Reds to honor trio of broadcasters

The
Cincinnati Reds and radio partner 700 WLW will honor three long-time
broadcasters during ceremonies prior to Sunday’s game against the Cleveland
Indians. The festivities will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Radio
microphones representing Waite Hoyt, Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall will be
unveiled for permanent display below the 700 WLW Radio broadcast booth at Great
American Ball Park, alongside retired uniform numbers 1 (Fred Hutchinson), 5
(Johnny Bench), 8 (Joe Morgan), 10 (Sparky Anderson), 18 (Ted Kluszewski), 20
(Frank Robinson), 24 (Tony Perez) and 42 (Jackie Robinson).

The first
30,000 fans entering the ballpark for Sunday’s 1:15 p.m. game will receive a
commemorative CD featuring the three broadcasters’ greatest hits, courtesy of
700 WLW Radio.

“We
want to recognize these

Cincinnati
legends for their exemplary service to our organization as broadcasters,”
said Reds president and chief executive officer Bob Castellini. “Through
their eyes and voices, Reds fans have followed the game for the last 65
years.”

Hoyt
broadcast games on both Reds Radio (1942-65) and Reds TV (1948-55, 1972). From
1948-55, his radio call was broadcast simultaneously on television.

A Hall of
Fame pitcher for the New York Yankees, Hoyt the broadcaster quickly developed a
reputation as one of the great story tellers in baseball. His enthusiasm and
infectious laugh delighted listeners, and he filled rain delays with stories of
his playing days and tales of teammates Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

During his
21-year playing career, Hoyt went 237-182 for the Yankees, Detroit Tigers,
Philadelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants and Pittsburgh
Pirates. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in
Cooperstown in 1969.

In 1984,
Hoyt passed away at the age of 84. In addition to Betty, his son Chris and
niece Ellen Levy also will attend the on-field ceremony.

Nuxhall,
78, began his broadcasting career with the Reds in 1967 and for 31 seasons from
1974-2004 teamed with Brennaman on the Reds Radio Network. In December 2003 and
December 2006, Nuxhall was nominated for the Ford C. Frick award, given
annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster “for major
contributions to the game of baseball.” He still broadcasts games on Reds
Radio.

The Reds
Hall of Fame lefthander pitched in the Major Leagues for 16 years (1944,
1952-’66), including all or parts of 15 seasons with the Reds, and went
135-117, 3.90 in 526 appearances and 287 starts for Cincinnati, Kansas City and
Los Angeles. As a 15-year-old on June 10, 1944 vs the Cardinals, he became the
youngest player ever to appear in a Major League game, a record that never will
be broken. Nuxhall has played in or broadcast games in 59 ballparks, including
each of the existing ballparks except for Toronto’s Skydome, Seattle’s Safeco
Field and Baltimore’s Camden Yards.

Brennaman,
64, received the Ford C. Frick Award on July 23, 2000, in ceremonies at the
National Baseball Hall of Fame in
Cooperstown.
Brennaman, Red Barber and Russ Hodges are the only Reds announcers ever to
receive the Hall of Fame’s prestigious broadcasting award.

The 2007
season is Brennaman’s 43rd as a broadcaster. He joined the Reds radio team in
1974 and has been named Ohio Sportscaster of the Year 13 times, most recently
in 2006. He also is a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters
Association Hall of Fame, the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Virginia
Sports Hall of Fame.

“These
three broadcasters are giants in Reds lore,” said Greg Rhodes, executive
director of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. “They have become synonymous
with Reds baseball over the years. This is a tribute they richly deserve and one
that Reds fans everywhere will celebrate.”