It's refreshing and appreciated to know some readers take the time to comment about these blogs, pro or con. My most recent blog, praising Twins and other baseball play-by-play announcers, evoked eight comments. My kudos to former Twins manager Tom Kelly as a great fill-in announcer were rebuked by only one reader. Sadly, I forgot to include in the Pantheon of the greats, possibly the very best of them all, in any market, i.e., the late and truly great, Herb Carneal.
Herb was major league in every way, as those of us privileged to hear his great descriptions of any games were, and are, surely aware. He was the epitome of a "class act": Solid, a joy to whom to listen and the consummate professional. No pretensions at all, but rather actually comforting to hear. One reader wrote, paraphrasing here, Herb added to the quality of the landscape and atmosphere while listening to him in a fishing boat on a peaceful lake somewhere in Minnesota on any given Sunday afternoon (or ANY afternoon or night). That reader captured it. Herb WAS comforting and the sort of broadcaster rarely heard these days. He had dignity and grace, and most of all, for me, made everything he described sound important, but without trumpeting.
My apologies are profound regarding my unintentional omission of Herb. Another who should also have been mentioned was the recently retired John Gordon. John arrived here over 25 years ago, leaving his broadcast perch within the hallowed walls of Yankee Stadium, where he was the Yankees play-by-play announcer for at least four seasons. John was also among the very best, and I'm happy to say was also a good acquaintance of mine. Bravo to both Herb and John, and boo-hiss to me for having that "senior monent" brain-burp. I hope my apology and mea culpa are accepted, as they're certainly sincere.
Thanks, always, for reading and allowing me to share my sometimes geezer thoughts, even when apologizing for a brain- burp! :)
Speaking of "senior moments", I hope you'll take the time to watch mine at www.startribune.com/video. My SENIOR MOMENT webcasts change subjects each Monday, and I change my undershirts daily. :)
