No Celebration Necessary

 

While worth nothing, I'm here to point out that I'm going to broadcast my 1,900th game tonight.

Yeehaw.

Waterford and Stamford take the field in the Babe Ruth 13U state tournament tonight at 7 p.m. As of now, I'm flying solo for the call.

Such numbers are notable, of course. It's an achievement. But it's not about me.

I know someone in the business who was all in on noting his reaching 900 broadcasts. I applaud him. It took over 40 years to get there but we all have our stories and our reasons. In my case, I'd prefer to have much more than 1,900 since I started counting in 1999.

I'll note when 2,000 gets here, just as I did upon reaching 1,000 seven years ago.

But, especially with age and wisdom, I know hope the number -- however many it is -- has included quality broadcasts. I'm hoping they were all quality, in fact. I'm not here to be a broadcast factory. I want each game to sound nuanced and professional. So the number is just a nice feather in the cap.

The other thing to keep in mind when crowing about quantity is that there will always be the person who wants to one-up. There are also the people who will count basically any time they walk into a stadium. Now, when counting, I don't include working the PA for the Renegades, for instance. It's a totally different skill set. 

So, yes, everyone has their own system of counting. But say you've done 100 games for 2024 and immediately someone will be saying how they've done 200 or whatever. It's all such a weird and egotistical thing.

I do marvel at 1,900 games because it's been a grind. I've worked with wonderful people and have watched amazing athletes. I love that I've been able to be the one to document the games.

It took years to finally get my professional play-by-play career off the ground and there have been some really dry spots along the way. But through hard work, I've been on the call for over 1,200 games in a little over a decade. 

Again, it feels like it should be more, but it's better than nothing.

As this Babe Ruth experience gets closer to the end, I am beginning to gear up for the Cal Ripken New England Regional coming this weekend in Oxford.

That means there will be more games, new experiences, and new stories to tell.

And more athletes who will be the stars.

That's why 1,900 isn't really that big of a deal.

No cakes are needed. No banners. 

I like cheesecake, for what that's worth.

Regardless of teasing a couple of people about this "milestone," the truth is my milestone is always the next one.

So bring on 1,901 tomorrow and so on.

I'll pause and raise a glass for 2,000 to take a moment to salute the many great people I've worked with.

But we'll deal with that when it arrives, hopefully in 2025.