Russ Hodges
Russ Hodges | |
---|---|
Born | Dayton, Tennessee, U.S. | June 18, 1910
Died | April 19, 1971 Mill Valley, California, U.S. | (aged 60)
Alma mater | University of Kentucky |
Occupation | Sports announcer |
Years active | 1934–1970 |
Known for | Major League Baseball coverage The Giants won the pennant! |
Children | 2 |
Awards | Ford C. Frick Award (1980) |
Russell Pleasant Hodges (June 18, 1910 – April 19, 1971)[1] was an American sportscaster who did play-by-play for several baseball teams, most notably the New York Giants / San Francisco Giants. He is perhaps best remembered for his call of Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World"—The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!
Early career
Born in
From April 14, 1948 to April 22, 1949, Hodges hosted the 15-minute DuMont series Scoreboard, also known as Russ Hodges' Scoreboard. In 1949, Hodges became a No. 1 announcer when the Giants and the Yankees separated their radio networks to each broadcast a full, 154-game schedule. He was the voice of the Giants for the next 22 seasons on both coasts.
1951 Bobby Thomson home run call
On October 3, 1951, Hodges was on the microphone for Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World". It was Hodges who cried, "The Giants won the pennant! The Giants won the pennant!"
This famous moment in sports broadcasting was nearly lost. This was in an era before all game broadcasts were recorded. However, in his autobiography, Hodges related how a Brooklyn fan, excited over what appeared to be a certain Dodger victory, hooked up his home tape recorder to his radio. The fan wanted to capture Hodges "crying." Instead, he recorded history; the next day, he called Hodges and said, "You have to have this tape". In reality the fan, Lawrence Goldberg, was a lifelong Giants fan. On the 50th anniversary of the game, Goldberg told The New York Times Richard Sandomir about his fateful decision: "I knew I wouldn't be able to listen to the broadcast and I knew something was going to happen. It was the third game of the playoffs. That kind of game had to be climactic."[3]
Bobby Thomson... up there swingin'... He's had two out of three, a single and a double, and Billy Cox is playing him right on the third-base line... One out, last of the ninth... Branca pitches... Bobby Thomson takes a strike called on the inside corner... Bobby hitting at .292... He's had a single and a double and he drove in the Giants' first run with a long fly to center... Brooklyn leads it 4–2...Hartung down the line at third not taking any chances... Lockman with not too big of a lead at second, but he'll be runnin' like the wind if Thomson hits one... Branca throws... [audible sound of bat meeting ball]
There's a long drive... it's gonna be, I believe...THE GIANTS WON THE PENNANT!! THE GIANTS WON THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WON THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WON THE PENNANT! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant and they're goin' crazy, they're goin' crazy! HEEEY-OH!!! [ten-second pause for crowd noise]
I don't believe it! I don't believe it! I do not believe it! Bobby Thomson... hit a line drive... into the lower deck... of the left-field stands... and this blame place is goin' crazy! The Giants! Horace Stoneham has got a winner! The Giants won it... by a score of 5 to 4... and they're pickin' Bobby Thomson up... and carryin' him off the field!
In the years that have followed, Hodges "The Giants won the pennant! The Giants won the pennant!" has been echoed in other sports. Commentators have echoed it when announcing their team's championship victories.[4] Examples include Stanley Cup wins by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
On October 16, 2014, the eventual
This historic call is also preserved at the Hall of Fame at the graphic aspect with the original score sheet Hodges was personally logging. Under Thomson's name in the ninth inning slot, there begins a long streak across the entire score sheet where Hodges, pencil to the paper awaiting the outcome of the at-bat, jumped up in excitement, and his pencil-holding hand streaked across his score sheet, unintentionally capturing the moment.
In the film
In the film Parental Guidance, Artie Decker (Billy Crystal) plays the broadcast for his grandson Turner (Joshua Rush), as a way of boosting his self-esteem due to his speech impediment. At the end of the film, Turner delivers the commentary at his sister's recital without a single stutter, receiving a standing ovation.
Later career
When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Hodges followed the club west. He continued working for the team through 1970, when he retired. His signature home run call was, "Bye-Bye, Baby!", a phrase that was set to music as the Giants' theme song during the 1960s.[6] It had previously been the name of another song.
Hodges was also the lead announcer for
Death and subsequent honors
Hodges died suddenly of a heart attack at age 60 in Mill Valley, California, on April 19, 1971. He was survived by his wife, Gay, and two children.[9]
The
References
- ISBN 978-0-7864-7992-4.
- ^ "Russ Hodges to WOL". Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising. 21 (15). Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc.: 52 October 13, 1931.
- ^ Wiles, Tim (September 6, 2018). "Sound On Paper". MLBHOF. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- ^ Fleishman, Bill (July 15, 1999). "Hart of the Flyers Icon of Philadelphia Sports Broadcasting Dies". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 102.
- YouTube
- ^ Bay Area Radio Museum. bayarearadio.org
- ^ Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts / Fight Of The Week. Classicthemes.com. Retrieved on June 14, 2018.
- ^ Don Dunphy is the commentator for these exciting classic fights. caytonsports.com
- ^ "'Voice of the Giants' Dead". Shreveport Journal. April 20, 1971. p. 8. Retrieved July 25, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "1980 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Russ Hodges". baseballhall.org. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ Kroner, Steve (October 6, 2000) Giants Honor Hodges, Simmons. Sfgate.com. Retrieved on 2018-06-14.
- ^ Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame
External links
- Russ Hodges Ford C. Frick Award biography at the National Baseball Hall of Fame
- TellItGoodbye.com Audio Page – Featuring Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons
- Russ Hodges at IMDb