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New York Baseball: Ranking the City’s Best Broadcasters

By Steve Contursi

Sep 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A fan watches from the second-to-last row of the stadium during the first inning of a game between the New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A fan watches from the second-to-last row of the stadium during the first inning of a game between the New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Baseball broadcasters come in many sizes, shapes, and colors. Each one has their own identity, because if they don’t they won’t be around for very long. New York baseball has its own breed of broadcasters too. Here’s a ranking of the five best.

New York Baseball
Aug 29, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; A New York Yankees hat & glove sit on the field before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /

Let’s begin with the premise that in the world of baseball broadcasters, New York City does not have the best one in baseball. The very best one left town with the Brooklyn Dodgers. We have good ones, but we don’t have Vin Scully. Perfectly suited for laid back LA, Scully mesmerizes his audience with anecdotes and stories off the top of his head that blend wonderfully with the action on the field. It’s no coincidence either that Scully began his career calling Brooklyn Dodgers games.

Over the years, we’ve enjoyed some really good baseball broadcasters though. A few that come to mind immediately would be names like Lindsey Nelson who broadcast Mets games for 17 years and once called a game atop the roof of the old Houston Astrodome. We also had “The Voice Of The Yankees”, Mel Allen, who with that baritone voice and sweet Alabama drawl, could take the stress out of anyone’s day. We also had our share of baseball broadcasters who were characters too. Phil Rizzuto, who insisted on calling his black broadcast partner “White ” instead of Bill (White) and managed to make everyone laugh, including his partner. Rizzuto was also known for high tailing out of the booth at the first sign of thunder heading for the GW Bridge and the safety of home in New Jersey.

But those were the days when analysis didn’t matter much. By and large, baseball broadcasters were just expected to call the balls and strikes. Nowadays, most people tuning in expect more from baseball broadcasters than a players numbers, because with the internet now, all that is available 24/7 at anyone’s beckon call. In short, we want to get a glimpse of the game within the game from baseball broadcasters.

So with that in mind, here’s a ranking of the best baseball broadcasters in the New York market……

Next: 5. Ma And Pa Sterling

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