The Gunner at his best

[Possum]

The Gunner at his best

This if for you kids who never had a taste of the Greatest Announcer in Pirates history. Enjoy it and accept it as Christmas gift from Possum.

[Bobster]

The Gunner at his best

This if for you kids who never had a taste of the Greatest Announcer in Pirates history. Enjoy it and accept it as Christmas gift from Possum.

I'm always curious as to what younger (or just less old) fans, who didn't get to hear Prince calling games, think of him. He had a gravelly voice and a style that was unique. In his day, he was labeled a "homer" for the Pirates but by today's broadcast standards, he would probably be less of homer than most announcers. He was smart and clever and funny, a great storyteller, but didn't try to steal the show from the action on the field. He loved nicknames for players but they were clever, as were his catch phrases. We knew an out by "a gnat's eyelash" was a very close play. A "home run in an elevator shaft" was a sky-high infield popup. A "bug on the rug" was a ball skipping past the OFers on the artificial turf. A "hoover" was a DP. And his HR call was a classic, "KISS IT GOODBYE!!!". These days we get the "B" material from Greg Brown like "trip, trip, triple" or "zip zap kazoo." Prince was an icon. He enhanced every broadcast. Those guys are few and far between.