"Professional" Announcer

Safe to say he's a professional, right?

I saw an interesting debate break out among members of a group I belong to tonight on Facebook.

It centered around the definition of a "professional."

Some defined it as "making money."

Others vehemently argued that it wasn't that simple.

Of course, in sports, the thinking is "professional" means the highest league, thus MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA, etc.

But...what about the minor leagues? And the even lower leagues? Are they all professional? See what I mean? It's a very deep answer.

For my, ahem, money, I was a professional play-by-play announcer the first day I called a game on WGCH. That would be April 10, 1999. I got paid for that and it aired on the radio. Boom.

Still, I could go back to 1995 when, while working for Kraft Foods, I became "The Voice" of the softball league I played in, broadcasting games (including one that I wound up playing in).

My point is I am committed to always being a professional in every broadcast. No matter how many laughs and goofs there might be, you're still (hopefully) going to walk away believing that you've just heard something of high quality. That's my goal every time.

However, I didn't start counting my list of games until that Port Chester/Greenwich baseball contest in 1999. I've let a few false starts since then help make up for the softball games that were called from 1995 on.

So, I suppose that being a professional is also a bit of a mindset as well. I like having that level of perfection in mind.

If I ever felt that I was putting on the headset to just be a hack then I'd rather call it a day.

It's so important to hear that the audience is satisfied. That's the mark of professionalism.

Plus, let's be honest, there are quite a few games that were done for a gift card, swag, or "thank you."

That's a whole different topic that would make the group in question's head explode.

Look, I've thought about visiting Mike Hirn in Ohio several times to call a few games and it could very well happen this summer. I look at it as a getaway. I don't immediately think of it as a money-making venture. But I know Mike. He'd make sure otherwise.

Regardless of that, I see my presence as bringing an expectation of a professional broadcast and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not showing up for laughs.

I don't see the only definition of being a "professional" announcer being a full-time job. It just isn't that simple.

The short answer is that you might be a pro when you've been paid to do so.

The real answer is more nuanced than that.

I know people who get paid to announce (public address/play-by-play/etc) who don't conduct professional broadcasts. 

So, yeah, as I said, this is not easy to answer.

A lot of context and depth are necessary.

But I'll take it to my grave that I don't have to worry about this debate.

I AM a professional.

The same group also posted a question about, to paraphrase, fighting through a broadcast due to some kind of pain. Yeah, I think it's safe to say I've got a few stories. Let's think of a few...

- Dangerous heat issues (a couple of times)

- Personal issues (beyond the basic "hard day at the office")

- Twisted my ankle so badly before a broadcast that I probably should have had it checked out but I called the game, limped for a while after that, and still feel occasional reminders of it.

- Got sick during a hockey game to where I could feel my voice slipping as I called it. But I finished the broadcast.

Just a few examples. I'm nothing special as we all have tails to tell.

So, yeah, to repeat, I'm a professional. I'm trained, have been paid for my duties, and am committed to my craft.

And I probably also should be committed for doing so but that's a different topic.

I Googled "professional announcer" and got this