Bill Conlin: Conlin's All-Time Phillies Call-Stars | Philadelphia Daily News

Third base

* Michael Jack Schmidt (1972-89). No. 20 was a cerebral analyst on PRISM telecasts the season after his retirement. Like many superstars, however, Mike often assumed that everybody is blessed with supernatural skills. He never learned how hard the game he made look so easy really is.

Catcher

* Tim McCarver (1970-72, 1975-80). Don't ask this multiple Emmy winner to describe artificial turf - unless you need to know the chemical breakdown of polyethelene fibers. OK, so the devil is in Timmy's details opposite current Fox partner Joe Buck. But he remains a baseball treasure, one of three men to broadcast for both the Mets and Yankees and so much more, including Winter Olympics and a long-running interview show that has just been renewed. Oh, and he played Penn to Steve Carlton's Teller.

* Bob Uecker (1966-67). One of the treats of my first two seasons on the Phillies beat was riding the team bus to the ballpark on road trips while Uecker ad-libbed some of the classic routines that became staples of the comedy acts that later made the former backup catcher one of Johnny Carson's most-invited guests. Dick Allen would laugh until he had tears in his eyes. Once his mostly forgettable baseball career was over, Uecker was an immediate hit as a color announcer, first on "Monday Night Baseball," later as third man in the booth with Bob Costas and Joe Morgan on NBC's postseason coverage. Now in his 38th year as a Milwaukee Brewers announcer, Uecker is in a pantheon reserved for legends named Scully, Harwell, Prince, Kalas, Murphy, Allen and Caray.

Leftfield

* Gary Matthews (1981-83). In his third season as a Phillies TV analyst, Sarge continues to belabor the obvious. Or perhaps it just seems that way when measured against senior crew member Chris Wheeler's sometimes excruciating attention to detail that often invites the question: Which one of these guys was actually the All-Star player? Whatever, Matthews, an engaging man, improves by the game.

Centerfield

* Rich Ashburn (1948-59). By way of remembrance, think of your favorite summer night spent in the electronic company of His Whiteness and Harry the K . . .

* Garry Maddox (1975-86). The Secretary of Defense also long-strided through several seasons as an analyst. But I'm more impressed that Garry Lee served a term as a member of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Board.

Rightfield

* Jay Johnstone (1974-78). The entertainer also known as the Prince of Pranks had so many offbeat TV gigs I had forgotten he did a season broadcasting Yankees games with John Sterling. Favorite prank: as a Dodger, padding a Tommy Lasorda uniform with towels and waddling to the mound to make a pitching change.

Righthanded pitcher

* Mike Krukow (1982). This fine righthander and two minor leaguers were traded to the Giants after a 13-11 season here for reliever Al Holland and fellow future broadcaster Joe Morgan. "Krook" went 20-9 in 1986 and is now in his 19th season in the Giants booth, pairing with Duane Kuiper to become one of the game's most entertaining teams. Mike's easy sense of humor has helped him win five Emmys.

Page: 2 of 3 View All

«Previous 1 | 2 | 3 Next»