Ned Martin
Ned Martin | |
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Play-by-play | |
Sport | Major League Baseball |
Edwin Martin III (August 9, 1923 – July 23, 2002) was an American
Broadcasting career
Martin was born in
He worked in advertising before beginning his baseball broadcasting career as the play-by-play voice of the
Boston Red Sox
Martin called
He began his Boston career in a supporting role for #1 announcers Gowdy (through 1965) and Coleman (1966–1971). But, after the 1971 season, when WHDH-TV's owner, the
Martin remained with the Red Sox' radio team as its new lead announcer, initially working with MacLean, briefly, then Dave Martin in 1972 and 1973. Then, in 1974, he established a memorable collaboration with longtime MLB announcer Woods. Their five-year partnership included the Red Sox'
"The familiar quiet tones and effortless precision of the veteran Red Sox announcers, Ned Martin and Jim Woods, invited me to share with them the profound New England seriousness of Following the Sox," wrote Angell, owner of a summer home in Maine, in 1978.[5] With Martin and Woods "on the radio, I was in the company of two favorite uncles, at once knowledgeable and mischievous. When they were on the job, I didn't mind rain delays. Sometimes I hoped for them," wrote Littlefield in 2013.[6]
However, the team of Martin and Woods was broken up after the 1978 campaign, when the Bosox' flagship radio station, WITS-AM, fired them, seeking more sponsor-friendly on-air talent.[7] Both men moved to television: Martin to WSBK-TV as the television voice of the Red Sox, replacing Dick Stockton, and Woods to national games on USA Network.
During Martin's three decades with the Red Sox, he called the entire career of
Having spent 32 seasons with the club's broadcast team calling games on radio and television, he described as many as 5,130 regular and postseason Red Sox games.
Legacy
Martin was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000.[9] On November 1, 2019, Martin was named as a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award as part of 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting.[10]
Other assignments
Martin also was a
Nationally, Martin helped broadcast the 1975 World Series on NBC television,[12] four American League Championship Series on CBS Radio,[1] and the 1977 Sun Bowl on CBS Radio.[13]
Death
Ned Martin attended a memorial service for
Quotes
The pitch is looped toward shortstop. Petrocelli's back. He's got it! The Red Sox win! And there's pandemonium on the field! Listen! – Ned Martin on WHDH radio, calling the final out of the final game of the Red Sox' "Impossible Dream" season at Fenway Park, October 1, 1967, with Jim Lonborg pitching for the Red Sox, and batter Rich Rollins of the Minnesota Twins popping up to Rico Petrocelli to end the game.
The 1-0 delivery to Fisk. He swings...long drive, left field...if it stays fair, it's gone...HOME RUN! The Red Sox win! And the series is tied, three games apiece! – Martin on
NBC Radio, calling Carlton Fisk's 12th inning game-winning home run at Fenway Park, October 21, 1975, off Pat Darcy of the Cincinnati Reds. (Audio)
Long drive, right field...way back...near the wall...and there it is! Home run number 400, Carl Yastrzemski! Now...listen and watch! – Martin on WSBK-TV, calling Carl Yastrzemski's 400th home run at Fenway Park, July 24, 1979, off Mike Morgan of the Oakland Athletics.
There goes a ground ball...base hit! Number 3000...Yastrzemski's got it! And all hell breaks loose at Fenway Park! – Martin on WSBK-TV, calling Yastrzemski's 3000th base hit at Fenway Park, September 12, 1979, off Jim Beattie of the New York Yankees.
A new record! Clemens has set a major league record for strikeouts in a game...20! – Martin on NESN, calling Roger Clemens' record-setting 20th strikeout in one game at Fenway Park, April 29, 1986, against Phil Bradley of the Seattle Mariners.
References
- ^ a b c Lindsay, Jay (July 25, 2002). "Have 'mercy'—Ned Martin dies at 78". Bennington Banner. Bennington, Vermont. p. 12. Retrieved November 16, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ LeMoine, Bob. "Ned Martin". Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ "Charleston Senators Baseball (advertisement)". Charleston Daily Mail. Charleston, West Virginia. June 10, 1956. p. 41. Retrieved November 16, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Red Sox Broadcasters since 1926". redsoxdiehard.com.
- ^ Angell, Roger (20 November 1978). "The Sporting Scene: City Lights, Heartthrobs, Prodigies, Winners, Lost Children". The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ Littlefield, Bill (21 July 2013). "The Fan I Have Become". Bostonglobe.com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ Smith, Curt. "Jim Woods". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Goldberg, Jeff (July 24, 2002). "Martin, Voice Of Sox, Dies". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. p. C1. Retrieved November 16, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Red Sox Hall of Fame". MLB.com. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ Finn, Chad (November 16, 2019). "Is this the year Ned Martin is honored with the Ford C. Frick Award?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ "Patriots Games on WEEI". The Boston Globe. August 8, 1965. p. 24. Retrieved November 16, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Ned Martin". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. AP. July 29, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved November 16, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Craig, Jack (December 31, 1976). "Oh Sugar—Ch. 5 fouls up on Bowl". The Boston Globe. p. 18. Retrieved November 16, 2019 – via newspapers.com.