Aug
4

Skip Caray RIP Age 68

Word from the Winston-Salem Journal, this morning, that Announcer Skip Caray has died.

Caray, who would have celebrated his 69th birthday on Aug. 12, went to take a nap yesterday afternoon and didn’t wake up. He is survived by his wife, Paula, two sons, Chip and Josh, two daughters, Shayelyn and Cindy, and seven grandchildren.

“Our baseball community has lost a legend today,” said Braves president John Schuerholz. “The Braves family and Braves fans everywhere will sadly miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife, Paula, and his children.”

Skip Caray’s two sons have carried on the family’s broadcasting tradition, which began with Skip’s father, Harry Caray, a Hall of Fame announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs. Josh Caray calls games for the Braves’ Class A affiliate in Rome, Ga., and Chip Caray serves as both a Braves announcer and the play-by-play announcer for TBS’ Major-League Baseball coverage. Chip Caray was broadcasting yesterday’s game between the Angels and Yankees at Yankee Stadium when he heard the news about his father.

“I’m just in shock,” Chip Carey said. “I know he wasn’t feeling good, but this was unexpected. He hung the moon for me. I got to talk to him (on Saturday), and the last thing I got to say to him was, ‘I love you.'”

I’ve spent a few years behind the mike myself, but I have to tell you that play-by-play people get a special place in my book… particularly faster playing sports, such as Basketball, which Skip did for a while, early on.  I never quite got the knack for play-by-play; it’s a special talent. To my ear, Skip Caray did it well.

By the way, with the death of Solzhenitsyn being reported last night, that’s two. These things always come in threes.

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One Response to “Skip Caray RIP Age 68”

  1. Peter
    August 4th, 2008 at 14:06

    I’ll never forget one night at Shea and what Skip did for me. I walked into the broadcast booth, breezing past security and into the booth that Skip and Don were using that night. I said “hello” to Don and he returned the greeting. I then turned to Skip and slipping him a piece of paper, told him that my Dad just had tripple by-pass and would he say “hi” to him recovering in St. Simons, Ga. knowing that my dad always watched the game every night. I had no doubt that the smile Skip gave me as he took the slip of paper would result in the request being granted, I said thanks and returned to my seat to watch the game (we won).

    10 minuets later my cell phone rang, not once but several times with news that Skip, in the way only he could, made my Dad seem like the biggest Braves Fan on the planet and nearly giving Pops another heart attack! Always wanted to thank Skip for that gift. My Dad never forgot it. Thanks Skipper. You were one in a billion and the Braves and All of Atlanta will miss you. Say hello to my Dad again for me, Will Ya?
    Homer the Brave posted on Monday, Aug 4, 2008 1:23 pm