Jon Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jon Miller |
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Miller in August 2008
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| San Francisco Giants | |
| Broadcaster | |
| Born: October 11, 1951 Novato, California, U.S. |
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As Broadcaster
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Jon Miller (born October 11, 1951) is a famous American sportscaster. He is best known for calling Major League Baseball games. Since 1997, he has been the exciting voice for the San Francisco Giants. He also announced baseball games for ESPN from 1990 to 2010. In 2010, Miller received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This award honors broadcasters who have made a big impact on baseball.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Jon Miller was born in Novato, California. He grew up in Hayward, listening to Giants announcers on the radio. He loved hearing Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons call the games. His first baseball game was in 1962. It was a huge 19–8 win for the Giants against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As a teenager, Jon played a baseball board game called Strat-O-Matic. He would record his own play-by-play calls into a tape recorder. He even added his own crowd noises and sounds of vendors! This was how he practiced becoming a sportscaster.
Jon Miller's Broadcasting Journey
Starting His Career
After high school in 1969, Miller studied broadcasting. He took classes at the College of San Mateo. He started his career at the college's radio and TV stations. His very first baseball broadcasts were for college games.
At age 20, Miller became the sports director for a TV station in Santa Rosa. He would go to Candlestick Park and record entire baseball games. He sent one of these tapes to broadcaster Monte Moore. This helped Miller get his first big baseball job in 1974. He called games for the Oakland Athletics, who won the 1974 World Series that year!
Miller also announced for other sports teams early on. He called games for the California Golden Seals (hockey) and college basketball teams. He even announced for the Golden State Warriors (NBA) and the San Jose Earthquakes (soccer). His first national TV job was calling a soccer championship game in 1976.
Calling Games for Major League Teams
In 1978, Miller joined the Texas Rangers. He spent two seasons with them. Then, he moved to the Boston Red Sox in 1980. He said that calling baseball in Boston was "too much to pass up."
Baltimore Orioles Years
In 1983, Jon Miller became an announcer for the Baltimore Orioles. In his first year, he called the Orioles' amazing 1983 World Series championship! He made a famous call for the final out of Game 5:
The cheering you hear is from Oriole fans. Everybody else is in muted silence. The pitch! Line drive! Ripken catches it at shortstop! And the Orioles are champions of the world!
Miller stayed with the Orioles until 1996. The team's owner decided not to renew his contract. He wanted a broadcaster who would "bleed more orange and black." So, Miller moved back to the Bay Area.
Voice of the San Francisco Giants
Since 1997, Miller has been the main voice for the San Francisco Giants. He calls their games on radio and TV. In 2007, he signed a long contract to stay with the Giants.
Famous Home Run Calls
Jon Miller has made many memorable calls for the Giants.
- On October 5, 2001, he called Barry Bonds' record-breaking 71st home run of the season:
There’s a high drive deep into right-center field, to the big part of the ballpark … NUMBER 71! And what a shot, over the 421-foot marker! The deepest part of any ballpark in the National League and Barry Bonds is now the home run king! Number 71 and it was impressive!
- On August 7, 2007, Miller called Bonds' 756th career home run. This made Bonds the all-time home run king:
Three and two to Bonds. Everybody standing here at 24 Willie Mays Plaza. An armada of nautical craft gathered in McCovey Cove beyond the right field wall. Bonds one home run away from history. (crack of the bat) and he swings, and there's a long one into right center field, way back there, it's gone! A home run! Into the center field bleachers to the left of the 421 foot marker. An extraordinary shot to the deepest part of the yard! And Barry Bonds with 756 home runs, he has hit more home runs than anyone who has ever played the game!
- On October 24, 2012, Miller called Pablo Sandoval's third home run in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series:
The one-one pitch. He swings and he belts one, deep center-field, [Austin] Jackson is going back, and, GONE! A HOME RUN! Number three for Pablo Sandoval! His first three at bats in this World Series. And Pablo Sandoval looks like The Babe himself has come back to life.
World Series Win Call
On October 29, 2014, Miller called the final out of the 2014 World Series. The Giants won their third title in five years! He also praised pitcher Madison Bumgarner:
Madison Bumgarner trying to wrap up this World Series for the Giants. He's ready. He throws, swing and a POP-UP! [Pablo] Sandoval down the line in foul ground, he's got plenty of room, and he's got it! And the Giants have won; they have won the World Series for the third time in five years. And Madison Bumgarner has firmly etched his name on the all-time World Series record books as one of the greatest World Series pitchers the game has ever seen!
National Broadcasting Work
From 1990 to 2010, Jon Miller worked for ESPN. He was often paired with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan on Sunday Night Baseball. He also called 13 World Series and 10 League Championship Series for ESPN Radio. In 2010, Miller and Morgan left the Sunday night telecasts.
Awards and Unique Style
Awards and Honors
Jon Miller has won many awards for his broadcasting. He won two CableACE Awards in 1991 and 1996. In 1998, he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame. The Baseball Hall of Fame gave him the Ford C. Frick Award in 2010. In 2014, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Miller's Commentating Style
Miller is known for his relaxed and often funny way of calling games. He sometimes uses Hawaiian and Japanese phrases. He has even announced a half-inning completely in Spanish! He is also known for keeping very detailed scores of every game. He has scored over 5,500 games!
Miller sometimes quotes Shakespeare during games. He has famous calls like "That ball is fooooul" for foul balls. For a double play, he shouts "Two!" And for close plays at the bases, he yells "Safe!" He also calls home runs "a big fly" or "Adios, pelota!" for Hispanic batters.
Jon Miller is also great at imitating other famous announcers. He can sound like Vin Scully, Harry Caray, and Al Michaels. He once said he got into broadcasting by watching an announcer eat fries and a drink between pitches. He thought, "That is the life for me."
Personal Life
Jon Miller has two daughters from his first marriage. In 1987, he married Janine Allen, a childhood friend. They have one son together. They used to live in Moss Beach, California, but now live closer to Oracle Park. His daughter, Emilie Miller, is an actress.
