Skip Caray 1939-2008

[throatybeard]

Skip Caray just died!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3517921

better story from AJC

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sp...ge_tab_newstab

[devildeac]

Skip Caray just died!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3517921

That is really sad. We started watching the Braves (with our illegally connected cable) back in 1977 or 1978 and remember him fondly. Told some of the worst jokes ever but loved to listen to him call the games. Quite a loss.

[EarlJam]

That is really sad. We started watching the Braves (with our illegally connected cable) back in 1977 or 1978 and remember him fondly. Told some of the worst jokes ever but loved to listen to him call the games. Quite a loss.

The darkest spot on an already ridiculously dark season for the Braves.

Unbelievable.

R.I.P. Skip. An Atlanta Icon.

-EarlJam

[Lavabe]

Very sad news. He was having loads of health issues these last couple of years (heart, diabetes).

[devildeac]

Very sad news. He was having loads of health issues these last couple of years (heart, diabetes).

I believe I was at home in our living room screaming along with Skip, "Braves win. Braves win." remembering but feeling

[DBFAN]

Skip Caray has passed away. I am a little shocked no one has started a thread on this already, being that this is the south with a lot of Braves fans. Anyway, as a braves fan I am truly saddened by his passing. Some of my greatest memories as a child involve watching the Braves finally making the playoffs, and listening to Skip call the games. I am sure this should probably be in the off topic, but I just wanted everyone to see this.

[rasputin]

Skip Caray has passed away. I am a little shocked no one has started a thread on this already, being that this is the south with a lot of Braves fans. Anyway, as a braves fan I am truly saddened by his passing. Some of my greatest memories as a child involve watching the Braves finally making the playoffs, and listening to Skip call the games. I am sure this should probably be in the off topic, but I just wanted everyone to see this.

There's discussion on the Braves thread off-topic.

[devildeac]

Skip Caray has passed away. I am a little shocked no one has started a thread on this already, being that this is the south with a lot of Braves fans. Anyway, as a braves fan I am truly saddened by his passing. Some of my greatest memories as a child involve watching the Braves finally making the playoffs, and listening to Skip call the games. I am sure this should probably be in the off topic, but I just wanted everyone to see this.

We have actually discussed this some already on the "Braves-2008" thread on the OTB so come join us for some (mostly) friendly Braves banter.

[DBFAN]

I forgot to check that section, I still wish he had his own thread, but I guess this will do.

[EarlJam]

My friend Mark and I were discussing Skip earlier. FWIW, here's a message I sent him and his response (via his blog). It would be nice to have a separate thread with some Skip anecdotes:

EJ:
Another thing that really hits home with this is how I relate Skip to my dad. When my dad went through his last year of rapidly declining health, he latched onto the Braves and Skip would always make him laugh. It was 1994, and the Braves didn't win it all that year, and my dad would curse during the games. That was the ONLY time in my life I ever heard him get angry over a baseball game. He got to where he loved the Braves. They won the World Series almost one year to the day after he died. That was my first year in Atlanta. Powerful stuff.

Mark:
I agree..just posted about it.

http://davidmarkwilliams.blogspot.com/

[captmojo]

The lineage continues and goes well. Skip was one of the best, and belongs in the HOF, in my opinion. Harry's legend goes on and Chip is doing very well.

The best thing about Skip was that he did his job so well that he is singularly responsible for creating more Braves' fans than the team could produce on it's on.

[Scoring Point]

The lineage continues and goes well. Skip was one of the best, and belongs in the HOF, in my opinion. Harry's legend goes on and Chip is doing very well.

The best thing about Skip was that he did his job so well that he is singularly responsible for creating more Braves' fans than the team could produce on it's on.

I hate to speak ill of the dead, but I have never understood the affinity Braves fans have for Skip Caray. I have watched and listened to a lot of baseball, in a lot of different places, and Skip Caray was one of my least favorites. Reasonably knowledgeable, to be sure, but terrible jokes and no sense at all for the natural flow of the game.

I think the broadcasting talent genes skipped a generation in the Caray family. Harry, though he had his detractors, is an undisputed legend, and Chip is an up and comer who is already well regarded in baseball circles. Skip may be an icon to Braves fans, but to most baseball fans, I doubt he was ever much more than Harry's son. And certainly not a Hall of Fame broadcaster.

[EarlJam]

I think the broadcasting talent genes skipped a generation in the Caray family. Harry, though he had his detractors, is an undisputed legend, and Chip is an up and comer who is already well regarded in baseball circles. Skip may be an icon to Braves fans, but to most baseball fans, I doubt he was ever much more than Harry's son. And certainly not a Hall of Fame broadcaster.

I really, REALLY beg to differ.

Skip understood radio. Understood baseball. He was fantastic, entertaining and knowledgable.

And he is most certainly a Hall of Fame broadcaster.

-EarlJam

[Scoring Point]

I really, REALLY beg to differ.

Skip understood radio. Understood baseball. He was fantastic, entertaining and knowledgable.

And he is most certainly a Hall of Fame broadcaster.

-EarlJam

Find me someone who is not a Braves fan that agrees with you....

[EarlJam]

Find me someone who is not a Braves fan that agrees with you....

Well, for starters, the guy that sits next to me at work. He's a big Mets fan. Moved to Atlanta six years ago (I think). He loved listening to Skip - and he didn't even get Skip's best.

Did you know that Skip also called some Hawks games and football games before his Braves career? He even called a couple of hockey games.

The man became a national Television voice before cable was in existence - TBS - The Superstation.

I don't see how you can possibly make any kind of worthy argument that he doesn't belong in the broadcasting Hall of Fame.

This isn't intended as a knock at all (seriously), but how old are you?

-EarlJam

[Scoring Point]

Well, for starters, the guy that sits next to me at work. He's a big Mets fan. Moved to Atlanta six years ago (I think). He loved listening to Skip - and he didn't even get Skip's best.

Did you know that Skip also called some Hawks games and football games before his Braves career? He even called a couple of hockey games.

The man became a national Television voice before cable was in existence - TBS - The Superstation.

I don't see how you can possibly make any kind of worthy argument that he doesn't belong in the broadcasting Hall of Fame.

This isn't intended as a knock at all (seriously), but how old are you?

-EarlJam

I am 45 years old (Duke '85) and lived in Atlanta for 4 years after undergrad, and watched plenty of Braves games then even though they were mediocre to bad most of that time. As for worthy arguments, well, how many awards has Skip won that were not regional in nature? How many times was he asked to do a broadcast for a network other than TBS? For a game that didn't involve the Braves or another Atlanta team?

I don't dispute that Skip is regional icon with a big following among Atlanta fans. That doesn't make him Hall of Fame material in my view.

[EarlJam]

I am 45 years old (Duke '85) and lived in Atlanta for 4 years after undergrad, and watched plenty of Braves games then even though they were mediocre to bad most of that time. As for worthy arguments, well, how many awards has Skip won that were not regional in nature? How many times was he asked to do a broadcast for a network other than TBS? For a game that didn't involve the Braves or another Atlanta team?

I don't dispute that Skip is regional icon with a big following among Atlanta fans. That doesn't make him Hall of Fame material in my view.

Hmmmmph. Interesting perspective.

Well, I'm a Southern man and hence, somewhat of a homer, so perhaps someone else will weigh in on this.

-EJ

[Scoring Point]

Sounds fair. In the meantime, perhaps we should just agree to disagree, eh?

[Tommac]

I've been a Brave's fan since getting cable and TBS in 1980, and I've always appreciated Skip Carey's broadcasting. He's probably my favorite of all the broadcasters who have covered Braves since. I like Chip too. Started watching him on the local Greensboro tv station doing sports until he moved to the Atlanta area.

[EarlJam]

Sounds fair. In the meantime, perhaps we should just agree to disagree, eh?

Sounds fair indeed.

Perhaps we make this a poll question.

-EJ