View source for Jack Buck

{{Short description|American sportscaster (1924–2002)}}
{{For|the St. Louis, Missouri fireboat|Jack Buck (fireboat)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
|name         = Jack Buck
|image        = Jackbuck.jpg
|image_size   = 230px
|caption      = Buck in 1987
|birth_name   = John Francis Buck
|birth_date   = {{Birth date|1924|8|21|mf=y}}
|birth_place  = [[Holyoke, Massachusetts]], U.S.
|death_date   = {{death date and age|2002|6|18|1924|8|21|mf=y}}
|death_place  = [[St. Louis]], Missouri, U.S.
|resting_place= [[Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery]], Missouri
|years_active = 1950–2001
|occupation   = Sportscaster
|alma_mater   = [[Ohio State University]]
|spouse       = {{ubl
|{{marriage|Alyce Larson|1948|1969|end=div}}
|{{marriage|Carole Lintzenich|1969}}
}}
|children     = 8, including [[Joe Buck|Joe]]
|awards      = [[St. Louis Cardinals#Retired numbers|Name honored]] by St. Louis Cardinals<br>[[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum|St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame]]
|module=
{{Infobox military person
|embed=yes
|allegiance   = United States
|branch       = [[United States Army|U.S. Army]]
|rank         = [[Corporal#United States|Corporal]]
|battles      = [[World War II]] – [[European theatre of World War II|European theater]]
|unit         = [[9th Infantry Division (United States)|9th Infantry Division]]
|serviceyears = 1943–1946
|awards       = [[Purple Heart]]
}}}}
'''John Francis Buck''' (August 21, 1924 – June 18, 2002) was an American [[sportscaster]], best known for his work announcing [[Major League Baseball]] games of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. His [[play-by-play]] work earned him recognition (or induction in some cases) from numerous [[List of halls and walks of fame|halls of fame]] ([[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball]], [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Pro Football]], and [[National Radio Hall of Fame|Radio]]).<ref name=bgjbdob>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h91WAAAAIBAJ&pg=6745%2C4768514 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=Associated Press |last=Fallstrom |first=R.B. |title=Broadcasting great Buck dies at age 77 |date=June 19, 2002 |page=4B}}</ref> He&nbsp;has also been inducted as a member of the [[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum]]. He was the father of [[ESPN]] sportscaster [[Joe Buck]].

==Early years and military service==
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2018}}
Buck was born in [[Holyoke, Massachusetts]], the third of seven children of Earle and Kathleen Buck.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: 5–8</ref> His father was a railroad accountant who commuted weekly to [[New Jersey]]. From an early age, Buck dreamed of becoming a sports announcer with his early exposure to sports broadcasting coming from listening to [[Boston Red Sox]] baseball games announced by [[Fred Hoey]].<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pp. 1, 5.</ref>

Part of his childhood coincided with the [[Great Depression]], and Buck remembered his family sometimes using a metal slug to keep a coin-operated gas meter going during the winter to provide heat for their home.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pp. 8-9</ref> In 1939, his family moved to [[Cleveland]], Ohio to join their father, who had a job with the [[Erie Railroad]].<ref name="ReferenceA">[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: 15</ref> Soon after though, Buck's father died at the age of 49 due to [[uremic poisoning]] related to [[Hypertension|high blood pressure]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Buck planned to quit high school in 1941 to take a full-time job in an effort to support his family. Dissuaded by one of his teachers, Buck decided to finish high school, graduating from [[Lakewood High School (Lakewood, Ohio)|Lakewood High School]] in the winter of 1942.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: 19–20</ref> After graduation, he followed one of his friends and began working on an iron ore [[Lake freighter|freight boat]] operated on the [[Great Lakes]] by the [[Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.|Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company]].<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pp. 21-24</ref>

Buck served on a {{convert|700|ft|adj=on}} steamer named ''The Sheadle'', where he began as porter and was later promoted to night cook and baker.<ref name="ReferenceB">[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 24</ref> After performing various other shipping related jobs, Buck attempted to become a "[[Able seaman|deck watch]]." A required physical examination revealed Buck was [[color blindness|color blind]], unable to differentiate between the colors green and brown.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 30</ref> Ineligible for the promotion to deck watch, Buck subsequently became eligible for the military draft, and was drafted into the [[United States Army]] in June&nbsp;1943.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

After completion of his military service in 1946, Buck enrolled at (and graduated from) [[Ohio State University]]. His early sportscasting career included work for the minor league affiliates of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. In 1954, he was promoted to radio play-by-play of Cardinal games on [[KYFI|KXOK radio]]; the team's radio broadcasts would move in 1955 to [[KMOX]]. Buck maintained this position for nearly all of the next 47 years. He was known in St. Louis for his trademark phrase "That's a winner!", which was said after every game that the Cardinals had won.

In addition to his work with the Cardinals, Buck also earned assignments on many national sportscasts, including radio coverage of 18 [[Super Bowl]]s and 11 [[World Series]]. Some of his famous play-by-play calls include the dramatic walk-off home runs hit by [[Ozzie Smith]] in Game 5 of the [[1985 National League Championship Series]], by [[Kirk Gibson]] in Game 1 of the [[1988 World Series]], and by [[Kirby Puckett]] in Game 6 of the [[1991 World Series]].

The later part of his career found him working side by side in the Cardinals booth with his son [[Joe Buck]], who also has risen to national sportscasting prominence.

==Military service==
After graduating from high school, he worked on large shipping boats that traveled the [[Great Lakes]]. Buck was drafted into the [[United States Army|U.S.&nbsp;Army]] in June&nbsp;1943. The physicality of Buck's work on the Great Lakes left in him good physical condition at the time he entered the Army.<ref name=military>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 33</ref> Buck, who was 19 years old, stood {{convert|5|ft|11|in|m}} tall, and weighed {{convert|165|lb}}.<ref name=military/> His first assignment was anti-aircraft training, and was sent to [[Joint Base Langley–Eustis|Fort Eustis, Virginia]] to undergo his 13-week [[Recruit training|basic training]] regimen.<ref name=military/>

After completing his basic training in 1943, Buck was designated as an instructor, and assigned the rank of [[Corporal#United States|corporal]].<ref name=military/> In addition to his instructor duties, Buck participated in [[boxing]] as a form of recreation.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 38</ref> In February 1945, Buck shipped out to the [[European theatre of World War II|European theater]] of the war, where he was assigned to K Company, [[47th Infantry Regiment (United States)|47th Infantry Regiment]], [[9th Infantry Division (United States)|9th Infantry Division]].<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 40</ref>

During the night of March 7, 1945, Buck and his compatriots crossed the [[Ludendorff Bridge]] at the town of [[Remagen]], Germany.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 41</ref> United States forces' successful capture of this bridge led to the [[Battle of Remagen]] from March 7–25. On the morning of March 15, Buck was the squad leader of a patrol that came under German fire in the Remagen zone. Wounded in his left forearm and leg by [[Fragmentation (weaponry)|fragmentation]], Buck received medical treatment on the battlefield from the only medic K company had at that time, [[Frank Borghi]].<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pp. 42–43.</ref> He received further medical treatment at the 177th General Army Hospital in [[Le Mans]], France, where he was awarded the [[Purple Heart]]. Buck recovered, and rejoined his outfit sometime after German forces had [[Victory in Europe Day|surrendered]].<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pp. 44–47</ref>

Declining to re-enlist, and turning down requests to enroll in the [[Officer Candidate School (United States Army)|Officers Training School]], Buck joined his compatriots in guard duty of [[Prisoner of war#Treatment of POWs by the Western Allies|German prisoners of war]].<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 47</ref> Buck received orders to ship home in April&nbsp;1946, effectively ending his military service.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 51</ref>

==College==
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2018}}
After returning to the United States, Buck worked in various industrial-related jobs.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pp. 51-54.</ref> When his friend Bill Theil told Buck he needed a roommate to attend [[Ohio State University]] with him, Buck decided on the spot to join Theil and enroll at Ohio State in [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]]. The suddenness of Buck's decision meant he had no corresponding paperwork that could be used to formally enroll at the university, so Buck attended classes of his own choosing until he was able to formally enroll.<ref>[[#Buc97|Buck, Rains, and Broeg 1997]]: pg. 54–55.</ref>

Buck majored in radio speech and minored in Spanish. He worked several jobs while attending college, including one position at an all-night gas station. He&nbsp;crafted his play-by-play skills broadcasting [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|Ohio State basketball]] games.

After college, he called games for the [[Columbus Red Birds]], a [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] ([[American Association (20th century)|American Association]]) affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, in [[1950 in baseball|1950]]–[[1951 in baseball|51]]. He spent the [[1953 in baseball|1953]] season as voice of another AAA Cardinals affiliate, the [[International League]] [[Rochester Red Wings]] on [[WHIC|WHEC radio]]. His work there earned him an invitation to join the big-league Cardinals' broadcast team in St. Louis the following season.

==Broadcasting career==
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2018}}

===St. Louis Cardinals===
{{MLBBioHon
|Image = CardsRetiredMic.png
|Name  = Jack Buck
|Team  = St. Louis Cardinals
|Year  = 2002
|}}
Buck started broadcasting Cardinals games for [[KMOX]] radio in [[1954 St. Louis Cardinals season|1954]], teaming with [[Harry Caray]], [[Milo Hamilton]] (1954), and [[Joe Garagiola, Sr.|Joe Garagiola]] (from [[1955 St. Louis Cardinals season|1955]]). Buck was dropped from the Cardinals booth in [[1959 St. Louis Cardinals season|1959]] to make room for [[Buddy Blattner]]; the following [[1960 St. Louis Cardinals season|year]], he called Saturday ''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week|Game of the Week]]'' telecasts for [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]]. Buck was re-hired by the Cardinals in [[1961 St. Louis Cardinals season|1961]] after Blattner departed; Garagiola left after [[1962 St. Louis Cardinals season|1962]], leaving Caray and Buck as the team's broadcast voices from [[1963 St. Louis Cardinals season|1963]] through [[1969 St. Louis Cardinals season|1969]].
[[File:Kmox radio baseball.jpg|thumb|right|Buck and Shannon announcing a [[1992 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] game at Busch, 1992]]
After Caray was fired by the Cardinals following the 1969 season, Buck ascended to the team's lead play-by-play role (1969 was also the year that Jack Buck divorced his first wife Alyce Larson&mdash;whom he had married in 1948 and had six children with&mdash;and married his second wife, Carole Lintzenich, who gave birth to their son [[Joe Buck]] in the same year).

{{quote box
|width=30%
|align=right
|quote=[[Ozzie Smith|Smith]] corks one into right, down the line! It may go!! ... Go crazy, folks! Go crazy! It's a home run, and the Cardinals have won the game, by the score of 3 to 2, on a home run by the Wizard! Go crazy!
|source= —Jack Buck calling [[Ozzie Smith]]'s game winning home run off [[Tom Niedenfuer]] in game 5 of the [[1985 National League Championship Series|1985 NLCS]]<ref name="Garner 2000: 98">[[#Gar00|Garner 2000]]: pg. 98</ref>}}

Buck teamed with ex-[[New York Yankees|Yankees]] and [[Pittsburgh Pirates|Pirates]] announcer [[Jim Woods]] in [[1970 St. Louis Cardinals season|1970]]–[[1971 St. Louis Cardinals season|71]]. In [[1972 St. Louis Cardinals season|1972]], retired Cardinals third baseman [[Mike Shannon]] joined Buck in the broadcast booth, beginning a 28-year partnership. On Cardinals broadcasts, Buck routinely punctuated St. Louis victories with the expression, ''"That's a winner!"'' 

In addition to Joe, Buck has three daughters who worked in broadcasting. Two are from his first marriage - Bonnie Buck, who currently works in television in Los Angeles, and Christine Buck, who started her career at [[KPLR-TV]] in St. Louis. From his second marriage is Julie Buck on [[KYKY]] 98.1 in St. Louis (she now works at [[KTRS (AM)|KTRS-AM 550]], also in St. Louis). In addition, Buck's younger brother, [[Bob Buck (sportscaster)|Bob Buck]] was a sportscaster and sports director at KMOX/[[KMOV]]-TV in St. Louis.

Buck was well-respected in the St. Louis community, where he lived and regularly volunteered time to host charity events. In addition to his sportscasting work, Buck served as the original host of the KMOX interview/call-in program ''At Your Service'' beginning in 1960. His guests on the program included [[Eleanor Roosevelt]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/06/13/jack-buck-introduces-first-at-your-service-program-on-kmox/|title=LISTEN: Jack Buck Introduces First "At Your Service" Program On KMOX|publisher=CBS St. Louis|date=June 13, 2012}}</ref>

Buck can be heard calling a (fictional) [[1964 St. Louis Cardinals season|1964 Cardinals]] broadcast in the [[1988 in film|1988]] film ''[[Mississippi Burning]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/27/sports/sports-world-specials-the-ring-of-truth.html|title=Sports World Specials; The Ring of Truth|last=Thomas|first=Robert McG. Jr|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 27, 1989}}</ref> and makes a cameo appearance in a 1998 episode of the television series ''[[Arliss (TV series)|Arliss]]''. He also lent his voice to ''[[R.B.I. Baseball '95]]'' and [[Relief Pitcher (video game)]].

===Football===
Jack Buck was also a renowned [[American football|football]] broadcaster. In [[1964 NFL season|1964]], he began calling [[National Football League]] games for [[NFL on CBS|CBS]] television, following a four-year stint doing telecasts of the rival [[American Football League]] for [[American Football League on ABC|ABC]], which included the 1962 AFL Championship game between the Houston Oilers and the Dallas Texans&mdash;at that point the longest game ever played. Buck called [[Chicago Bears]] games in his first two CBS seasons, then switched to [[Dallas Cowboys]] games, including the famous "[[Ice Bowl (NFL)|Ice Bowl]]" championship game in [[1967 Dallas Cowboys season|1967]]. After the network moved away from dedicated team announcers, Buck continued to call regional NFL action through [[1974 NFL season|1974]], as well as several [[NFC Championship Game]]s and [[Super Bowl IV]]. He also called the [[1965 Cotton Bowl Classic]] for CBS television and several later Cotton Bowl games for CBS Radio.

In [[1975 NFL season|1975]], Buck temporarily left his [[1975 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] baseball duties in order to host the [[NFL on NBC|NBC]] pregame show, ''[[The NFL on NBC Pregame Show#GrandStand (1975–1976)|GrandStand]]'', alongside [[Bryant Gumbel]]. In the [[1976 NFL season|1976]] and [[1977 NFL season|1977]] seasons, he called regional NFL play-by-play for NBC. On August 16, 1976, Buck called the first-ever NFL game played outside of the United States, a preseason exhibition between the [[1976 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|St. Louis Cardinals]] and [[1976 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]] held at [[Korakuen Stadium]] in Tokyo, Japan. (Buck also worked NBC's backup ''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week|Game of the Week]]'' during the [[1976 Major League Baseball season|1976]] baseball season before returning to the Cardinals full-time in [[1977 St. Louis Cardinals season|1977]].)

Buck served as the [[NFL on Westwood One Sports|CBS Radio]] voice of ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' (teaming with [[Hank Stram]]) for nearly two decades ([[1978 NFL season|1978]]–[[1984 NFL season|1984]] and again from [[1987 NFL season|1987]]–[[1995 NFL season|1995]] after CBS regained the radio rights from [[NFL on NBC Radio|NBC]]). Ironically, in 1970 ABC's [[Roone Arledge]] had asked via telephone about Buck's interests in becoming the first television play-by-play announcer for ''Monday Night Football'', but because of personal animosity surrounding his previous stint with the network, Buck would not return their phone call. (The television play-by-play role would go to [[Keith Jackson]] instead, and later to Buck's CBS colleague, [[Frank Gifford]].)

In addition to ''MNF'', Buck called numerous playoff games for CBS Radio, including 17 [[Super Bowl]]s (the most of any announcer). Buck also served as a local radio broadcaster for the football Cardinals in [[1980 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|1980]] and [[1981 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|1981]], and returned to calling Sunday NFL games for CBS television from [[1982 NFL season|1982]] to [[1987 NFL season|1987]].

Late in the [[1990 NFL season]], Buck's onetime CBS broadcasting partner, [[Pat Summerall]], was hospitalized with a [[bleeding ulcer]] after vomiting on a plane during a flight after a game, and was out for a considerable amount of time. While [[Verne Lundquist]] replaced Summerall on games with lead analyst [[John Madden]], Buck (who was at the time the network's lead [[Major League Baseball on CBS#1990–1993 version|Major League Baseball]] announcer) filled in for Lundquist, teaming with [[Dan Fouts]] to call two games (both of which coincidentally featured the Cardinals, who had moved from St. Louis to [[1990 Phoenix Cardinals season|Arizona]] by that time).

===Other sports===
While much better known for his baseball and football commentary, Jack Buck was also the original voice of the [[St. Louis Blues]] of the [[National Hockey League]]. Buck was paired with [[Jay Randolph]] and [[Gus Kyle]] on Blues broadcasts and covered the [[1968 Stanley Cup Finals]] for KMOX radio.

He was succeeded after [[1967–68 St. Louis Blues season|one season]] by broadcaster [[Dan Kelly (sportscaster)|Dan Kelly]]. Buck also broadcast for the [[St. Louis Hawks]] and [[Rochester Royals]] of the [[National Basketball Association]], and called [[professional wrestling]], [[boxing]], and [[bowling]] at various times in his career.

Showing his versatility, Buck also hosted the syndicated Top Star Bowling during the early 1960s.

===ABC and CBS baseball===
[[File:JackBuck.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Jack Buck (left) with [[Ralph Kiner]] at the [[1987 in baseball|1987]] [[Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] induction ceremony.]]
In {{baseball year|1960}}, Buck along with [[Carl Erskine]] broadcast a series of late-afternoon Saturday games on [[Major League Baseball season|ABC]].<ref>{{cite news|date=April 12, 1960|title=ABC Signs Erskine as TV Color Man|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press|page=C7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Can't Hide No-Hitter From Fans&mdash;Erskine|date=June 5, 1960|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=The Miami News|page=2C}}</ref> They were the lead announcing crew for this series, which lasted one season.<ref>{{cite news|date=January 1, 1961|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=Hartford Courant|title=No Major Changes Loom in TV Sports During 1961}}</ref>

Despite temporarily losing the ''Game of the Week'' package in [[1961 in baseball|1961]], ABC still televised several games in prime time (with Buck returning to call the action). This occurred as [[Roger Maris]]<ref>{{cite news|title=NETWORKS PLAN WIDE U.N. REPORT|date=September 19, 1961|first=Val|last=Adams|newspaper=The New York Times|page=71}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=ABC-TV to Film Tilt 154|date=September 19, 1961|newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> was poised to tie and subsequently break [[Babe Ruth]]'s regular season home run record of 60.

For a number of years Buck called baseball events nationally for the [[Major League Baseball on CBS Radio|CBS Radio]] network, teaming with [[Brent Musburger]] to call the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] in [[1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1976]] and with [[Jerry Coleman]] to call the [[National League Championship Series|NLCS]] from [[1979 National League Championship Series|1979]]–[[1982 National League Championship Series|1982]]. From [[1983 World Series|1983]]–[[1989 World Series|1989]], Buck variously teamed with [[Sparky Anderson]], [[Bill White (first baseman)|Bill White]], and [[Johnny Bench]] to call [[World Series]] radio broadcasts on [[Major League Baseball on CBS Radio|CBS Radio]], including appearances by the Cardinals in [[1985 World Series|1985]] and [[1987 World Series|1987]]. (As a Cardinals announcer, Buck had previously called the World Series in [[1968 World Series|1968]] (on [[Major League Baseball on NBC Radio|NBC Radio]]) and [[1982 World Series|1982]] (locally on KMOX).) Buck, along with his CBS Radio colleagues Johnny Bench and [[John Rooney (sportscaster)|John Rooney]], was on hand at San Francisco's [[Candlestick Park]] on October 17, 1989, when the [[1989 Loma Prieta earthquake|Loma Prieta earthquake]] hit. After the 6.9 magnitude quake rocked the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]], Buck told the listening audience:

{{blockquote|I must say about Johnny Bench, folks, if he moved that fast when he played, he would have never hit into a double play. I never saw anybody move that fast in my life.}}

He is most famous for his coast-to-coast radio call of [[Kirk Gibson]]'s [[Kirk Gibson 1988 World Series home run|game-winning home run]] in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 1 of the [[1988 World Series]] and his disbelief at Gibson knocking it out while hobbled by injuries to his right hamstring and left knee. His call of the play is so famous that it is sometimes played over the television footage of the play. The television call was handled by long-time Dodgers announcer [[Vin Scully]] on [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]].

This was Buck's call. It begins here with Buck speculating on what might happen if Gibson manages to reach base:

{{blockquote|... then you would run for Gibson and have [[Steve Sax|Sax]] batting. But, we have a big 3&ndash;2 pitch coming here from [[Dennis Eckersley|Eckersley]]. Gibson ''swings'', and a fly ball to deep right field! ''This is gonna be a home run!'' Unbelievable! A home run for Gibson! And the [[1988 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Dodgers]] have won the game, five to four; I don't believe what I just saw!}}

The last sentence is often remembered and quoted by fans. Buck followed it with,

{{blockquote|I don't ''believe'' what I just saw! Is this really happening, Bill?}}

Buck concluded his comments on Gibson's amazing feat with this thought:

{{blockquote|One of the most remarkable finishes to any World Series Game ... a one-handed home run by Kirk Gibson! And the Dodgers have won it ... five to four; and I'm stunned, Bill. I have seen a lot of dramatic finishes in a lot of sports, but this one might top almost every other one.}}

Buck was not intended to be the main play-by-play announcer for [[Major League Baseball on CBS#1990–1993 version|CBS]] baseball telecasts when the network acquired the sport from NBC and [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]]. Originally assigned to the network's #2 crew (and therefore, work with [[Jim Kaat]]), he was promoted at practically the last minute after [[Brent Musburger]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Rusnak|first=Jeff|date=April 6, 1990|title=Buck In Brent At Cbs|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-04-06/sports/9001010646_1_ted-shaker-two-cbs-executives-brent-musburger|newspaper=Sun Sentinel|access-date=2017-01-26|archive-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202025751/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-04-06/sports/9001010646_1_ted-shaker-two-cbs-executives-brent-musburger}}</ref>  was fired on [[April Fools' Day]] of [[1990 in baseball|1990]].

After two years of calling baseball telecasts (including the Saturday afternoon ''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week|Game of the Week]]'', [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], [[National League Championship Series]], and [[World Series]]), Buck was dismissed by CBS. The official reasoning behind Buck's ouster was that he simply had poor chemistry with lead analyst [[Tim McCarver]].<ref>[http://www.freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=781 Buck never could come to terms with emphasis on analysts in televised sports. He always believed that a good play-by-play broadcast is what the people wanted.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721095439/http://freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=781 |date=2006-07-21 }}, freeinfosociety.com; accessed April 3, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120713034136/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/68809378.html?dids=68809378:68809378&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+22,+1992&author=Jim+Baker&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=On+the+Air+Buck+out+but+not+down+at+CBS&pqatl=google I did get a nice note from Neal Pilson (CBS Sports head). And we did have a helluva World Series last year, didn't we?" One stated reason for the McDonough- for-Buck move was Buck and Tim McCarver didn't mix well on-air, that Buck's radio style didn't allow McCarver enough room. ...], pqarchiver.com/bostonheral, October 22, 1992.</ref><ref>[http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/DN/lib00185,0EB2A381065E8597.html The network that three years ago didn't even have a sports department is televising its first World Series. ... When McCarver was paired with Jack during CBS's World Series broadcasts in 1990-91, they weren't great together, primarily because Jack had been trained in radio. ...], newsbank.com, October 18, 1996.</ref>

Buck was soon replaced by [[Boston Red Sox]] announcer [[Sean McDonough]]. Buck later noted that "CBS never got that baseball play-by-play draws word-pictures. All they knew was that football stars analysts. So they said, 'Let McCarver run the show ... In television, all they want you to do is shut up. I'm not very good at shutting up." Buck was criticized by some for his alleged habit of predicting plays on air.<ref>[http://www.freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=781 Buck took a lot of criticism from national audiences, as well. Numerous critics pointed out his tendency of predicting plays on the air. This sometimes led to him making the wrong call, and confusing the listeners] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721095439/http://freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=781 |date=2006-07-21 }}, freeinfosociety.com; accessed April 3, 2018.</ref>

Buck made controversial statements about singer [[Bobby Vinton]] prior to Game 4 of the [[1990 National League Championship Series]]. After Vinton muffed the lyrics of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" in his home town of [[Pittsburgh]], Buck lightly referenced Vinton's [[Polish culture|Polish]] heritage ("Well, when you're Polish & live in Pittsburgh, you can do anything you want with the words!").<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-11-sp-3218-story.html Vinton, Buck apologize for Wayward Words]</ref> Buck soon got death threats from [[1990 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] fans, who even went as far as leaving a footprint on Buck's hotel pillow. The next day, [[CBS Sports]] executive producer Ted Shaker spotted Buck in the hotel lobby and told Buck that he was in trouble.

The final baseball play that Jack Buck narrated for CBS television was [[Gene Larkin]]'s game winning bloop single in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.

{{blockquote|The [[1991 Minnesota Twins season|Twins]] are going to win the World Series! The Twins have won it! It's a base hit! It's a 1–0 10th inning victory!}}

==Final years==
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2018}}
[[File:Jack Buck 9-11 Speech.jpg|thumb|300px|Video Replay on the scoreboard at [[Busch Stadium]] shown on the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks of Buck reading his ''For America'' poem at [[Busch Memorial Stadium]] before the first Cardinals game after the 9/11 attacks.]]
Over the course of the 1990s, Buck decided to reduce his schedule to calling only Cardinals home games (or 81 games a year unless there was a special occurrence). Health concerns played a factor in this, as Buck suffered from such ailments as [[Parkinson's disease]], [[Diabetes mellitus|diabetes]], requiring a [[Artificial pacemaker|pacemaker]], [[cataract]]s, [[sciatica]], and [[Vertigo (medical)|vertigo]]. Buck once joked, "I wish I'd get [[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's]], then I could forget I've got all the other stuff."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2001/05/07/the-spirit-of-st-louis|magazine=Sports Illustrated  |last=Reilly |first=Rick |title=The Spirit of St. Louis|date=May 7, 2001}}</ref> In 1998, the Cardinals dedicated a bust of Buck that showed him smiling with a hand cupping his left ear. In 1999, he lent his name to a restaurant venture called [[J. Buck's]], with the restaurant's name being shared with son Joe and daughter Julie.<ref>{{cite news|title=J. Buck's opens downtown St. Louis restaurant|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/06/18/daily22.html|work=St. Louis Business Journal|date=June 19, 2007|access-date=2013-01-06}}</ref>

In the final years of his life, Buck became recognized for writing poetry, culminating in national attention for his poem "For America", written after [[September 11 attacks|the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001]]. One of Buck's final public appearances was on September 17, 2001, at [[Busch Memorial Stadium]] in St. Louis. It was the first night that Major League Baseball resumed after the [[September 11 attacks|terrorist attacks]] of September 11. Sick with lung cancer and also showing the signs of Parkinson's disease, Buck looked frail and struggled to maintain his composure.<ref>[http://www.nesn.com/2010/02/top-10-motivational-sports-speeches-of-all-time.html Top 10 Motivational Sports Speeches of All Time], nesn.com, February 2010.</ref> He concluded by silencing critics who thought baseball had come back too soon: "I don't know about you, but as for me, the question has already been answered: Should we be here? Yes!"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beattie |first1=John |title=Jack Buck's Post-9/11 Poem 'For America' Fondly Recalled in Wake of Osama Bin Laden's Death (Video) |url=https://nesn.com/2011/05/jack-bucks-post-911-poem-for-america-fondly-recalled-in-wake-of-osama-bin-ladens-death-video/ |website=NESN |date=2 May 2011 |access-date=12 July 2018}}</ref>

==Death==
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2018}}
Jack Buck died on June 18, 2002, in St. Louis's [[Barnes-Jewish Hospital]] from a combination of illnesses. He had stayed in the hospital since January 3 of that year to undergo treatment for lung cancer, [[Deep brain stimulation|Parkinson's disease]], and to correct an [[intestine|intestinal]] blockage.

Within two hours of his death, fans were leaving flowers at the base of his bust outside [[Busch Memorial Stadium|Busch Stadium]] even though it was the middle of the night. The flags at [[St. Louis City Hall]] and the St. Louis County Government Center were lowered to half-staff, the local television news anchors all wore black suits for the next several days, and a public visitation was held in the stadium before the next baseball game after his death, with free admission to the game for all the mourners who filed past his coffin.

Buck was interred at [[Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery]] in south St. Louis County. His spot on the KMOX Cardinals broadcasts was subsequently filled by former [[Colorado Rockies]] announcer Wayne Hagin beginning in 2003. Hagin (who went on to the [[New York Mets]] after his stint in St. Louis) moved over to television for the 2006 season, and his spot was filled by one of Buck's protégés, former [[Chicago White Sox]] announcer [[John Rooney (sportscaster)|John Rooney]]. Rooney and Hagin had worked together on radio for the White Sox in the late 1980's and 1990's.

Buck's youngest son, [[Joe Buck|Joe]], read the eulogy at his father's church funeral. Jack Buck was married twice and had eight children in all; five daughters and three sons. Joe Buck was the lead play-by-play announcer for both [[Major League Baseball on Fox|Major League Baseball]] and [[NFL on Fox|the NFL]] on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]]. Joe Buck has also done occasional local telecasts for the Cardinals as well as commercials for a local automobile dealership. Jack and Joe Buck are also the only father and son to call play-by-play of Super Bowl telecasts. The pair bookended a 50-year championship drought for the [[Kansas City Chiefs]]; Jack having called Super Bowl IV (the Chiefs first SB victory), and Joe announcing the team's victory in [[Super Bowl LIV]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Sam Farmer |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-01-27/joe-buck-father-jack-super-bowl-broadcast |title=Joe Buck sees familiar tie with father, Jack, as he prepares for Super Bowl broadcast |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 27, 2020 |access-date=February 3, 2020}}</ref>

During postseason telecasts, Joe has often paid homage to his father by signing off with "We'll see you tomorrow night!". When the Cardinals won the [[2006 World Series]], Joe quoted his father again saying, "For the first time since {{wsy|1982}}, St. Louis has a World Series winner!", referencing Jack's line when the Cards won in 1982, "And that's a winner! That's a winner! A World Series winner for the Cardinals!". During the [[2011 World Series|2011 Series]], Joe punctuated [[David Freese]]'s 11th inning walk-off homer for the Cardinals in Game 6 with "We will see you ... tomorrow night!", near similar to the 1991 Puckett home run description, a call he said he did to celebrate his father.<ref name="FinalCalls">{{cite news|url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/dan-caesar/article_e5a0c71b-a5df-515f-9712-052a3953d13a.html|title=Joe Buck honors father in Series call|last=Caesar|first=Dan|date=28 October 2011|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|access-date=29 October 2011}}</ref> When the Cardinals won Game 7, he did not quote his father.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id=mlb&content_id=19959961&topic_id=25589992|title=Cardinals win 2011 World Series|date=October 28, 2011|access-date=October 29, 2011|work=MLB.com}}</ref><ref name="FinalCalls"/>

==Awards and recognition==
Buck received the [[Ford C. Frick Award]] for broadcasting from the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[1987 in baseball|1987]], and the [[Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award]] from the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in [[1996 NFL season|1996]].

The [[Missouri Sports Hall of Fame]] inducted Buck twice, as a media personality (1980) and Missouri sports legend (2000). The [[National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association]] named Buck as Missouri Sportscaster of the Year 22 times, and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1990. Buck was also inducted into the [[American Sportscasters Association]] Hall of Fame in 1990, the [[Missouri Athletic Club]] Hall of Fame in 1993, the [[National Radio Hall of Fame]] in 1995, and the [[NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame]] in 2005. The American Sportscasters Association ranked Buck 11th in its listing of the Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/top50sportscasters.html|title=ASA's Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time}}</ref>

Buck is honored with a star on the [[St. Louis Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/?view=achievement|title=St. Louis Walk of Fame Inductees|last=St. Louis Walk of Fame|publisher=stlouiswalkoffame.org|access-date=25 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031162946/http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/?view=achievement|archive-date=31 October 2012}}</ref>

A bronze statue of him was erected at the entrance to [[Busch Memorial Stadium]] in 1998 (and moved to a new location outside the current [[Busch Stadium]] in 2007).

A  section of [[Interstate 64 in Missouri|I-64/US-40]] in St. Louis is named the Jack Buck Memorial Highway in his honor.

In January, 2014, the Cardinals announced Buck among 22 former players and personnel to be inducted into the [[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum]] for the inaugural class of [[2014 St. Louis Cardinals season|2014]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Cardinals Press Release |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140118&content_id=66822534&vkey=pr_stl&c_id=stl |title=Cardinals establish Hall of Fame & detail induction process |publisher=www.stlouis.cardinals.[[MLB.com|mlb.com]] |date=January 18, 2014 |access-date=January 29, 2014  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126165854/http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140118&content_id=66822534&vkey=pr_stl&c_id=stl |archive-date=January 26, 2014 }}</ref>

The [[Jack Buck Award]], presented by the Missouri Athletic Club "in recognition of the enthusiastic and dedicated support of sports in St. Louis", is named in his honor.

==See also==
* [[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum]]
* [[List of St. Louis Cardinals broadcasters]]

==References==
;Footnotes
{{Reflist|3}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Buck|first=Jack |author2=Rob Rains |author3=Bob Broeg |author3-link=Bob Broeg |title=That's A Winner!|year=1997|publisher=Sagamore Publishing|location=Champaign|isbn=1-57167-111-0|oclc=36641485|ref=Buc97}}
* {{cite book|last=Garner|first=Joe|title=And The Fans Roared|year=2000|publisher=Sourcebooks|location=Naperville|isbn=1-57071-582-3|oclc=44509368|ref=Gar00}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* [https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/awards/frick/jack-buck Jack Buck] Ford C. Frick Award biography at the National Baseball Hall of Fame
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/tributes/mlb_obit_jack_buck.jsp MLB.com memorial page]
* [http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/memorial/stl/buck.html Jack Buck (1924–2002)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050222092650/http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/memorial/stl/buck.html |date=2005-02-22 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110828005207/http://statues.com/mrc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=147&Itemid=171 Jack Buck Wall of Fame]

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{{s-ttl|title=''[[Monday Night Football]]'' national radio play-by-play announcer|years=[[1978 NFL season|1978]]–[[1984 NFL season|1984]]<br />[[1987 NFL season|1987]]–[[1995 NFL season|1995]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=''[[NFL on CBS]]'' lead play-by-play announcer|years=[[1968 NFL season|1968]]}}
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{{succession box | before=[[Ray Scott (sportscaster)|Ray Scott]]| title=[[List of Super Bowl broadcasters|Super Bowl television]] play-by-play announcer<br />([[National Football Conference|NFC package carrier]]) |years=[[Super Bowl IV|1969]] | after=[[Ray Scott (sportscaster)|Ray Scott]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Studio host, ''[[NFL on NBC]]''|years=[[1975 NFL season|1975]] (with [[Bryant Gumbel]])}} 
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{{s-bef|before=[[Dizzy Dean]] and [[Lindsey Nelson]]<br />[[Vin Scully]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Lead ''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week]]''<br />television play-by-play [[List of Major League Baseball Game of the Week broadcasters|announcer]]|years=[[1960 Major League Baseball season|1960]] (with [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]]' [[Dizzy Dean]] and [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]'s [[Lindsey Nelson]])<br />[[1990 Major League Baseball season|1990]]–[[1991 Major League Baseball season|1991]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Dizzy Dean]] and [[Lindsey Nelson]]<br />[[Sean McDonough]]}}
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{{Major League Baseball on ABC}}
{{Major League Baseball on CBS}}
{{Major League Baseball on CBS Radio}}
{{Major League Baseball on NBC}}
{{St. Louis Cardinals HOF}}
{{St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame}}
{{1987 Baseball HOF}}
{{Ford C. Frick Award}}
{{Sports Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award}}

{{Authority control}}

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