Baseball is a great sport for many reasons. One of them is that there are so many words that you can use to describe it. To hear a good announcer, like Vin Scully or Jack Buck, call a baseball game is like listening to someone reading poetry.
Scully and Jack Buck have several memorable quotes just stick into your brain. They were almost always during big moments of a game that when you saw the replay, it wouldn't be complete without the broadcasting call. Can you see Kirk Gibson's walk off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series without hearing some of these quotes?
"Here comes Kurt Gibson...with TWO bad legs..." - Scully
"Gibson hits it to right and she is...GONE!" - Scully
"I don't believe what I just saw!" - Jack Buck
Jack Buck had several more memorable quotes, but there is one that holds near and dear to Minnesotans.
Twenty years ago, the Minnesota Twins were down 3-2 in the 1991 World Series. Staring elimination in the face, Kirby Puckett stepped into the batters box with the game tied at 3. After taking one circle change from Atlanta Braves reliever Charlie Leibrandt, he lined the second one over the left-center fence. Jack Buck screamed from the broadcast booth...
"And we'll see you tomorrow night!"
I don't remember the '91 World Series because I was too young, but I've seen the clip played over and over throughout my childhood. That quote belongs with that moment even if it wasn't Kirby Puckett blasting one over the fence. It was creative, resourceful, and well-timed. All three things Jack Buck seemed to master.
Fast forward twenty years later. The Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals are in a slugfest in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. The Rangers have already gotten the Cardinals down to their last strike twice, but St. Louis keeps battling back. Finally, Cardinal 3rd baseman David Freese steps into the batters box and belts a home run to center. As the ball is in flight, Joe Buck, the son of Jack, says...
"And we'll see you tomorrow night."
I may never call a World Series game, but there is one thing I know about broadcasting in that situation: you make a unique call.
This has been Joe Buck's problem throughout his career. He isn't creative enough to capture the magic that his dad had. This morning I typed into Google "Joe Buck quotes" and I got this. I don't know about you guys, but I think this one is my favorite...
"I think the two best teams are meeting. I don't know that every year you can say that."
Classic! So original! So creative! I remember the moment he uttered those words! It was when...um...uh...actually I have no idea. Well, I did Google "Jack Buck quotes" this morning too, and this is what came up. See the difference?
What really strikes me is what other people had to say about Jack Buck. I could never see other people saying that about Joe.
I realize Buck was trying to pay tribute to his dad, but the fact is, he came off just like he always does: flat and uninteresting.
The "We'll see you tomorrow night" call should stay with the '91 series. Perhaps next time, Buck might go with what he knows best, "the no-call."*
* The Joe Buck no-call is where the action gets so intense, he says nothing. This has been a technique Buck has mastered in multiple Yankee-Red Sox games and NFC East matchups.
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