The Voice of the Braves is Silent Today

Skip Caray died yesterday. I didn't hear about it until this morning, and I cannot tell you how sad this news makes me. He's been announcing Atlanta Braves games literally all my life, and I have a hard time imagining Braves games without his voice overlayed on the action. His voice kept us company on many a car trip to and from my parents' house in the last decade-plus, and we spent many a weekend at DH's mom's place watching the boys while doing calculus and physics homework. Skip hasn't been on television broadcasts for a few years now, and he's only been doing home radio games for quite a while. So it isn't like I have no experience of games without him there. But just knowing he will never again return to the airwaves breaks my heart.

I don't recall the last time than an announcement about a "celebrity" death made me cry. Whether they were older and lived a long life, or whether they were younger and it was a shock, it didn't matter. Sure I was sad, but it didn't make me cry. But hearing Scott Slade on WSB announce his death literally took my breath away, and hearing the radio clips of him calling games that followed caused tears to run freely down my cheeks.

How will we ever get through a game without knowing where fans are from based on body language? Hopefully he taught Pete vanWieren that trick, but no one will ever be as good at it as Skip. And I hope any time someone writes in to ask what the numbers mean when they record an out (such as a 4-3 put out), they'll pull out an old recording of Skip giving his spiel. I'm sure it frustrated him to no end to have to answer that question so frequently, but he did it at *least* once a season. Sure there were times when you were surprised by some of the things he'd say, but he could get away with it. He was Skip Caray, good ol' crotchety Skip, who was anything but shy about his views! But he was always entertaining. And it will always be his voice in my head, for the rest of my life, shouting "Braves win! Braves win! Braves win!" Assuming, of course, we ever do win again. Come on, boys. Go out there and win one for Skip! He was your biggest fan for 33 years, except perhaps my husband. Skip gave his all to you; he deserves no less in return.

Goodbye, Skip Caray. Thank you for giving voice to Atlanta Braves baseball for so many years. You will be truly missed.

Currently feeling: so very sad