Q&A: Brennaman on career, memorable moments in baseball

Growing up, Marty Brennaman knew he wanted to be a sports broadcaster. He just wasn’t sure which sport.

Baseball, however, came calling — and Brennaman answered. It has worked out well. Now in his 43rd year as a member of the Reds’ broadcast team, Brennaman has been recognized for his efforts on many fronts, including being named the 2000 winner of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented by the Hall of Fame for “major contributions to the game of baseball.” The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association selected him as Sportcaster of the Year 12 times in Ohio and four times in Virgnia.

There have been numerous memorable moments for Brennaman, including calling Hank Aaron’s record-tying 714th home run in 1974, Tom Seaver’s only career no-hitter in ’78, Pete Rose’s record-breaking 4,192nd hit in ’85, and Tom Browning’s perfect game in ’88.

Brennaman is the subject for this week’s Q&A.

MLB.com: What got you into being a baseball broadcaster?

Brennaman: I fell into it. I worked at a small radio station in North Carolina. I did everything you could do as far as play-by-play. I did small-college football and basketball. I did American Legion baseball. I did high school football and basketball. When the ABA put a franchise in Virginia, a salesman for the radio network called my dad, who ran a milk company. He asked him about advertising and then asked him where I was. My dad told him I was working at a radio station in Salisbury, North Carolina. He said they were looking for a guy with local ties for their broadcasts. I got the job.

I did that for 3 1/2 years, and they had to find something for me to do in the summertime. The Mets’ Triple-A farm club was there in Norfolk, and they said, “Well, would you like to do that?” I said, “Yeah.” I did the Triple-A games for three years, and all of a sudden, Al Michaels leaves Cincinnati after three years and goes to the San Francisco Giants. The general manager of the Triple-A club in Norfolk, Dave Rosenfield, ran into Dick Wagner, who was the assistant general manager of the Reds, at the Winter Meetings in Houston in November of ’73.

Dick said the Reds were looking for a replacement for Al, and asked Dave if he knew anybody, and Dave said he did. Dick told him to have me send a tape. They said 221 people applied. I was one of the final three. I’m convinced to this day that the only reason I got the job was because they could get me cheaper. The others were established Major League Baseball broadcasters.

MLB.com: A dream come …

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