Phil Georgeff passed away

[cj]

Yesterday morning per Hawthorne analyst Jim Miller. Sad day, he was a legend.

[Track Phantom]

Unreal. Was in the Vegas sportsbook and sitting next to a guy and were talking about racecallers, this was on Saturday, and I mentioned Phil Georgeff as my all-time favorite. Weird. Condolences to the family.

In my opinion, no one better.

[EasyGoer89]

'Here they come spinning out of the turn'

RIP Phil, one of my favorites, great caller.

[PaceAdvantage]

Very sorry to hear this...RIP Mr. Georgeff

[TvgFrankie]

He was one of my all time favorite
I am from Chicago and hear his calls - great man
-----------------
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ2ByoMBq6k

[BMustang]

............And that's the first from Aaahhhhlington!!!!

[olddaddy]

The Bart is still there.

My favorite race caller.


Chicagos iconic race caller who called more races than anyone else and not a mention in any chicago papers or news channels. What a forgotten sport we follow.

[olddaddy]

Finally


http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/phil-georgeff-the-voice-of-chicago-horse-racing-dead-at-85/

[Valuist]

An absolute legend. One of the all-time great race callers.

Brings back so many memories of learning the game in the mid 80s at Arlington.

[wisconsin]

One of the best ever. RIP

[dilanesp]

He was fun to listen to. If he said a horse was closing "like a shot" or "like gangbusters", that horse was probably going to win.

I think he was also the first announcer to consistently call races through the finish line without turning his mic off (although I'm not certain about this, as Fred Capossela started doing it at some point too). Most announcers didn't start doing this until the 1990's.

There was a weird dispute with Arlington ownership in the 1980's where he was fired and then brought back due to popular demand.

[olddaddy]

There was a weird dispute with Arlington ownership in the 1980's where he was fired and then brought back due to popular demand.


I may be wrong but I believe it was Wrona who replaced him. Or maybe Wrona replaced him after he retired

[dilanesp]

I may be wrong but I believe it was Wrona who replaced him. Or maybe Wrona replaced him after he retired

Wrona came in after he retired. Wrona isn't that old-- his first job in the US was at Hollywood Park in 1989 or so.

This was just after they created the Arlington Million, in the early 1980's. Georgeff was fired, and I think they brought Tony Bentley in from the Fair Grounds to call the races. Arlington got a bunch of resistance from the fans and brought Georgeff back after a couple of years.

[bdownes]

I grew up in Chicago back then. I recall they brought in John Imbriale to replace Phil. Fans literally brought out signs to the track demanding his return to the booth.

[Valuist]

I grew up in Chicago back then. I recall they brought in John Imbriale to replace Phil. Fans literally brought out signs to the track demanding his return to the booth.

That is correct. It was Imbriale. The year was 1983.

[dnlgfnk]

"Picking them up and laying them down"...

In the mid to late 60's, Kroger offered coupons redeemable if one had the winner from older races at Florida tracks. Later when I followed Arlington via intra track beginning in 1988, I realized Phil was the caller on those races, due to the "spinning out of the turn" phrase.

The selected races were deliberately chosen to fool the holder of a coupon, as horses would exchange places dramatically and often win from the clouds, appearing on the screen in the last few yards.

[TvgFrankie]

Phil was also a great Standardbred announcer. Called the double headers at Hawthorne and had a replay show that he hosted with Gerry Gallitano . Many great announcers came thru Arlington such has Durkin and California's Vince and Trevor .

[Parkview_Pirate]

Awesome race caller. My buddy back in Illinois used to say that Georgeff's call could make a $4K claimer at Sportsman exciting as a G1 race anywhere else. You knew you're horse was usually in trouble if caught up in a "ding-dong battle".

Glad to see he enjoyed a lengthy retirement. RIP.

[wisconsin]

It was 1982, John Mooney first told Georgeoff to stop saying "spinning out of the turn" and he started to say "charging" and "thundering" before he was let go in August of 1982. Georgeoff was immediately picked-up by Balmoral Park.

John Imbriale was brought in, and I was on hand the day of the then money rich Arlington-Washington Futurity, which at the time was broadcast live on WGN. 17,000 fans booed John Imbriale heavily. They brought in Tony Bentley the following year, before Phil came back, in a dramatic helicopter landing in the infield.

[johnhenry81]

I had heard that management told Phil to 'tone down' his excitement, and to shelf some of his catch phrases "spinning out of the turn" to sound more like the NYRA big time circuit.

Harry Carey, a patron of racing was outspoken about his release as wll as the fans.

[wisconsin]

Phil was also a great Standardbred announcer. Called the double headers at Hawthorne and had a replay show that he hosted with Gerry Gallitano . Many great announcers came thru Arlington such has Durkin and California's Vince and Trevor .


Phil called Arlington from 1959 through 1992. The year when Trevor was there was the year Georgeoff missed a couple of months from throat surgery. They used an all-star cast of fill-ins.

Durkin actual called Balmoral, not Arlington. Vic called one winter at Hawthorne.

[thespaah]

'Here they come spinning out of the turn'

RIP Phil, one of my favorites, great caller.
John Henreeeeee.....The living legend!!!!"....
This is just a classic....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEYMMcj8ER0

[Redbullsnation]

Damn. :(

RIP Chicago legend

[RacingFan1992]

I never saw a live race of Phil's but heard that Dr. Fager Washington Park Handicap, Secretariat's Arlington Invitational, and John Henry's run at the Million so many times I could call it myself.

RIP Phil

[NJ Stinks]

I learned a lot in this thread about a man I barely knew being from NJ. :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: