Saturday, June 29, 2024

The Caray Family of Baseball Broadcasters - A Sports Review


Those who know me know that I am a huge baseball fan. But I’m not just a fan of the players and the teams. I also love to listen to the team announcers calling the games. This probably comes from my love of broadcasting and having married a radio broadcaster. 


Image of a microphone


There have been many well-known and famous baseball broadcasters for Major League Baseball over the years, such as Vin Scully of the Dodgers, Jack Buck with the St. Louis Cardinals and Bob Uecker of the Milwaukee Brewers. But to have four generations of one family all become baseball broadcasters, as the Harry Caray family did, is unique indeed. 


The Caray MLB Broadcasters 


Harry Christopher Caray


Harry Caray, baseball broadcaster
Harry Caray was the eldest of four generations of MLB sportscasters, both in radio and for television.  He was most well known for first working for the St. Louis Cardinals, then his 11 years with the Chicago White Sox before spending his last 16 years as the announcer for the Chicago Cubs. He became a Chicago legend for his special announcing style and his hilarious storytelling. 


While announcing for the White Sox, Caray began the practice of leading the home crowd in singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh inning stretch. Fans came to love this practice so much that when Harry left the White Sox to become the play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs, it became a regular ritual which continues to this day. 


Harry Caray also became famous for his frequently exclaimed catchphrase "Holy cow!" when his team hit a home run.


Harry Christopher “Skip” Caray Jr.


Harry Christopher "Skip" Caray Jr
Harry Caray’s son ‘Skip’ Caray followed his dad into the broadcast booth as a baseball broadcaster with the Atlanta Braves. Skip worked for the Braves for more than 30 years, before his death in 2008. Skip Caray’s son ‘Chip’ has extended the Caray broadcasting legacy to the third generation.  


Harry Caray once said that one of his proudest moments was when he worked some innings in the same broadcast booth with his son Skip and grandson Chip during a Cubs/Braves game on May 13, 1991.


Harry Christopher ‘Chip’ Caray III


Harry Christopher "Chip" Caray III
After working for several years on other sports, Chip Caray began working baseball games for the Seattle Mariners from 1993 to 1995. In 1998, he was hired to work alongside his grandfather as broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs. When Harry Caray died in February 1998, Chip stayed with the team and took his grandfather's place as "the Voice of the Cubs”. Chip served as the Cubs announcer for seven seasons before leaving at the end of the 2004 season to work alongside his father, Skip, broadcasting games for the Atlanta Braves. After his dad died, Chip became the Braves regular play-by-play announcer.


In 2023, Chip Caray accepted the position of the play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals, where his grandfather had begun his career as the voice of the Cardinals.


Harry Christopher “Chris” Caray IV


Harry Christopher "Chris" Caray IV
And now we come to Chris Caray, son of Chip, grandson of Skip and great-grandson of Harry Caray. Chris, along with his identical twin brother Stefan Caray, continue the legacy of the broasting Carays. 


The twins began their baseball announcing while still in college, calling games for college games before working together as sportscasters. In 2021, Chris and Stefan broadcast for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2022, they joined the Amarillo Sod Poodles of the Texas League as their broadcasters.


In 2024, Chris (Harry Christopher Caray IV), was hired to be a play-by-play announcer for Oakland Athletics telecasts.


Summary


Four generations of Harry Christopher Caray broadcasters is a unique accomplishment. For more information about this famous family and their baseball announcing legacy, click here


*Image sources of the Caray family for this article are from Wikipedia. The Intro image is from Pixabay.


*A review of the Harry Caray family of baseball broadcasters written by Wednesday Elf, the ReviewThis! Baseball contributor.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


11 comments:

  1. That is quite a legacy! I don't know very many sons who follow in the same occupation as their dads (unless they own the company). It is remarkable to have a grandson and great grandsons continue the legacy. Pretty awesome indeed!

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    1. I thought so, Mouse. I got the idea to chronicle this interesting family while watching a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game on Father's Day when the twins, Chris & Stefan Caray, sent a video Happy Father's Day message to their dad 'Chip' and it was shown on the air during the game. :)

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  2. What a fun and interesting read this was, Pat! Harry Carey was, indeed, a beloved legend. When I took a semester off from college to work as a news intern at WBZ radio in Boston, one of the people I got to know and love was Gil Santos, who was the voice of the New England Patriots for 36 seasons. Terrific guy and so kind to this lowly college intern!

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    1. How interesting that you got to know a sportscaster (Gil Santos) while working as a radio intern, Margaret. You should do a blog post about him.

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  3. Pat, I saw that you would be posting this story and I have been looking forward to reading it. I too have followed baseball and the announcers through the years. Like you, my husband was also in broadcasting, so it gave me an insight into the field. This review was very well done, and I enjoyed reading it. Thanks.

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    1. I thought of you and Ray while I was writing this story, Mary Beth. I love broadcasting and broadcasters and always thought it interesting that we shared this interest through our hubbies!

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  4. That is an amazing legacy. Wow, a lot of family talk about the family business over the years I would imagine. Be nice to sit amongst those conversations. And you're married to a radio broadcaster; that's very cool.

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    1. Being married to a broadcaster WAS very cool, Barbara. I was intensely interested in radio as a teenager and wanted to pursue broadcasting. Wasn't able to, but being around broadcasting my whole married life through hubby was just as good. :)

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  5. Wow, Pat thanks so much for reviewing this family legacy. I loved listening to Harry Carry, and never knew of this family legacy. I'm a Pirate fan so another one of my favorites was Bob Prince.

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    1. If we watch or listen to sports at all, I think we all have a favorite sports announcer, Sam. A good one can really make listening to the game interesting. Glad you got to enjoy Bob Prince.

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  6. Wow, that is impressive. I am new ontothe baseball scene as it were and I'm loving the learning of the game, the players and the announcers who make all the happenings on the field make sense to me. I have never heard of this family before today, but I think it's great. What a legacy and what a great time they must have discussing their collective passions for the game. Thanks Pat Austin!

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