Pete van wierens legacy began in 1976, when he and a young skip caray were hired to call atlanta braves games. Pete van wieren 19442014 served 33 years as a sportscaster for the atlanta braves. For as long as i can remember, skip caray and pete van wieren were the voice of atlanta braves baseball. In 1995, van wieren cowrote the book americas team. In 1976, van wieren and another young broadcaster named skip caray, son of the. Skip caray pete van wieren signed ball tribute program. We can still hear ernie, pete and skip macon telegraph.
Skip caray left and pete van wieren acknowledging fans at a braves game in 1983. The behindthe scenes tale of the teamand the townthat turned upside down as seen through the eyes of the voices of the atlanta braves, skip caray and pete van wieren sink, richard published by tomahawk pr 1992. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Van wieren spent 33 years with the braves before retiring in 2008, shortly after the death of his longtime partner skip caray. Pete van wieren was named the professor by braves radiotv partner ernie johnson. Smoltz and caray s broadcast partner pete van wieren were on the braves charter flight to san francisco when they learned of caray s death. Caray and van wieren were inducted into the braves hall of fame in 2005. Caray and pete van wieren have been broadcasting braves games since 1976. Van wieren is survived by his wife of 50 years, elaine, sons jon and steve, daughterinlaw starla, and granddaughters chaney, grace and becca.
August 12, 1939 august 3, 2008 was an american sportscaster, best known for his long career as a radio and television playbyplay announcer for the atlanta braves of major league baseball. Skip caray and pete van wieren were more than announcers. For generations of braves fans, they were a connection to the team, a daily companion painting a picture of. By my count, thats nearly 5,000 games that we did together, and it.
I first met skip caray on a december day in 1975, when he and i were. Longtime announcers skip caray and pete van wieren wont be part of tbs braves coverage at the start of the season as the cable network tries to lure more viewers. I hope the three of them are together now talking about last nights game, said caray s son, chip, a. Tbs announced tuesday that don sutton and joe simpson will broadcast 90 braves games on the cable network, with skip caray and pete van wieren working games for regional channel turner south. Skip caray and pete van wieren, after 27 years together on the superstation, will be relegated to 36 braves games on regional cable network turner south, in addition to radio. Pete van wieren born october 7, 1944 in rochester, new york began his broadcasting career with the atlanta braves in by1976 along with partner skip caray.
Through it all there were skip caray and pete van wieren calling the games. Van wieren, caray are off tbs games orlando sentinel. From 1976 to 2008, he called the teams television andor radio broadcasts, teaming with a number of onair partners including ernie johnson, don sutton and skip caray who was hired by the club at the same time as himself. In 1976, he was added to the broadcast team for the braves, a position he held until his death. Pete and skip caray were both freshmen in americas bicentennial year. Instead, he found bigleague broadcast heaven in atlanta. Broadcaster skip caray remembered by the braves the new. Skip caray and pete van wieren acknowledging fans at a game in 1983. Pete van wieren october 7, 1944 august 2, 2014 was a former american sportscaster.
Skip caray atlanta braves oml autographed baseball coa. Prior to joining the braves, caray had broadcast games for the minor league baseball team atlanta crackers and the atlanta hawks basketball team. Remembering skip caray and pete van wieren talking chop. Caray was named georgia sportscaster of the year six times.
Atlanta bravesskip caray and pete van wieren acknowledging fans at a game in 1983. Bbtfs newsblog discussion tbs bumps announcers caray. In 1976, van wieren and another young broadcaster named skip caray, son of the legendary harry caray, were hired to call atlanta braves games. This segment features commentary from braves announcers skip carey and pete van wieren. Pete van wierens legacy began in 1976, when he and a young skip caray were hired to call. Van wieren died at the age of 69 saturday following a prolonged battle with lymphoma. Chop to the top the behindthe scenes tale of the teamand the townthat turned upside down. We are saddened to learn of the passing of sabr member pete van wieren, 69, of complications from bcell lymphoma on august 2, 2014, in alpharetta, georgia. Caray s sarcastic wit made him a popular lead voice of the broadcast team, and his fame grew nationally as tbs carried braves games to a national audience for 30 years. Johnson originally nicknamed van wieren the professor because van wieren looked like pitcher jim brosnan. Both he and van wieren were inducted into the braves hall of fame in 2004. Remembering skip, in ken fenster and wynn montgomery, eds. These men were the voices of my obsession with baseball when i was growing up. He had a huge impact on a lot of peoples lives and he had a.
In 2014, longtime atlanta braves broadcaster pete van wieren passed away. Also you will receive the program for the wednesday, august, 2008 game at which a lengthy tribute was paid to skip for his contribution to the braves. Over the next three decades, they were the voices of americas team, as the braves became known thanks to ted turners tbs superstation. Baseball in the peach state, the national pastime, sabr, volume 40 2010, pp. This article was published in the 2010 the national pastime. The nasally voice of caray with his one liners, countered perfectly with the precise information of van wieren. One problem with national tbs its still all fking braves. Pete van wierens legacy began in 1976, when he and a young skip caray were. Pete van wieren simple english wikipedia, the free. Peter dirk van wieren october 7, 1944 august 2, 2014 was an american sportscaster best. Turner senior vice president greg hughes said extensive research showing that viewers are less likely to tune in or stay as long with the bravesoriented tbs telecasts contributed to switching 28year announcers skip caray and pete van wieren to regional cable turner south. He was the son of baseball announcer harry caray, and the father of fellow braves broadcaster chip caray. Remembering skip society for american baseball research. He said he was not trying to impress owners, managers, or players.
Skip caray, ernie johnson and pete van wieren in 2014, longtime atlanta braves broadcaster pete van wieren passed away after a lengthy. They were amazing on their own, but together they were golden. Skip loved making ernie laugh, and their repartee, especially during blowout games, was priceless. While skip caray provided the humor, dry and a bit sarcastic at times, pete van wieren was intelligent, articulate, and passionate about the game. Pete van wieren a broadcast pioneer voices of the game.
Skip and his daughter, cindyin 1976, he was added to the broadcast team for the braves, a position he held until his death. In 2010, van wieren coauthored a book, of mikes and men. In 1968, caray moved with the hawks to atlanta, where he also called atlanta flames hockey games and did morning sportscasts on wsbam. I think of the days when fans throughout the state of georgia and braves country were greeted by broadcasters ernie johnson, pete van wieren and skip caray. Pete van wieren, who worked beside skip caray for 33 years, says atlanta braves fans lost more than just a broadcaster when caray died in his sleep at home on sunday. As seen through the eyes of the voices of the atlant by richard sink, skip caray, pete van wieren. Caray was an announcer for the braves in the 1985 movie the sluggers wife. Hall of fame in 2004 along with the late skip caray, his longtime broadcasting partner. Skip caray and pete van wieren continued to broadcast games together until caray s death in atlanta on august 3, 2008. During the next three decades, the professor and caray became the voices of a team known nationwide as americas team courtesy of ted turners superstation tbs. Van wieren and caray shared the braves broadcast booth for 33 years as tbs televised the games to a national audience. Pete van wieren, the bespectacled broadcaster who was part of the landmark team that carried atlanta braves games throughout the nation on ted turners superstation, died saturday after a battle wit. Van wieren had been calling games for the class aaa tidewater tides when the braves hired him before the 1976 season to join a new threeman broadcast team with mr. Thursday was his last time behind the mic as he called atlantas 94 win over the st.
He was the voice of major league baseballs atlanta braves along with skip caray van wieren was born in rochester, new york he also called games for the atlanta hawks, atlanta falcons preseason, and atlanta flames. Van wieren retired after the 2008 season following a long, illustrious career as a braves television and radio broadcaster. Louis cardinals with pete van wieren, his longtime partner. While others lionized the braves announcers for their openly cheering for the braves and for some of the offbeat and strange things they would say, it was just part of it for us. The charlantan a charlotte and atlanta sports blog.
799 922 496 349 997 134 1141 1440 1464 380 1420 871 1501 535 1334 583 162 1288 506 1181 301 1027 1032 688 31 1129 1258 663 1036 163 147 131 1438 680 40 1464 141 1043 1278 251 182 1086 501 1437 968