When Lanny Frattare started for the Pirates, during his first season, he had a habit of overworking the phrase "this afternoon" when broadcasting afternoon games. Since then, he's worked that out of his delivery. But I know more than one guy who took those "this afternoon's" and spliced them together for fun!
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Worst local sportcasters ever
- Thread starter pghfmradiosucks
- Start date
If any of you are old enough to remember Bob Prince, then you'll remember he was liked by most everybody but had quite a number of detractors. Ira Apple was PD of KDKA when Prince was fired. When we had a conversation some years after the famous firing, Ira alluded to this almost as if to say, that was a major reason Prince got the boot...upsetting too many people who were alleged to be "important" or perhaps "full of themselves" is a better description. Anyway, there were some board operators along the network who would insert sound effects from time-to-time because they didn't like Prince. Things like the opening of snap top cans, burping, coughing etc. There was one guy from one station I heard who defended Prince after the firing. During a break in the action of a game this guy was broadcasting, he made comments to the effect the KDKA management was top heavy in a certain ethnic/religious group and this was a reason for the Prince firing.
Prince, in my view, doesn't belong in a discussion of "worst sportscasters", but that's my opinion. Many women would disagree with me, however. Prince would regularly explain the fine points of the game to "you women", as he would say.
Again in my view, the best combination in Pirates PBP was Bob Prince and Jim Woods!
Prince, in my view, doesn't belong in a discussion of "worst sportscasters", but that's my opinion. Many women would disagree with me, however. Prince would regularly explain the fine points of the game to "you women", as he would say.
Again in my view, the best combination in Pirates PBP was Bob Prince and Jim Woods!
Who does belong in this list is any PBP guy who is yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs when somebody scores or makes a great play. When you listen to the very famous, well known people like Mel Allen, Bob Prince etc, all these theatrics were gone. Yes, there is excitement in sports but this yelling and screaming as a badge of professionalism is simply pure BS. But then again, whoever said radio was on a quest toward more professionalism.
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Which freakin' incident or post are you referring to!?!?!?
Prince was canned because he didn't want to kiss the rear ends of some advertisers and a couple of higher-ups at Westinghouse who thought that the world needed to pay more homage to them. Bob had a couple who were drunk and loud tossed out of the booth which is reported to have started the whole problem.
Tom Goodgame admitted to me years later that firing Price was the dumbest thing he had ever done while running Westinghouse Broadcasting and added that he thought that neither Westinghouse/CBS or the Pirates had ever recovered.
Tom Goodgame admitted to me years later that firing Price was the dumbest thing he had ever done while running Westinghouse Broadcasting and added that he thought that neither Westinghouse/CBS or the Pirates had ever recovered.
Prince was fired because he forgot he had a boss. The Pirates (Joe L. Brown and Tom Johnson) had bailed him out of trouble with Westinghouse before, and he thought he was bulletproof. When Westinghouse breached the idea of dumping him after the '75 season, the Pirates didn't object for the first time.
Why? Because his broadcasting had slipped terribly. He was obsessed with bringing his personal business on the air and calling the games was secondary. No matter how much they warned him, he didn't change. Ed Wallis and Bill Hartman couldn't wait to dump him, and they were gleeful when the Pirates didn't try to stop them. It was personal because of all the grief Prince had brought upon on Wallis and Hartman. Hartman was a mean-spirited SOB and relished the idea of humbling Prince.
It was a huge mistake for the Pirates. They suffered for years because of it. Didn't matter as much to Westinghouse. Ratings didn't suffer and neither did sales. People who want to listen to the games only have one place to go.
Why? Because his broadcasting had slipped terribly. He was obsessed with bringing his personal business on the air and calling the games was secondary. No matter how much they warned him, he didn't change. Ed Wallis and Bill Hartman couldn't wait to dump him, and they were gleeful when the Pirates didn't try to stop them. It was personal because of all the grief Prince had brought upon on Wallis and Hartman. Hartman was a mean-spirited SOB and relished the idea of humbling Prince.
It was a huge mistake for the Pirates. They suffered for years because of it. Didn't matter as much to Westinghouse. Ratings didn't suffer and neither did sales. People who want to listen to the games only have one place to go.
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