of weeks before the season ended. I mentioned I felt for the guys with the Pirates losing so much. His answer was "'Don't feel for me. I have the greatest job in the world." Lanny has been a class act and I wish him all the best.
Absolutely, ejjeff.
I am stunned. Absolutely stunned. I thought he'd be around forever.
What I find most disheartening is that I could listen to a Pirates game and Lanny was a link to the time when the Bucs were perhaps the most feared team in the National League.
Forget the Barry Bonds era. Lanny (calling him Frattare would be like calling your mother by her first name instead of "mom") covered the Pirates when Danny Murtaugh was the manager. He called Willie Stargell's last home run ("What an amazing man! What an amazing career!").
When the Pirates clinched the 1979 NL East Title- the big matrix board at Three Rivers read "NOOOOOOO DOUBT ABOUT IT!"
When I'd listen to a Pirates game today, no matter how bad they were, I could listen to Lanny and Bill Madlock was winning a batting title, or Omar Moreno was leading the lead in steals, or Dave Parker was winning the MVP, or John Candelaria was mowing down hitters. That legacy lived every time he spoke.
Now, that era, and the memories of my childhood once so vivid, seem like a very long time ago.
I am stunned. Absolutely stunned. I thought he'd be around forever.
What I find most disheartening is that I could listen to a Pirates game and Lanny was a link to the time when the Bucs were perhaps the most feared team in the National League.
Forget the Barry Bonds era. Lanny (calling him Frattare would be like calling your mother by her first name instead of "mom") covered the Pirates when Danny Murtaugh was the manager. He called Willie Stargell's last home run ("What an amazing man! What an amazing career!").
When the Pirates clinched the 1979 NL East Title- the big matrix board at Three Rivers read "NOOOOOOO DOUBT ABOUT IT!"
When I'd listen to a Pirates game today, no matter how bad they were, I could listen to Lanny and Bill Madlock was winning a batting title, or Omar Moreno was leading the lead in steals, or Dave Parker was winning the MVP, or John Candelaria was mowing down hitters. That legacy lived every time he spoke.
Now, that era, and the memories of my childhood once so vivid, seem like a very long time ago.
Not stunned at all really. This wasn't a spur of the moment decision for Lanny but something that's come to him over time. 33 years on the road and all of the losing coupled with some of the behind the scenes dramas brought down the curtain. Just as people my age couldn't imagine a Pirate game without The Gunner behind the mike there is an entire generation that can't imagine a game without Lanny.
If tradition holds Lanny's replacement will be someone younger from outside of the organization.
I also have the sneaking feeling that just like his good friend Jim Leyland, we haven't heard the end of Lanny just yet.
If tradition holds Lanny's replacement will be someone younger from outside of the organization.
I also have the sneaking feeling that just like his good friend Jim Leyland, we haven't heard the end of Lanny just yet.
Blass, Walk and Wehner all provide links to the Pirates past from various eras. In fact, Blass goes back to 1964 with the Pirates, so he has all the Clemente/Mazeroski/Forbes Field lore that even Lanny didn't have.
For that matter, Greg Brown first came to work for the Pirates in 1979, so he preceded Walk and Wehner.
For that matter, Greg Brown first came to work for the Pirates in 1979, so he preceded Walk and Wehner.
9
917WCUC
Guest
I think Greg had an internship in '79.
Don't believe everything you read. The real story has a very old, but familiar, ring to it.
Lanny has been a diva behind the scenes for years. It wouldn't surprise me if the Pirates got fed up with that and pushed him out.
yugoidar said:Boss, are you sure about Greg coming to the Pirates in '79? Maybe as an intern. He was working in Buffalo doing sports talk in '91 before he signed on with the Pirates broadcast team.
He worked in their promotion department. He told the story on the air that he was always a big Pirate fan growing up on the other side of the state. His dad used to come to Pittsburgh on business and Greg would come with him and go to the games. He talked his way into an internship with the Pirates that led to a part-time job, then full time. One of his duties was being the backup Parrot when two appearances were booked at the same time.
Boss Radio said:Lanny has been a diva behind the scenes for years. It wouldn't surprise me if the Pirates got fed up with that and pushed him out.
Boss, can you confirm whether Lanny retired or was pushed out? I know from some of your previous posts that you seem to have a pretty good dossier on Frattare and the Pirates broadcast department. Right down to contract his contract expiration, his age, his dislike of flying, dislike of the GM, etc. You even remember Dean Jordan who's been out of the Pirates picture for years.
You must be pretty tight with the organization. What do you know about the retirement story?
Just observing from afar because I haven't kept up with all the changes at the Pirates. The people I knew are mostly long gone, and their replacements have been replaced.
I'm just guessing that he was pushed out because none of it makes any sense otherwise. He was making good money and he's leaving a year of the contract on the table because he wants to do....nothing? As far as I know his health is fine, so that's not an issue. People are trying to say he's fed up with the Pirates losing but the money and perks associated with the job ease that.
I'm just guessing that he was pushed out because none of it makes any sense otherwise. He was making good money and he's leaving a year of the contract on the table because he wants to do....nothing? As far as I know his health is fine, so that's not an issue. People are trying to say he's fed up with the Pirates losing but the money and perks associated with the job ease that.
I go WAY back with memories of Lanny Frattare. I first met him when he was a Top 40 jock at WBBF in Rochester, NY. He was a class act then (and a pretty good jock!) and is a class act now. I wish him well. And as someone else noted, I don't think we've heard the last of him just yet.
I'm glad you said that, Bare.
Every time I was around Lanny Frattare through the years he was nothing but exceedingly professional and courteous.
In fact, I have a very tough time believing the accusation of "Diva" behavior. I'm not saying I was around the guy every day, but I found Lanny to be the exact opposite of that description.
What I saw was a guy who would often talk about his days when he was trying to sell advertising to get Geneva Senators games on the air so he could get his start in baseball broadcasting. I think this is actually where Lanny's incredible loyalty to the Pirates' sponsors came from (Giant Eagle, for instance).
Bottom line is that's not the line of conversation you normally expect out of a guy who is a prima donna. That's the line of conversation you get out of a guy who remembers where he came from and is thankful to be where he is.
Noooooo doubt about it!
Every time I was around Lanny Frattare through the years he was nothing but exceedingly professional and courteous.
In fact, I have a very tough time believing the accusation of "Diva" behavior. I'm not saying I was around the guy every day, but I found Lanny to be the exact opposite of that description.
What I saw was a guy who would often talk about his days when he was trying to sell advertising to get Geneva Senators games on the air so he could get his start in baseball broadcasting. I think this is actually where Lanny's incredible loyalty to the Pirates' sponsors came from (Giant Eagle, for instance).
Bottom line is that's not the line of conversation you normally expect out of a guy who is a prima donna. That's the line of conversation you get out of a guy who remembers where he came from and is thankful to be where he is.
Noooooo doubt about it!
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