Magic On The Field And Behind The Microphone

The recent passing of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Don Sutton brought back a ton of memories, not so much of the playing field, but from the radio.

Sutton, who was a recognizable name and face to even casual diamond fans, was part of the radio (and television) announcing team for the Atlanta Braves for several decades. His voice, coupled with his stellar knowledge of the game, helped give a high level of credibility to what he was telling the audience who tuned in across a large network of radio stations across the Southeast.

Listening to baseball on the radio is a lost art today. Most either watch the games on television or keep track on their phone. The phone part is only something we could have only imagined once upon a time.

Sutton held his own with several Braves announcing greats including Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren. All were Hall of Fame broadcasters, in my opinion, but it was Sutton who was able to lend his decades as a professional baseball player to his calls of the games.

Through the years I relished when the Braves were playing on the West Coast. The later start time back here in Georgia meant the games would go well past midnight.

With my eyes often too heavy to continue to watch the game on television, it was a treat to drift away with Sutton’s words emerging from the small radio I keep next to my bed. Often though, I would not fall asleep before the last pitch simply because I knew what a treasure it was having Sutton’s game descriptions going into my ears.

Many times, I recall hoping for extra innings to hear more of Sutton behind the microphone.

How good was Sutton? I recall traveling with a casual baseball fan once with the Braves game emerging from my car radio speakers. At one point the person in the passenger’s seat asked who Sutton was.

After filling in my passenger on Sutton’s past as a player, the response was “no wonder he is so knowledgeable.”

All professional sports teams still have a flagship radio station along with a network which carries the game. It doesn’t seem as if the radio broadcasts are promoted quite as much in 2021 as they were even through the 1990s.

I often wondered why Sutton wasn’t part of the LA Dodgers broadcast team. Of course, Los Angeles has the great Vin Scully but surely there was room somewhere for Sutton. Sutton played for several teams in his career but was most associated with the Dodgers.

Perhaps Sutton had simply settled into his role with the Braves. Whatever the reason, we had him and were fortunate for it.

Sutton certainly could have retired long ago. He wasn’t calling Braves games for the money. He clearly loved baseball to the point that he still went through the yearly grind of a 162-game season.

While we certainly respect him for doing it for so long, none of us can truly imagine what that schedule is like, whether as a player or a broadcaster.

Now Sutton, Caray and Van Wieren are all gone. Each was distinctive in his own way but Sutton’s love was baseball. Caray also announced football and Van Wieren for a time called NBA games.

The power of the internet will keep all of their voices alive but tuning in for the 2021 season just won’t seem the same. It’s nothing against those broadcasting now but it was tough to beat the description of a game Sutton could deliver to you.

I’ll have some thoughts on the passing of Hank Aaron next week.

Monticello native Chris Bridges has contributed to The Monticello News since 1988. He welcomes feedback about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.