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Behind the Mic

Listening to Baseball On The Radio

Posted by: Brian Barnhart

Saturday, April 11, 2009 2:37 PM

As I type this today...I am enjoying listening to Dave Loane's call of the Illini baseball game from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dave has been doing Illini baseball for over 20 years on the radio and he does a fantastic job!

I love to listen to baseball on the radio. Maybe the fact that I announced baseball games for so many years in the minor leagues and then a couple of years in the major leagues makes me fond of the voices who bring the baseball games into my home or garage or car. I understand the time commitment and the preparation that goes into each broadcast. And I have always loved the pace of a baseball broadcast and a baseball season. Baseball and radio work so well together.

I have done a little baseball work already since the Illini basketball season ended...doing a little work on the Big Ten Television Network this spring. I also hope to do some more work for them at the Big Ten Baseball Tournament in late May.... So I get a little chance to satisfy my appetite for baseball broadcasting this time of year.

I sample major league broadcasters' work everyday from my home or car. We are pretty lucky in Central Illinois...we have some solid play-by-play men in Chicago and St.Louis that we can enjoy on a daily basis. I look forward to following the Cubs, Cards and White Sox all summer...on the radio.

I still have some more football play-by-play to do later in April . The Illini Spring Football game is coming up on Saturday April 25th. They just had a scrimmage up north and it wont be long until spring practice is done.

Have a great Easter weekend!