View source for Skip Caray

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Short description|American sportscaster (1939–2008)}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Harry Caray Jr.|Harry Carey Jr.}}
{{Infobox person
| image = SkipCaray.PNG
| image_size =
| name  = Skip Caray
| caption =
| birth_name = Harry Christopher Caray Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1939|08|12}}
| birth_place = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2008|08|03|1939|08|12}}
| death_place = [[Rutledge, Georgia]], U.S.{{cn|date=December 2022}}
| occupation = [[Sportscaster]]
| years_active = 1967–2008
| spouse = {{married|Paula Caray|1976}}
| parents = [[Harry Caray]]
| children = [[Chip Caray|Chip]], Cindy, Shayelyn, and [[Josh Caray]]
}}

'''Harry Christopher''' "'''Skip'''" '''Caray Jr.''' (August 12, 1939 – August 3, 2008) was an American [[sportscaster]], best known for his long career as a radio and television [[play-by-play]] announcer for the [[Atlanta Braves]] of [[Major League Baseball]]. He was the son of baseball announcer [[Harry Caray]], and the father of [[St. Louis Cardinals]] play-by-play announcer and former fellow Braves broadcaster [[Chip Caray]]; another son, [[Josh Caray]], is the play-by-play announcer for the minor league [[Rocket City Trash Pandas]].<ref name="Karp">{{cite web|url=https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/sports/josh-caray-remembers-father-skip-caray-braves-harry-cubs-trash-pandas/525-74daba59-b04c-443a-9036-a636340e0eb2|title=Josh Caray remembers father Skip Caray, play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Braves|last=Karp|first=Jonah|date=June 18, 2021|work=Fox 54|access-date=August 11, 2022}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Skip Caray grew up in baseball as the son of [[Ford C. Frick Award|Hall of Fame]] broadcaster Harry Caray, who would routinely refer to his son at 8:30&nbsp;p.m. during every broadcast by saying, "Good night, Skippy", a phrase for which the younger Caray was teased throughout his adolescence.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 5, 2008 |title=Longtime voice of the Atlanta Braves |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-05-me-caray5-story.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

He studied television and radio at the [[University of Missouri]] where he received a degree in journalism, and was a member of [[Phi Gamma Delta]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Famous Fijis |url=http://www.phigam.org/page.aspx?pid=658 |access-date=15 July 2012 |website=Phi Gamma Delta}}</ref>  He began his career in St. Louis calling [[Saint Louis University]] and [[St. Louis Hawks]] basketball games. In 1968, Caray moved with the Hawks to Atlanta, where he also called [[Atlanta Flames]] hockey games and did morning sportscasts on [[WSB-AM]].

==Career==
===Atlanta Braves===
[[File:Skip Caray and Pete van Wieren 1983.JPG|thumb|right|Skip Caray and [[Pete Van Wieren]] acknowledging fans at a game in [[1983 Atlanta Braves season|1983]].]]
In [[1976 Atlanta Braves season|1976]], Caray was added to the broadcast team for the Braves, a position he held until his death.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Skip Caray |url=http://tbs.com/stories/story/0,,8460,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060405070343/http://tbs.com/stories/story/0,,8460,00.html |archive-date=2006-04-05 |website=TBS.com}}</ref> In September 2007, he was not asked to announce [[League Division Series]] games on [[Major League Baseball on TBS|TBS]], and was kept exclusive to the Braves as the team's broadcasts moved to local Atlanta station [[WPCH-TV]] (Peachtree TV, a direct descendant of the original WTBS). Caray felt slighted by the move.<ref>[http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/09/27/skip-caray-feels-snubbed-by-tbs/ Skip Caray Feels Snubbed by TBS]</ref>

Perhaps Caray's most memorable call was his description<ref>{{cite news |last=Morgan|first=Joe|date=August 4, 2008|title=Skip Caray: An Atlanta Braves Legend|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/43917-skip-caray-an-atlanta-braves-legend|work=Bleacher Report|location= |access-date=}}</ref> of [[Francisco Cabrera (baseball)|Francisco Cabrera]]'s game-winning hit in Game 7 of the [[1992 National League Championship Series]] against the [[1992 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]]. The game itself was ultimately decided on Braves first-baseman [[Sid Bream]] beating out Pirates left-fielder [[Barry Bonds]]' throw to home plate.

{{quote|Swung, line drive, left field! One run is in! Here comes Bream! Here’s the throw to the plate! He is...SAFE! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! Braves win!}}

Three years later, the [[1995 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] defeated the [[1995 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] in Game 6 of the [[1995 World Series]] to earn the city of [[Atlanta]] its first major professional sports championship. Caray called [[Marquis Grissom]] catching the final out in center field. 

{{quote|Swung, fly ball, deep left-center. Grissom on the run ... YES! YES! YES! The Atlanta Braves have given you a championship!}}<ref>{{Cite youtube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG2n8LkhzG8 |title=WS1995 Gm6: Caray Calls Final Out of Braves' WS Win |date=2018-01-18 |type=Television production |publisher=[[Major League Baseball]] |orig-date=Originally broadcast October 28, 1995 |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

According to ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]],'' Caray's calls of the 1992 pennant win and 1995 World Series win were "the two most iconic calls" in Braves history.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hummer |first=Steve |date=May 21, 2020 |title=1995 Braves: 'Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!' A championship call years in the making |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/1995-braves-yes-yes-yes-yes-championship-call-years-the-making/UnBDrO2Xfm4RXXbWXv5LVP/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |location=}}</ref>

Caray was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in [[2004 Atlanta Braves season|2004]] alongside long-time Braves broadcaster [[Pete Van Wieren]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Braves Museum and Hall of Fame |url=http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/atl/ballpark/museum.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030402171407/http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/atl/ballpark/museum.jsp |archive-date=2003-04-02 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> He has been recognized with six Georgia Sportscaster-of-the Year awards from the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, as well as a Georgia-area Emmy award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcers |url=http://www.abradionetwork.com/announcers.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928100912/http://www.abradionetwork.com/announcers.html |archive-date=2007-09-28 |website=Atlanta Braves Radio Network}}</ref>

On December 18, 2006, the Braves organization announced that Caray (and partner Van Wieren) had signed three-year contracts to continue doing Braves game broadcasts on their radio network. However, Caray only announced ten games on TBS in the [[2007 Atlanta Braves season|2007 season]] before being relegated to Peachtree TV.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tucker |first=Tim |date=2006-12-19 |title=TBS tuning out Skip and Pete |url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2006/12/19/1219bravesradio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061227180321/http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2006/12/19/1219bravesradio.html |archive-date=2006-12-27 |website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref>

On the final broadcast of ''[[Braves TBS Baseball]]'' (September 30, 2007), Caray thanked fans saying, "To all you people who have watched the Braves for these 30 years ... thank you. We appreciate you more than you will ever know. ... Thank you folks and God bless you. And we're going to miss you every bit as much as you miss us."

===NBC Sports===
In [[2000 in baseball|2000]], [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] hired Caray to do play-by-play with [[Joe Morgan]] on the [[2000 American League Division Series|AL Division Series]] between the [[2000 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] and [[2000 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]]. Caray was filling in for [[Bob Costas]], who sat out the Division Series after anchoring [[NBC Olympic broadcasts|NBC]]'s [[prime time]] coverage of the [[2000 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]] from [[Sydney]], [[Australia]].

===Other appearances===
On December 11, 1982, Caray along with [[Abe Lemons]] called the much hyped college basketball contest between [[Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball|Virginia]] and [[Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball|Georgetown]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Superstation Wtbs Fights Network Methods, Programs |author=Rothenberg, Fred |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eKwxAAAAIBAJ&pg=6912,4073406&dq=college+basketball+on+wtbs&hl=en |newspaper=Toledo Blade |date=22 July 1982 |access-date=21 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Awesome Basketball Game Spotlights Sampson-Ewing Confrontation |author=Richard, Chris |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Bu0cAAAAIBAJ&pg=2978,6161877&dq=college+basketball+on+wtbs&hl=en |newspaper=The Cavalier Daily |date=22 July 1982 |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref> (led by [[Ralph Sampson]] and [[Patrick Ewing]]<ref>{{cite news |title=The Biggest Showdown? |author=Meade, Peter |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aVcaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5191,5729411&dq=college+basketball+on+wtbs&hl=en |newspaper=The Times-News |date=8 December 1982 |access-date=21 June 2011}}</ref> respectively) for TBS. Caray also called play-by-play for the first two seasons (1990–91) of the [[TNT (American TV network)|TNT]] network's [[NFL on TNT#Sunday Night Football (1990–1997)|Sunday night NFL coverage]] as well as TBS' coverage of the [[NBA on TBS|NBA]] and [[College Football on TBS|college football]], and anchored TBS' coverage of the 1990 [[Goodwill Games]]. He made his motion picture debut in the 1985 movie ''[[The Slugger's Wife]]'', starring [[Michael O'Keefe]], [[Randy Quaid]] and [[Rebecca De Mornay]]. Caray frequently mocked his participation in the film on-air and referred to it as one of the [[worst movies ever made]], often saying that the actors in the movie probably watched it as the in-flight movie on their way back to Los Angeles. Caray was also the lead play-by-play man for [[The Baseball Network]]'s (a joint venture of [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]] and [[NBC Sports]] respectively) regional coverage of Braves games during that ill-fated experiment's two seasons ([[1994 Atlanta Braves season|1994]] and [[1995 Atlanta Braves season|1995]]) usually alongside the opposing team's secondary play-by-play man or color commentator.

==Broadcasting style==
Caray's broadcasts were characterized by his witty and [[sarcasm|sarcastic]] sense of humor, a personality trait that endeared him to most fans, but alienated him from some.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-10-18 |title=Hometown boys. |url=http://positivelyatlantaga.com/1999/10/18/hometown-boys/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Positively Atlanta Georgia}}</ref> For example, during a particularly long losing streak in the 1980s, Caray declared at the start of a game against the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], "And, like lambs to the slaughter, the Braves take the field".<ref>[http://www.rateitall.com/showitem.aspx?itemid=5752 rateitall] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927152439/http://www.rateitall.com/showitem.aspx?itemid=5752 |date=2007-09-27 }}</ref> Other frequent targets of Caray's jokes included the [[Montreal Expos]]' [[mascot]] [[Youppi]],<ref>[http://nationals.mostvaluablenetwork.com/musings/on-why-i-hate-those-braves/ Why I Hate Those Braves] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051230183054/http://nationals.mostvaluablenetwork.com/musings/on-why-i-hate-those-braves/ |date=2005-12-30 }}</ref> [[New York Mets]] fans, professional wrestling, The Wave, TBS baseball broadcast producer Glenn Diamond, and the post game [[B-movie]] frequently shown on [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]] during the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bradley |first=Mark |date=2008-08-10 |title=Truth be told, Van Wieren won't be having fun |url=http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/bradley/entries/2008/08/10/truth_be_told_van_wieren_wont.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080817162301/http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/bradley/entries/2008/08/10/truth_be_told_van_wieren_wont.html |archive-date=2008-08-17 |website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> In one instance, in order to get back at ''[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]'' columnist Ron Hudspeth for a critical column,{{citation needed|date=July 2016}} Caray paid to have an airplane tow a banner above [[Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium]] during a Braves game which read, "For a good time, call Rona Hudspeth", and included Ron's actual phone number.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Think you know Atlanta, huh? |url=http://www.thehudspethreport.com/hudscornerprevious02.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030416051835/http://www.thehudspethreport.com/hudscornerprevious02.htm |archive-date=2003-04-16 |website=Hudspeth Report}}</ref>

Among other memorable lines, Caray said of Braves pitcher [[Charlie Kerfeld]], who was 6'4" and 245&nbsp;lbs., "Boy, he is big enough to go to work." And during a losing streak, after talking about a promotion in which Braves fans could come on the field and meet the players, Caray commented, "The way things are going, we may make the fans go through a metal detector on the way to the field."

Caray was also known for his tendency to identify the hometowns of fans who catch foul balls during Braves games in jest. Fans who reside in the metro Atlanta area were identified by a random suburb, though there was no legitimacy behind these references. Similarly, when daytime home games went long, Caray would routinely give a "traffic report" at exactly 5 o'clock on radio broadcasts. It consisted of his rattling off a random list of major Atlanta arteries, and describing each one as hopelessly backed up.  When the Braves suffered a severely bad outing, and the score was strongly lopsided in favor of the other team, in late innings he would often tell fans "It's OK to walk the dog now, folks, if you promise to support our sponsors."<ref>''Of Mikes and Men'', Pete Van Wieren</ref>

In addition to his play-by-play duties, Caray also hosted a pre-game call in show on WSB until 2004.

==Criticism==
In June 2000, Caray, along with fellow Braves broadcasters [[Joe Simpson (baseball)|Joe Simpson]], Pete Van Wieren and [[Don Sutton]], were banned from Atlanta Braves team charter flights for several games after criticizing [[2000 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] catcher [[Javy López]] for being penalized for setting up outside the catchers box during a game against the [[2000 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]].<ref>[http://www.wndu.com/sports/062000/sports_2677.php wndu.com] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20010512235046/http://www.wndu.com/sports/062000/sports_2677.php |date=2001-05-12 }}</ref>

In an attempt to combat criticism of Caray's on-air "home team" bias and to market its baseball coverage to non-Braves fans, during the [[2003 Atlanta Braves season|2003 season]], TBS removed him and Pete Van Wieren from announcing Braves games on television. The move was strongly criticized by Braves fans, the local Atlanta media, and Braves manager [[Bobby Cox]].<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Brien |first=David |date=2003-03-26 |title=Cox shocked by Braves TV shakeup |url=http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/sports/braves/0303/27braves.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030413165851/http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/sports/braves/0303/27braves.html |archive-date=April 13, 2003 |website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> Over 90% of Braves fans who voted in an online poll conducted by the ''[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]'' preferred Caray and Van Wieren to the more neutral broadcasts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/sports/braves/0303/26tv.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 14, 2017 |archive-date=June 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070605062300/http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/sports/braves/0303/26tv.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The move backfired, and ratings for the TBS broadcasts declined sharply. After the [[2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Break]], Caray and Van Wieren were returned to the booth. They were taken off permanently in [[2007 Atlanta Braves season|2007]] with TBS hiring new broadcasters for their national [[MLB on TBS|playoff coverage]] under contract with the league later in the year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-07-08 |title=Skip and Pete Back In TBS Booth |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2003/7/7/38454/Skip--and-Pete-Back-In-TBS-Booth.aspx |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=www.chattanoogan.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Death==
On August 3, 2008, the Atlanta Braves announced that Caray had died at the age of 68. His wife, Paula, reported to ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]'' that on Sunday afternoon when she thought her husband was napping, she looked out the window and saw a bird feeder not hanging where it should be and thought it had been blown down by the wind. When she stood up, she noticed her husband lying on the ground next to the bird feeder.<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/04/caray_wife_death.html Caray's Wife Says He Collapsed While Feeding Birds] [[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]], August 5, 2008. Accessed August 5, 2008.</ref>  He had been suffering from failing health for nearly a year prior, but returned to work for the [[2008 Atlanta Braves season|2008 season]], calling a game on radio as recently as three days before his death.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tucker |first=Tim |date=2008-08-03 |title=Braves announcer Skip Caray dies |url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/skip_caray_dies.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080823022017/http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/08/03/skip_caray_dies.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab |archive-date=2008-08-23 |website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> Tributes to Caray were given on all of the Atlanta television stations that evening and on [[WGST (AM)|WGST-AM]] the next morning.<ref>[http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/Sports/Detail?contentId=7126706&version=18&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=6.1.1 myfoxatlanta.com (WAGA-TV) announcement of Skip Caray's death.] – accessed August 4, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.cbs46.com/sports/17082596/detail.html cbs46.com (WGCL-TV) announcement of Caray's death.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916112021/http://www.cbs46.com/sports/17082596/detail.html |date=2008-09-16 }} – accessed August 4, 2008.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Motorcyclists will ride in Georgia to raise money |url=http://www.wgst.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=122602 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920083002/http://www.wgst.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=122602 |archive-date=2008-09-20 |website=640 AM WGST}}</ref><ref>[http://www.wsbtv.com/news/17082387/detail.html wsbtv.com (WSB-TV) announcement of Caray's death.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822090853/http://www.wsbtv.com/news/17082387/detail.html |date=2008-08-22 }} – accessed August 4, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=119380&catid=40 11alive.com (WXIA-TV) announcement of Caray's death.] – accessed August 4, 2008.</ref>

Shortly after Caray's death, the Atlanta Braves began wearing a memorial patch on their uniforms that read "SKIP", which appeared on the sleeve opposite the "BEACH" patch honoring [[Jim Beauchamp]] that they had been wearing since the beginning of the 2008 season.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=114877885 Skip Caray Online Memorial]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081123000000/http://curtsmith.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/08/skip_caray_cables_first_baseba.html Skip Caray Cable's First Baseball Star]

{{Atlanta Braves broadcasters}}
{{Braves Hall of Fame}}
{{Major League Baseball on NBC}}
{{NFL on TNT}}
{{NBA on TNT}}
{{NBA on TBS}}
{{NBA on Mutual}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caray, Skip}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:American radio sports commentators]]
[[Category:American television sports commentators]]
[[Category:Television personalities from Atlanta]]
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[[Category:Atlanta Falcons announcers]]
[[Category:Atlanta Flames announcers]]
[[Category:Atlanta Hawks announcers]]
[[Category:College basketball announcers in the United States]]
[[Category:College football announcers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball broadcasters]]
[[Category:Minor League Baseball broadcasters]]
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[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
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[[Category:Radio personalities from St. Louis]]
[[Category:Radio personalities from Atlanta]]
[[Category:St. Louis Hawks announcers]]
[[Category:University of Missouri alumni]]