THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 27, 1996 TAG: 9609270753
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 64 lines
Oh, to be young and talented. Oh, to be Joe Buck.
When Buck was 13, he sat in the stands at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, doing baseball play-by-play into a tape recorder, trying to be half as good as his father, Jack, the Hall of Fame broadcaster who has been calling Cardinals' games since 1954.
``I'd do it night after night,'' said Buck when Fox talent schmoozed with the TV press in Los Angeles. On the drive home from the games, Joe and his father listened to the tapes. Teacher and pupil.
From Jack Buck's critiques on the commute, Joe Buck learned the art of baseball play-by-play. He learned fast, because at the age of 27, Buck will be the play-by-play man when Fox televises the World Series for the first time starting Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the American League city.
Before that, Buck will be doing the divisional playoffs. His first game, most likely with Atlanta as one of the teams, is next Thursday at 8 p.m.
Then look for Buck with Tim McCarver on Fox's National League Championship Series' telecasts beginning Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.
Fox said it expects to team Buck with McCarver in the World Series and probably throughout the playoffs, although Bob Brenly and Jeff Torborg also have a shot at working with Buck. (Buck and McCarver have gone through the dress rehearsal of ``Fox Saturday Baseball'' together).
Fox also said Buck will be the youngest broadcaster to do play-by-play in a World Series game.
``I expect to be nervous but not anxious,'' said Buck of his World Series debut. At 27, he already has six years of major league (Fox and CBS radio) and Triple-A baseball (Louisville) play-by-play on his resume.
The good news about the division and league championship series is that all games will beamed to a national TV audience now that three networks (Fox, NBC and ESPN) are involved. None of that selected-game-only stuff of a year ago.
Also worth noting: There will be daytime championship baseball, bringing back memories of when America stopped what it was doing on October afternoons to take in baseball's season finale. (All World Series games will be played at night to satisfy TV sponsors. But starting Tuesday at 1 p.m., ESPN has scheduled 10 of a possible 12 playoff games at 1, 3 or 4 p.m. Game 1 on ESPN Tuesday will likely involve Cleveland.
Never before has cable been in on baseball playoffs, which expanded when the wildcard teams were added last season. With the wildcards, came more games, a bigger TV package and the opportunity for ESPN.
Fox (WTVZ in Hampton Roads) on Wednesday and Thursday will carry the division playoffs starting at 8 p.m. The Fox game on Oct. 5, will start at 4 p.m. NBC has scheduled its division series games for 8 p.m. Tuesday and Oct. 4, and 7:30 for the Oct. 5 game.
Should the division series stretch to a maximum five games each, ESPN on Oct. 6, will have games on at 1, 4 and 11 p.m. A playoff feast!
That other major league with its showdown in October - Major League Soccer - is also in the ESPN picture. ESPN has the Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup between D.C. United and the New York/New Jersey MetroStars on tonight at 7:30. ABC will televise the championship MLS Cup '96 game from Foxboro, Mass., on Oct. 20 at 3:30 p.m. MEMO: If you have any questions about sports TV or radio coverage, acll
me on Infoline at 640-5555, press 2486. ILLUSTRATION: At 27, Joe Buck will be the youngest broadcaster to do
play-by-play in the World Series. by CNB