Skip Caray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skip Caray
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| Born |
Harry Christopher Caray Jr.
August 12, 1939 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | August 3, 2008 (aged 68) Rutledge, Georgia, U.S.
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| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 1967–2008 |
| Spouse(s) |
Paula Caray (m. 1976)
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| Children | Chip, Cindy, Shayelyn, and Josh Caray |
| Parent(s) | Harry Caray |
Harry Christopher "Skip" Caray Jr. (born August 12, 1939 – died August 3, 2008) was a famous American sportscaster. He was best known for his many years as a radio and TV voice for the Atlanta Braves baseball team in Major League Baseball. Skip was the son of another famous baseball announcer, Harry Caray. His son, Chip Caray, also became a baseball announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals and used to work with the Braves. Another son, Josh Caray, announces games for the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
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Growing Up and Learning
Skip Caray grew up around baseball because his dad, Harry Caray, was a famous announcer. His father would often say "Good night, Skippy" on air at 8:30 p.m. every night. This phrase made Skip a bit famous, but also led to some teasing when he was young.
Skip studied television and radio at the University of Missouri. He earned a degree in journalism there. He started his career in St. Louis, calling basketball games for Saint Louis University and the St. Louis Hawks. In 1968, Skip moved to Atlanta with the Hawks team. In Atlanta, he also announced games for the Atlanta Flames hockey team. He also did morning sports reports on the radio station WSB-AM.
Skip Caray's Career
Voice of the Atlanta Braves
In 1976, Skip joined the broadcast team for the Atlanta Braves. He stayed in this job until he passed away. In September 2007, he was not asked to announce playoff games on TBS. Instead, his Braves broadcasts moved to a local Atlanta TV station, WPCH-TV. Skip felt a little sad about this change.
One of Skip's most famous calls was for Francisco Cabrera's game-winning hit. This happened in Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series. The Braves won this game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a very exciting finish.
Three years later, the Braves won the 1995 World Series. They beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 6. This was the first major sports championship for the city of Atlanta. Skip Caray called the final out when Marquis Grissom caught the ball in center field.
People say Skip's calls for the 1992 pennant win and the 1995 World Series win are the most famous in Braves history. In 2004, Skip was added to the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame. He was honored along with his long-time broadcasting partner, Pete Van Wieren. Skip also won six Georgia Sportscaster-of-the Year awards. He also received a Georgia-area Emmy award for his work.
In December 2006, the Braves announced that Skip and Pete had signed new contracts. They would continue announcing Braves games on the radio for three more years. However, Skip only announced ten games on TBS in the 2007 season. He was then moved to Peachtree TV.
On the last broadcast of Braves TBS Baseball (September 30, 2007), Skip thanked the fans. He said, "To all you people who have watched the Braves for these 30 years ... thank you. We appreciate you more than you will ever know. ... Thank you folks and God bless you. And we're going to miss you every bit as much as you miss us."
Working for NBC Sports
In 2000, NBC hired Skip Caray to announce baseball games. He worked with Joe Morgan for the 2000 American League Division Series. This series was between the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics. Skip filled in for Bob Costas, who was busy with the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Other Sports and Shows
On December 11, 1982, Skip Caray announced a big college basketball game for TBS. It was between Virginia and Georgetown. Skip also called games for the TNT network's Sunday night NFL coverage. He also announced NBA and college football games for TBS. Skip was also the main announcer for the 1990 Goodwill Games on TBS.
He even appeared in a movie called The Slugger's Wife in 1985. Skip often made fun of his role in the movie on air. He would say it was one of the worst movies ever made. He joked that the actors probably watched it on their flights home.
Skip's Unique Broadcasting Style
Skip Caray's broadcasts were known for his funny and sarcastic sense of humor. Most fans loved this part of his personality. For example, during a long losing streak in the 1980s, Skip once said, "And, like lambs to the slaughter, the Braves take the field."
He often joked about things like the Montreal Expos' mascot Youppi. He also made fun of New York Mets fans, professional wrestling, and "The Wave." He even teased the old B-movies shown on TBS after games in the 1980s.
Skip had many memorable lines. About Braves pitcher Charlie Kerfeld, who was a big guy, Skip said, "Boy, he is big enough to go to work." During another losing streak, after talking about a fan promotion, Skip commented, "The way things are going, we may make the fans go through a metal detector on the way to the field."
Skip was also known for joking about where fans who caught foul balls were from. If a fan was from the Atlanta area, he would name a random suburb. He also gave funny "traffic reports" at 5 o'clock during long daytime games. He would list major Atlanta roads and say they were "hopelessly backed up." When the Braves were losing badly, he would tell fans, "It's OK to walk the dog now, folks, if you promise to support our sponsors."
Besides announcing games, Skip also hosted a call-in show on WSB radio until 2004.
Some Challenges and Criticism
In June 2000, Skip Caray and other Braves announcers were not allowed on team flights for a few games. This happened after they criticized Braves catcher Javy López. He had been penalized for setting up outside the catcher's box during a game.
To try and make their broadcasts appeal to more people, TBS made a change in 2003. They removed Skip and Pete Van Wieren from announcing Braves games on TV. This was because some thought Skip showed too much "home team" bias. However, Braves fans and local media strongly disagreed with this decision. Even Braves manager Bobby Cox spoke out against it. Most fans in an online poll wanted Skip and Pete back. The TV ratings for the broadcasts dropped a lot. So, after the All-Star Break, Skip and Pete were brought back. They were permanently taken off TBS in 2007, when TBS hired new announcers for their playoff games.
Skip Caray's Passing
On August 3, 2008, the Atlanta Braves announced that Skip Caray had passed away. This was just nine days before his 69th birthday. His wife, Paula, said she found him on the ground outside their home. Skip had been having health problems for almost a year before this. However, he had returned to work for the 2008 season. He had even called a radio game just three days before he died. Many TV and radio stations in Atlanta paid tribute to Skip that evening and the next morning.
Soon after Skip's death, the Atlanta Braves started wearing a special patch on their uniforms. It said "SKIP" on the sleeve. This patch was worn along with another patch honoring Jim Beauchamp, which they had been wearing since the start of the 2008 season.
