'SECOND BANANA' TO KALAS DIES

ANDY MUSSER'S dulcet tones filled the local airwaves with the pulse and drama of Philly sports for a quarter century.

His familiar baritone would rise in enthusiasm when a great play unfolded, such as the day Mike Schmidt smashed a home run against Montreal in 1980 to help the Phillies clinch the Eastern Division title.

"He buried that ball!" Andy cried, as excited as any fan within the sound of his voice.

Andy brought that kind of energy and enthusiasm to his broadcasts of Phillies games for 26 years, and also did play-by-play for other pro sports - except the Flyers - as well as college games.

Andy Musser, broadcaster, marathon runner, Army veteran and beer connoisseur, died of a heart condition Sunday at his home in Wynnewood. He was 74.

David Montgomery, Phillies president, said: "Andy was a dear friend to many, an absolute gentleman, and a true professional.

"I had the pleasure of working with him for 26 years, during which time he made a significant contribution to our club. Additionally, along with thousands of Philadelphia sports fans, I admired his versatility in announcing not only Phillies games, but also his work with the Eagles, Sixers and Villanova basketball. Since leaving the Phillies broadcast booth in 2001, Andy remained close to the club. We will all miss our dear friend."

During his career, Andy broadcast two World Series, two Super Bowls, two Masters Tournaments, and numerous other football and basketball games in a career that began in 1956, when, as winner of a Junior Sportscaster Award, he was allowed to do several innings of a Phils game with legendary broadcasters Gene Kelly and Byrum Saam.

He retired in 2001 and became a regional sales rep for Anchor Steam Brewing Co., which tied in with his lifelong fondness for beer.

Andy teamed up most famously with two other broadcasting legends, the late Harry Kalas and Rich Ashburn.

"It wasn't easy being second banana to Harry Kalas," said his son, Allan, "but he was the perfect guy for it. That was a wonderful time for him. I was there and saw him laugh his ass off."

There was no doubt that the trio had a lot of fun together, and, as a result, so did the fans.

Phillies broadcaster Chris Wheeler recalls meeting Andy in the mid-'60s, when Chris had a summer job at WCAU radio, where Andy was the sportscaster and palled around with Jimmy Dykes, the Philly native and former Athletics and White Sox star infielder and later manager.

"I was just a kid," Chris recalled. "I loved sports, especially baseball. Andy and Jimmy Dykes and I would pile into my car and drive to Connie Mack Stadium to see games. My car still stinks of Jimmy Dykes' cigars.

"Jimmy would talk about Babe Ruth and other great stars that he knew. My eyes would bug out."

As for Andy, "he was the best, the ultimate pro. I owe so much to him, in my life and career," Chris said. "He was just the nicest man you would ever want to meet."

Veteran sports broadcaster Bill Campbell worked with Andy on basketball and football games.

"You know this business is full of temperamental guys," Campbell said. "He was not one of them. He was a joy to work with - a nice, easygoing guy."

Said Eagles broadcaster Merrill Reese: "I knew him only casually, but I thought he was a classy guy. He was so friendly. I had the highest amount of respect for him. I thought he did a great job on Villanova basketball, and I dropped him a note."

Don Russell, the Daily News beer columnist writing as Joe Sixpack, said that when Andy met Fritz Maytag, head of Anchor Steam Brewing Co. in San Francisco, he was able to see life without the hectic pace of baseball.

When he took the job as regional rep for Anchor, "he had a second life after baseball," said Russell.

"Andy was always looking for a great beer," Russell said. "He was a huge and early advocate for craft beers. We shared many beers together, and he was always fun to be with. He was the gentlest, nicest man I ever met."

Andy Musser was born in Lemoyne, Pa. He got his first baseball experience as a batboy for the Harrisburg Senators, a Double A team. He was only 18 when he won the award that landed him in the same booth with Kelly and Saam.

He went on to graduate from Syracuse University in 1959. He entered the Army and served 16 months in Seoul, Korea, with the Armed Forces Radio Network.

There he fell for a secretary named Eun Joo, who became his wife.

Andy worked at stations in Harrisburg and San Diego before coming to Philly, where he broadcast Eagles and Sixers games from 1965 to 1971, and Villanova basketball games. He worked for CBS television from 1971 to 1974, covering the World Series, the Super Bowl and the Masters.

He joined the Phillies in 1975, when Saam left, and remained with the team until he retired.

"He was a wonderful man," said his son, Allan. "He was very kind."

He said that his father started running for health reasons, then became passionate about it. He ran six miles a day, six days a week, and also trained for marathons and half-marathons.

"When I was in the Army, the only way I could keep up with him was to run with him," Allan said. "We got up at 5 o'clock in the morning and did our six miles, talking all the time. Then he was off to Clearwater."

In November, Andy was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

Besides his wife and son, he is survived by a daughter, Luanne Zimmerman, and four grandchildren.

Services: Memorial service 11 a.m. Jan. 31 at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 625 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Foundation.