Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Broadcasts

The Orioles’ radio broadcasts during this era were so beloved for a number of reasons. For starters, the announcers themselves were some of the best in the business. Chuck Thompson, in particular, was a master at his craft. His voice was deep and resonant, and he had a knack for painting a vivid picture of the action on the field. He also had an incredible ability to connect with his audience, and fans felt like they knew him personally. Rex Barney, another legendary Orioles announcer, was famous for his colorful catchphrases like “Give that fan a contract!” and “Thank you, Earl!” (referring to Orioles manager Earl Weaver). His infectious enthusiasm made listening to the game on the radio an absolute joy.

But it wasn’t just the announcers who made these radio broadcasts special. It was also the fact that the Orioles were an incredibly talented team during this time period. From 1964-1974, the team won the American League pennant six times and the World Series three times. Fans who tuned into the radio broadcasts during these years were treated to some of the most iconic moments in Orioles history. From Frank Robinson’s debut in 1966 to Brooks Robinson’s incredible defensive performance in the 1970 World Series, there was no shortage of memorable moments to be relived through the radio broadcasts.

One of the other things that made the Orioles’ radio broadcasts unique was the fact that they were broadcast on WBAL, a station that had a clear channel signal that could be heard all the way up and down the East Coast. This meant that fans from as far away as New York or North Carolina could pick up the Orioles games on their radios and feel like they were part of the action. For many fans, the Orioles’ radio broadcasts were a way of staying connected to their hometown team no matter where they lived.

Of course, no discussion of the Orioles’ radio broadcasts would be complete without mentioning the team’s most famous game of all time: Game 1 of the 1966 World Series. The Orioles were up against the heavily-favored Los Angeles Dodgers, and no one gave them much of a chance. But thanks to the heroics of Frank Robinson (who hit a home run in the first inning) and Moe Drabowsky (who came out of the bullpen to strike out 11 batters in relief), the Orioles pulled off an incredible upset and won the game 5-2. Chuck Thompson’s call of Robinson’s home run (“There’s a drive, way back in left field, that one’s gonna go!”) is still considered one of the most iconic calls in Orioles history and a moment that Orioles fans will never forget.