February 20, 2006

Curt Gowdy dies: He talked a good game.

posted by roberts to baseball at 01:08 PM - 23 comments

Good announcer, too bad he had to work for such a crappy network. NBC Sports are famous for being under the screen in quality.

posted by mrhockey at 01:22 PM on February 20, 2006

Oh man, in his day, one of the best. He and Tony Kubek were the voices of baseball for me growing up. And the AFC regular season and great championship games of the 70's always featured him as well. To someone who grew up in the 70's, he was a mainstay. Vaya con dios, Curt.

posted by mjkredliner at 01:38 PM on February 20, 2006

I will hear Curt Gowdy as the Voice Of All Sports in my head for a long time yet. He really was amazingly good for an incredibly long time.

posted by chicobangs at 01:46 PM on February 20, 2006

Class act, great announcer, and a voice that will never be forgotten. RIP my friend.

posted by mustang71 at 02:01 PM on February 20, 2006

too bad he had to work for such a crappy network. NBC Sports are famous for being under the screen in quality. What does NBC now have to do with NBC when Curt Gowdy rode roughshod over the booth?

posted by yerfatma at 02:21 PM on February 20, 2006

No matter the sport...or how lousy the game...Curt Gowdy always made it interesting...thanx for the memories...

posted by phillyolhead at 02:25 PM on February 20, 2006

I got the chance to meet Mr.Gowdy at a softball tourney in the late 60's...what a Genuine...honest great guy he was...a genuine gentleman...boy these guys today sure could have learned some lessons from him. RIP Mr. Gowdy...God is getting a jewel

posted by Indycoltsj at 02:39 PM on February 20, 2006

One of the classic voices of all time. I, too got to meet him quite a while ago. He loved talking baseball, and I spoke at length with him about who was the better pitcher, all time: Tom Seaver or Jim Palmer. Announcers today all just blend together. Anyone who listened to Gowdy will always remember his voice.

posted by dyams at 02:49 PM on February 20, 2006

One of the best ever. He will be missed.

posted by dbt302 at 02:51 PM on February 20, 2006

Gowdy was a pro...Consistent in all facets of his craft...........

posted by bamakve at 02:53 PM on February 20, 2006

I remember him on the "American Sportsman" shows. I used to watch quite a few of them. Always great shows from a great sporstcaster.

posted by usroute17 at 03:03 PM on February 20, 2006

RIP Gowdy You're calling the game in a better Place now.

posted by Joe88 at 03:03 PM on February 20, 2006

Some people found Gowdy bland, but I loved listening to his voice; it was the voice of the postseason that I grew up with. And NBC did a fine job with baseball. Heck, NBC's Harry Coyle (with the help of a live rat) more or less invented modern baseball (and sports) coverage with the Carlton Fisk home run. "Carlton Fisk has hit a one-nothing pitch. They're jamming out on the field. ... His teammates are waiting for him. And the Red Sox have sent the World Series into Game Seven with a dramatic 7 to 6 victory. What a game! This is one of the greatest World Series games of all time!" "The ball's hit deep... deep... it is gone! He did it! He did it! Henry Aaron... is the all-time home run... leader now!" "Long drive to right field, that ball is going, it is gone. It's a home run for Ted Williams in his last time at-bat in the Major Leagues."

posted by spira at 03:35 PM on February 20, 2006

Great post spira ^ RIP Mr. Gowdy, you will be missed

posted by sixshot84 at 04:48 PM on February 20, 2006

I remember curt gowdy replaced jim britt as the red sox announcer.He called a game fairly and was a little bit of a homer but to us Red Sox Fans of the late 30s thru the present,curt gowdy was up there and past the great radio announcers Mel Allen,Bob Prince Ernie Howell,Gowdy was the greatest.I pay him the sincerest may he rest in peace

posted by arturo at 05:03 PM on February 20, 2006

When I listen to the announcers today, Curt is always the one I compare them to. Rest in Peace, Mr. Gowdy.

posted by Joey Michaels at 05:08 PM on February 20, 2006

Mr. Gowdy, one of the best ever. Peace to his family.

posted by daddisamm at 05:47 PM on February 20, 2006

Definitely loved him on "American Sportsman" as a kid. One of the voices of my youth. A sad day for sports fans everywhere.

posted by stockman at 07:17 PM on February 20, 2006

I knew Gowdy when I was a bellman at a Cheyenne Hotel 30 years ago. He wore a neck brace, looked 80 at the time and well and truly a dick to all of the help less than the managers. As a D list celebrity from near there, they even named a state park after the asswipe. Arreviderci, dickhead.

posted by Scottymac at 10:13 PM on February 20, 2006

At least you're not bitter. He's dead now, and some serious therapy may help keep you from ending up on the roof of that same hotel, in your old bellman uniform, firing on people down below with a high-powered rifle.

posted by dyams at 07:26 AM on February 21, 2006

Har har Dyams! Public sentiment is only 19 to 1 in the above posts in Curt's favor, Scottymac. Maybe the fact that his neck was in a brace and he had to deal with a clueless bellman had something to do with his bad day. Hope he left ya a wooden nickel.

posted by mjkredliner at 05:13 PM on February 21, 2006

Bad day my ass, many of us had to deal with his sorry ass for weeks at a time. He tipped nobody well, acted like a deservedly priveleged asshole, and made constant demands for services that were not even part of our job description at the time. I'll not be listening to those of you who only heard him behind a microphone. I'll also not miss him.

posted by Scottymac at 12:54 AM on February 22, 2006

Always nice when somebody feels the need to pile on a dead guy. You're a classy guy, Scottymac. We have been saluting his abilities as a broadcaster for the most part. Nobody here mentioned his tipping habits or how he treated the hired help at a hotel. Get over it. Move on with your life, and pray that no minimum wage jerkoff decides to take a potshot at you when you're dead because you didn't meet their high standards when you were alive. Luckily, you're probably perfect, so you won't have to worry about it, right?

posted by The_Black_Hand at 01:24 PM on February 22, 2006

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.