Joe Castiglione facts for kids

Joseph John Castiglione (born March 2, 1947) is an American retired radio announcer. He is best known for being the voice of the Boston Red Sox baseball team for 42 seasons. He also taught at colleges and wrote books. Castiglione received the 2024 Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He is also a member of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Start in Broadcasting

Joe Castiglione was born in Hamden, Connecticut. He went to Colgate University and earned a degree in Liberal Arts. While at Colgate, he was the radio voice for their football and baseball teams. He then studied radio and TV at Syracuse University, getting his master's degree in 1970.

He started his career in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1972. He broadcast football games and worked as a sports reporter. Joe grew up a fan of the New York Yankees. Later, he followed the Pittsburgh Pirates and then the Cleveland Indians when he moved to Cleveland. His first big sports job was in Cleveland in 1978. In 1979, he called games for the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also reported on sports for TV.

Calling Games for the Boston Red Sox

Joe Castiglione joined the Red Sox radio team in 1983. He worked with another announcer named Ken Coleman. Joe became the main radio announcer for the Red Sox in 1992. He became very well-known when the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series. His excited call at the end of the game, "Can you believe it?", became famous.

He worked with many different partners over the years. In 2016, he started working with Tim Neverett. Joe would call the first two innings, the fifth, and the eighth and ninth innings.

In 2018, Joe had a fun moment during a game. He switched places with the New York Yankees announcer, John Sterling, for one inning. Later that year, during a big playoff game, Joe got so excited about a great catch by Andrew Benintendi that he fell out of his chair! He quickly got back up and finished calling the game.

For the 2023 season, Joe started working fewer games. He called 81 games as the main announcer. This allowed him to spend more time with his family. He worked with Will Flemming, Sean McDonough, and former player Lou Merloni.

On September 15, 2024, Joe Castiglione announced he would retire from broadcasting Red Sox games after the 2024 season. He said he would still work for the team in a different role. On September 29, 2024, the Red Sox honored him with a special ceremony. Many players he had covered over his 42 years came to celebrate his career. Joe ended his final broadcast with a special passage he had used since 1989. It was a quote about baseball by Bart Giamatti.

Awards and Special Honors

Joe Castiglione has received many awards for his long career.

Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame

In August 2014, Joe was added to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. He joined famous players like Roger Clemens, Pedro Martínez, and Nomar Garciaparra.

Fenway Park Ceremony

On July 28, 2022, Joe was honored at Fenway Park for his 40 years of broadcasting for the Red Sox. Roger Clemens presented him with a special plaque during the ceremony.

Ford C. Frick Award

On October 22, 2023, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced that Joe was a finalist for the 2024 Ford C. Frick Award. This award is given each year for excellent sports broadcasting. Joe had also been a finalist in 2023. On December 6, 2023, Joe Castiglione was named the winner of the 2024 award. He accepted the award in July 2024 during the Hall of Fame induction weekend.

Other Work and Books

Besides baseball, Joe Castiglione has also called college football and college basketball games. He sometimes worked with his oldest son, Duke, who is also a sportscaster.

Joe has taught at Northeastern University. He taught a class about sports broadcasting. Some of his students, like Don Orsillo, later became famous announcers themselves. He also taught at Franklin Pierce University.

Books by Joe Castiglione

Joe Castiglione has written two books about his experiences.

• In 2004, he published Broadcast Rites and Sites: I Saw It on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox. This book shares stories from his time covering the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. It was updated in 2006 to include the 2004 World Series win.
• In 2012, he wrote Can You Believe It? 30 Years of Insider Stories with the Boston Red Sox. This book takes readers back to the exciting 2004 playoffs and World Series. It also covers the Red Sox's win in 2007. The book shares many personal stories from his 30 years in the broadcast booth.