No Doubt About It

Today Lanny Frattare is stepping down as the Voice of the Pirates. I never thought I would actually ever have to write that sentence.

To me it is a sad day as Lanny, to me as a younger fan, has been the voice of Pirate baseball as long as I can remember. One of my first memories was sitting outside listening to KDKA as the Pirates and Doug Drabek won the pennant, with Lanny on the call. Others out there in the blogosphere seem to have the same type of feelings.

While he was not a really flashy announcer, nor a huge homer, he was very even keeled. Yet with the tone of his voice one could easily tell that something was going on in the ballgame. I know many a time I would yell at others in the car to be quite as I heard the volume and pace of Lanny's voice pick up on the radio.

I know a few years ago, after the debacle with Mike Lange with the Penguins, Lanny decided to name Greg Brown the Co-Voice of the Pirates, seemingly in anticipation for this day. Next season will definitely not be the same. It will be weird turning on the radio or tv and not hearing, "Hello friends and welcome to a pleasant day for baseball here at 115 Federal Street."

With the direction sports announcers have been going in recent years, I will sorely miss Lanny, there is noooo doubt about it.