Invariably, a name comes up every January, when Major League Baseball reveals the selections for its Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. It’s not Pete Rose or Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens or any other player with controversial issues who have so far surpassed his statistical achievements.
Jim Deshaies, a reliable pitcher for the Astros during his career, made baseball history in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility by earning just one vote. The fact that he received that one nod is pretty remarkable for a guy who was only the fourth arm in Houston’s rotation, and it has led to humorous references every winter.
Most of the humor is provided by Deshaies himself, who has since become a much-loved broadcaster in Houston and now Chicago. Although he had a much better career, Deshaies has become the Bob Uecker of his generation, as he has earned more respect in the broadcast booth than on the field.
Here are ten other names who have followed in Uecker’s footsteps, going from average careers as gamers to superstars as broadcasters.
Rick Manning
Winning a Gold Glove and enjoying a 13-year career are certainly valuable achievements, but Manning made an even bigger impression by covering games for the Cleveland team with whom he spent most of his career.
Bob Montgomery
He spent the ’70s rooting for Carlton Fisk behind the plate in Boston, and spent the ’80s behind the microphone announcing Red Sox games.
Geoff Blum
After hitting .250 during a fourteen-year career spent primarily in Houston, the versatile infielder became a popular voice for the Astros.
mike blowers
Seattle was the team he wielded most of his power for during his playing days, but he’s been even more successful as a broadcaster for the Mariners.
duane küiper
His only career home run in a twelve-year career came from Steve Stone, who, ironically, became as popular a broadcaster in Chicago as Kuiper is in San Francisco.
Buck Martinez
As a backup catcher for seventeen years, the Toronto announcer has now been in the booth nearly twice that long at Blue Jays games.
CJ Nitkowski
Texas hired the left-hander for commentary after spending 10 years as a reliever for eight different clubs.
Willie Bloomquist
A well-respected utility for fourteen years, he has certainly become a regular when Arizona games are on the air.
jeff huson
Colorado was not among the seven teams he played for in a twelve-year period, but the infielder has certainly felt at home as the voice of the Rockies.
Mike Shannon
As a regular third baseman, Shannon helped the Cardinals win three pennants in the 1960s, but has seen even more than three since he began announcing St. Louis games.
