Worst Announcer

[Valuist]

One of the funniest things I've ever heard was the LaD announcer, who's name I can't recall, doing his imitations of racetrack callers. He started out as Denman, then I think Stauffer, then went into Battaglia as the field went "IN--TO the turn, up from the OUTSIDE, GAINING GROUND.." It was hilarious.

[Doc]

Hey RXB, you made me laugh with your last post. When I first heard Roger Houston I thought he was very entertaining, but he gets old REAL fast. Now I think he's kinda pathethic and I wish he'd just call a race every once in a while like he wasn't hyped up on coke and caffeine. As for the "...and there they are!" announcer, I, too, am always left scratching my head as to what just transpired in a race when he calls it, and the announcer at Penn National always uses the word "then" in his calls. Like: "It's two lengths, then, to Mr. So and So."

Announcers on the bottom tier just make you appreciate the good ones even more. I was watching the Big A today and marveled at the way Tom Durkin can make short fields in the dead of winter seem interesting.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Originally Posted by Buddha

Nor does the Penn National announcer, and I never hear any talk about him not doing it

Good point Buddha, the Penn National annoucer drive me nuts on this!

Please! We want to know who ran 2nd and third, or who was involved in the photo, without waiting a too long. The exacta and trifecta pools have more money in them than the WPS pools. Have for many years now. Please!

Maybe fewer people have been following Penn.

[sjk]

When Battaglia says inside or outside you can pretty much ignore it. He is stalling and the horse could be anywhere.

He is bad but the Pimlico guy is worse.

[racingrev]

Originally Posted by Doc

Philly Park's backup announcer, Pat Cummings, is terrible, too. Thankfully he doesn't work full-time.

I also have a problem with Vic Stauffer...I think he blabs too much and doesn't concentrate on the position of the horses. Grunder at Tampa also stinks.

Apart from being a nice guy with a voice to die for Pat Cummings is doing more than ok.. He only call's a meeting every now and then and believe me it's not easy to get a rhythm and flow happening when you call so little.

[cj]

I don't find the Maryland guy, Dave Rodman, great, but he's servicable. I'd take him over Battaglia each and every day of the week.

[timtam]

John Bogar is the race announcer at Penn National. His mentor was Fred Lipkin and they've been doing Racing Alive since the show first came on in the early 80's. Unfortunately John didn't get better with age. I never really thought he had the voice for a track announcer and i think saying then after every statement comes from his Pennsylavania Dutch background. Just a thought....

[racingrev]

If we only called the first horse over the line in New Zealand the lynch mob would be half way up the grandstand.....

[foregoforever]

Originally Posted by sjk

He is bad but the Pimlico guy is worse.

Dave Rodman? He's one of the better ones, imo, although I hear him much more at Colonial than at Pimlico. When it comes to bad announcers ...

... FFFOOORRR TTTHHHEEE LLLEEEAAADDD ... Battaglia. I enjoy his handicapping show at Churchill, and he's not bad in the paddock at Keeneland, but when he goes north to Turfway he seems to leave a lot behind.

[Dan Montilion]

Worst Announcer... All of them.

Dan (Mute Button) Montilion

[Zman179]

Originally Posted by cj

I hate Stauffer's "If XXX is going to win, he's going to have to make up 15 lengths in the final 1/4 mile to do it!"

I've never heard the Philly backup, but I love Keith Jones. Does a very good job, day in and day out. I used to here him at the Garden nightly. I think he even did the harness there, but not positive about that one. Maybe melman will know for sure.

Keith Jones' first ever calls were made on the harness races at Garden State when it was owned by ITB. Later, ITB bought Keystone Racetrack (which was promptly renamed Phila Park) and then Keith made the switch to the Pha after Jack Lamar retired. Couldn't blame him one iota. After all, year-round work for a track announcer on a single circuit is like finding the HOLY GRAIL.

Curious, anyone ever heard of an announcer leaving a year-round circuit to call elsewhere? Seems to me like once an announcer gets a full-time gig like Phila Park or the Pig Penn, he sprouts roots like an oak tree.

[breakage]

Worst: "and there they are guy"
Most Annoying: tie - Tony Kalo and Roger Houston
And I don't even play these tracks I just hear them from another tv....funny stuff RXB

[nomadpat]

Valuist,

The LAD announcer you reference is hilarious on his imitations. The best one I heard from him was when he was announcing a race at ALB, he did a Marv Albert impression-fricking brilliant, sounded exactly like Marv Albert calling a race

[BillW]

It's ironic that Frank does such a good Rodney Dangerfield as this is about the 4th time I've answered the "I don't remember his name, but ..."question.

His name is Frank Mirahmadi.

Bill

[ranchwest]

Originally Posted by rokitman

Drives me nuts with that chronic "Gaaaaaininnnng grrrroounnnnd" and "They're riiiiiight togetherrrrrrrrr." Sounds like an old dopey-sounding cartoon character that I can't quite put my finger on.

Exactly! That's why Battaglia is in last. There may be some who are tied with him, but there are none anywhere any worse. I avoid TP like the plague simply because I don't want to hear Battaglia.