They always watch games together. This year will be Baker's 50th with the Phillies, but for a time in 2020 he wasn't sure he'd make it to that milestone. All rights reserved. Ted sought out Baker, Dan, I loved your introduction when I came to bat. "It provides me with so much enjoyment. They asked me, How many games do you think you can do? I said 81! Thats what Im shooting for.. Baker never publicized his health issuesbecause he didnt want to be a source of sorrow for Phillies fans. But those treatments make Baker vulnerable to infection. T Pauses again. Payroll Table 2023 Contracts Active Multi-Year Summary Positional Spending Prospects The Future Free Agents 2023 Player Option Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Next day, Montanez walks up behind me on the field, taps me on the shoulder and with that big smile of his, says Montanez, Montanez., In the world of PA announcers in baseball, only two have had longer tenures, Pat Pieper, who worked 59 years for the Cubs (1916-74), and Bob Sheppard, a 57-year voice of the Yankees (1951-2007). He returned a year ago as eager and enthusiastic as ever. Before Baker was a PA announcer, he was a grade-school teacher in Philadelphia. After you have 24 surgeries and 30 radiation treatments, after a tumor is found in your right maxillary sinus, after you miss the 2020 season from all that, Baker will confirm, you feel especially blessed to still be at this. Eyewitness News sat down with the team's longtime public address announcer to talk about how he recently overcame cancer and reclaimed the microphone for his 50th Phillies season. Baker has not forgotten how he began his 50-year run. Because there are a lot of people that are confronted with more challenging health issues than me. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. I wouldnt trade it for anything. If anybody ever stopped me and said, Oh, you got a bad break. No. The Phillies felt it was important that he was visible, just not a voice that was heard out of stadium speakers. Phillies PA announcer Dan Baker talks . It might be wishful thinking, but goshdarnit its a goal, and Im going to try to achieve it, if the Phillies will have me," he said. Youre there to provide a service. / CBS Philadelphia. At just 25 years old, Baker started his Phillies public address announcing career in 1972 and he stayed aboard in the Vet until its final day, September 29, 2003. When Choate was 18 and headed for college, he wrote his idol a letter. My gosh. If youve got like a mission in life, it really helps to motivate you and you can put aside any aches and pains or health issues. I'm actually a Philadelphia native having moved to Mt. Subscribe to the Phillies Talk podcast:Apple Podcasts|Google Play|Spotify|Stitcher|Art19|Watch on YouTube, Dan Baker, the 'Voice of CBP,' back where he belongs. And when he can summon cheers with the sound of his own voice Its music to my ears, Baker said of the roars that still accompany a lifes work. After the 2009 retirement of the New York Yankees' Bob Sheppard, Baker became the longest-tenured PA announcer in Major League Baseball. Ephraim, N.J., with my family at the age of 7 in 1954. For the first time in his life, Choate was sitting in the stands at a home Phillies game and Dan Bakers voice did not fill the ballpark. Get box score updates on the New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies baseball game. Is he gunning for Pieper? Baker salaries in St. Louis County, MO can vary between $15,500 to $45,500 and depend on various factors, including skills, experience, employer, bonuses, tips, and more. He helped Baker land an interview. Justin Choate, left, with Dan Baker. "They let me know, whenever Im ready, and for however many games I think Im capable of announcing, theyd be glad to have me. The Philadelphia Phillies honored Baker for 50 years of service as the franchises PA announcer Friday in a ceremony where he to no surprise of anyone that has ever met him talked as much about his love for his family and the team as he did about himself. "I had a wound vac coming out of my head, a tube coming out of my head, a PICC line in my arm, and a feeding tube in my stomach. Baker has been the public address announcer for the Philadelphia Phillies since 1972 and was the public address announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985 to 2014. But that is for the fans as opposed to doing something that maybe helps somebody else in a more concrete way. The average salary for a baker in St. Louis County, MO is $29,000 per year. Press the red button and his recognizable voice blares throughout the ballpark. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Phillies public address announcer was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. As the world inches toward normalcy in 2021, Phillies games are being played in front of fans again. Many people ask about the amount of money Dan Baker (PA announcer) makes from Instagram. When he hired me, he said it was important to get it right and I immediately told him, Bill, if you hire me, Ill be the quickest and most accurate scoreboard operator in baseball, and for 32 years I was.. Baker learned the ballclub was considering making a change as the PA voice following the 1971 season, the first at Veterans Stadium. Find out more. But this is my sixth World Series.. PA Announcer Dan Baker Set to Celebrate 50 Years as Voice of Philadelphia Phillies During 2022 MLB Season - Sports Illustrated Inside The Phillies Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Dan. Dan Baker has been the public address announcer at Citizens Bank Park for a generation. The all-time list in his profession is topped by Pat Pieper, who worked the Wrigley Field PA system for the Cubs for 59 seasons, from 1916-74. He missed only six games last month. For the past half century, Phillies fans have heard one voice at the ballpark. Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for any inconvenience., That was an ad-lib, but I cleared it [with the Phillies]. Baker added: To be able to have a position like this in an organization that you love, that stands by you, and youre happy to be there, it is just the best. Phils Third Rounder Gabriel Rincones Jr. Bet On Himself On Path From Scotland, As Aaron Nola Puts Together Excellent Season, Long-Term Deal Should Be On The Radar Of The Phillies, Malvern Prep Grad Jordan Dissin Excited For Surreal Opportunity With Hometown Phillies, With Eflin Uncertainty, Starting Pitching Sounds Like The No. Phillies' Dan Baker Discusses Battle With Cancer Ahead Of 50th Year As Public Address Announcer Phillies' Dan Baker Discusses Battle With Cancer Ahead Of 50th Year As Public Address Announcer 4/8/2022 2:25:00 PM Dan Baker told CBS3 he has no plans to retire any time soon. "Its baseball, you know? First, though, Bill Giles would make another assignment. Dan, bench players dont seem to get the same enthusiastic announcement. Dan Baker, the longest-tenured public address announcer in Major League Baseball, is back behind the mic at Citizens Bank Park after a battle with cancer. Many thanks to him. Normally the ad cost for an Instagram ad post is based on the number of followers on the account. I cant talk quite as well as I could before, but I can get darned close.. I think I still enunciate pretty well even with the physical changes in my mouth., READ MORE: Kyle Schwarber is the perfect leadoff hitter for this magical Phillies team. Im very very fortunate. Andrew Painter punches out one, teeters on triple digits in spring debut, Tim McCarver, former Phillie and longtime broadcaster, passes away, Phillies Nation Podcast: Impressions from a lively Clearwater with Destiny Lugardo, Kevin Stocker receives multi-year deal to work in radio booth with Scott Franzke. They all get crazy. After writing letters to the Phillies and chatting with club officials, he landed an interview with Bill Giles, then the teams vice president, business operations. 10, catcher J.T. Im 76, so theres not too many people older than me in the ballpark. He underwent a 24-hour surgery to remove a tumor in his sinus in mid-August. And in the sport all about records, Baker wants to break the all-time record for most seasons as a public address announcer in baseball history. Dan Baker (born September 22, 1946) is an American public address announcer best known for many years as the voice of Veterans Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He has covered the team since 2010 while at The Philadelphia Inquirer, including a yearlong pause from baseball as a reporter on the city desk. AADOM Radio-THE Podcast For Dental Managers podcast episodes, Risk and Reels: A Cybersecurity Podcast podcast episodes, All About Affordable NFTs podcast episodes, We Are The Gayers | A Buffy Podcast podcast episodes, The Lorehounds: A Mandalorian Podcast podcast episodes, The Not Ready for Prime Time Podcast podcast episodes, The Movie Roulette Podcast podcast episodes, I Watch More Movies Than You podcast episodes, The House That Screams Horror Podcast podcast episodes, Weird, Together: Watching the Latest in Indie Horror Films podcast episodes. "During the course of my illness Jeff, it was an inspiration for me to try to get back here and work hard, and get back doing the job that I love. A cancerous tumor in his cheek put his career and his health at risk, something he thought about often on his road to recovery. He has 11 to go. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. There are certain names that lend themselves to a more melodic interpretation, Baker said. Opening Day has Baker excited. Baker says his understanding is that hes one of three PA announcers in MLB history to work 50 or more years for one franchise. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Re-al-muto!, Thats what you live for, Baker said. [6] At these appearances, Baker announces the game over the sports bar's PA system in exactly the same fashion as he would if he was announcing an actual Phillies home game. One time Rob Ducey, a really nice person, approached me. Seated next to Baker was the scoreboard director, Chris Wheeler. I felt bad, Baker said. There was no roar from the crowd, except for a dozen-or-so diehards that peered through the iron center field gates on step-stools to . Four years earlier, Baker graduated from Glassboro State College with a degree in Junior High School education. Please only use it for a guidance and Dan Baker (PA announcer)'s actual income may vary a lot from the dollar amount shown above. Were so lucky, those of us who have the privilege to play a part, even in a small way, to play a part in the game.. He says he hopes to continue as the team's public address announcer for another 10 years. With the move to Citizens Bank Park, the scoreboard and public address jobs became separate roles. Who knows, he wrote, maybe someday a kid will grow up pretending to be Justin Choate, and thanks to Dan, Ill know exactly how to handle it. Years ago, Baker told Choate he would not be surprised to hear him announcing for a Philadelphia team one day. First published on April 8, 2022 / 7:24 AM. On occasion, hes gotten feedback from Phillies players. On May 7, 2014, the Eagles announced that Baker would no longer serve as their public address announcer, citing that they decided to make a change in the role. I dont want them to feel a sense of sympathy, necessarily. And he, of course, moved with the club to Citizens Bank Park where hes continued to bring his crystal clear, energetic delivery to millions of fans since 2004. The cardinal sin for a PA announcer is to mispronounce a name, he cautions. Or write about sports? 27, Willie McCovey. I was embarrassed. If you speak too fast, the fans wont understand what you are saying.. Baker opened his remarks by saying, "Now batting for the Phillies, No. They were played in front of 45,000 empty seats. But the main thing that was the most important to him was someone who knew baseball and could also operate the in-progress scoreboard along with doing the PA balls, strikes, outs, runs, hits, errors. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Legendary Phillies PA announcer Dan Baker joined us on the show this morning to talk about his legacy and favorite moments throughout his career. It hasnt happened yet. Theyre terrific young people. In conversation, put it at 97%. Choate, a few months ago, authored an essay to commemorate Baker on reaching 50 years with the Phillies. When the Phillies moved to Citizens Bank Park, the same routine would apply pregame and in-game. I know we arent the big names, but we should get equal treatment. I really didnt think I did it, but was appreciative of the feedback. Andrew Baker. Thats certainly not to say he didnt miss being at the ballpark. I picked up the phone, Choate said, and it was just that, Hello Justin, this is Dan Baker. My jaw dropped. They have been friends for 12 years now. Dan Baker, longest tenured PA announcer in Major League Baseball, on the field at Citizens Bank Park before . Dan Baker (born September 22, 1946) is an American public address announcer best known for many years as the voice of Veterans Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia . For me, what I do, is on full display and I just love doing it. The Phillies have only been to eight.. Its his job to hear things at the ballpark others do not. "It's kind of a way of life," Baker said. It's actually a myth about how to make money on Facebook Dan Baker (born September 22, 1946) is an American public address announcer best known for many years as the voice of Veterans Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. People groaned. Then the red button: Now batting, No. (87-75, 3rd place in NL East). There were 8,800 fans there, and they sounded like 30,000!. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Public address pro Dan Baker is ready to celebrate what will be his 50th season of Phillies baseball. We sat right behind Bobby Abreu. 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