One of the questions I loved asking was, Who is your favorite sportscaster? These gentlemen being from Missouri, I was not surprised to hear Jack Buck's name mentioned more than once. Vin Scully, Al Michaels, Bob Costas, Kevin Harlan, and Mitch Holthus all were named multiple times as well. But Erik Sean, play-by-play man for Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, went across the Mississippi River for his hero. An Illinois native, Erik said there was and is nobody like the late Harry Caray. He spoke with something akin to reverence of Caray, sharing how he listened to the legend call St. Louis Cardinals games, then as a boy growing up in Macomb, Ill. (which happens to be where I was born) listening to Caray call games for the Chicago White Sox. Finally, in 1982, Harry Caray became the voice of Sean's beloved Chicago Cubs.Here is an excerpt from my interview with Erik Sean:
https://youtu.be/iVeCeyiKYQ8
I would be remiss if I did not share Erik's moving tribute to Harry Caray. With Erik's permission, you may listen to the whole package here.
Very cool Joe. I'll date myself here but I was a huge Harry Caray fan as a kid. I grew up in St. Louis and would hide the transistor radio under my pillow at night to listen to Harry do the Cardinals games. My Dad, who worked for a radio station in St. Louis, took me down on a visit to Mizzou and arranged for us to sit in the booth as Harry called a Mizzou game. He made sports fun and Jack Buck was the perfect balance as his partner. I'll look forward to reading the book!
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