Quote:
Originally Posted by Inner Dirt
I think being a race caller is a very difficult job. I think the booth at Fairplex Park was in a perfect spot at the top of the grandstands, yet Trevor Denman in his prime sounded horrible calling the quarter horse races because he was out of his element. He was the only racing celebrity I ever spoke to in close proximity, he was on a high speed bathroom run and we almost crashed into each other. I just said he was the greatest and he said, thank you sir, he went to the can and I went to the beer stand. I didn't know he was such a small man till I almost ran over him. I never researched his past, did he used to ride?
As for Hollywood Park, I started going there during the last couple years of Harry Henson, no one seemed a good fit for that place after Harry until Vic came along. Don't get a big head Vic, I give you a distant second to the legendary Harry Henson. You did beat out everyone else, even Luke Kruytbosch, that is saying something.
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C'mon Dilan. You already know I have a big head.
Harry is also my all time favorite announcer. It was his calls at Del Mar that helped me fall in love with our game.
He was also extremely instrumental in helping me chase my dream of becoming a race caller.
When Harry was in his prime announcing was extremely different.
This was long before the advent of simulcasting and guys like Harry, Joe Hernandez and Chic Anderson were heard only over the on-track PA.
Harry could inspire passion with inflection, tone and intensity. I can assure you it never sounded like a chart was being called.
Many announcers back in those days were very hamstrung by management. They were told not to call any close finishes. Some even had to stop their call at the sixteenth pole.
When simulcasting became the rage Tom and Trevor changed race calling forever.
Now with 90% of the people who bet the race watching on TV they became more a combination of play by play and analyst than booming over a sound system.
BTW when speaking of iconic announcers. So sad to hear of the passing of Vin Scully. Like Harry with horse racing, it was Vin who helped me fall in love with baseball.
I grew up in Southern California listening to so many greats.
How's this for a roster....
VIN SCULLY
DICK ENBERG
CHICK HEARN
BOB MILLER
Even DICK LANE who called both wrestling and roller derby.
RIP VIN
