NorthEast Radio Watch 9/16/2024: Big Plays in Play-by-Play

In this week’s issue… Sterling returns, Castiglione retires – Bruins, Knicks name new voices – WNYC celebrates centennial, cuts jobs – Corey’s new Canadian gig – Rock moves in VT – Zandy returns to PRO-FM 

By SCOTT FYBUSH

*For an entire generation of Boston Red Sox fans, the voice of Joe Castiglione has been a constant companion for some of the team’s best moments, including that magical night in 2004 when he called the toss-out at first that ended an 86-year World Series drought.

At 77, he’s had the privilege of calling three more Series wins since then, has been inducted into the Mass Broadcasters Hall of Fame (photo below), and over the summer he received the Ford Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Now he’s getting ready to step away from the WEEI broadcast booth.

During Sunday’s game against the Yankees, Castiglione took a break from the action to tell listeners he’s decided the end of this season is the right time.

“After 42 years and some 6,500 games, I think its time to hang up the microphone, at least on a regular basis,” Castiglione announced, saying he’ll stick around as a Red Sox team ambassador and may return to the booth now and again.

His run with the team, which started in 1983, is the longest in Red Sox history – and we’re pretty sure that of all active local MLB announcers, Castiglione has called more World Series wins than anyone else.

For WEEI and network listeners, the transition into retirement has already been underway; last season, Castiglione cut back to an 81-game season that’s kept him mostly on home games. Will Flemming, Sean McDonough and a team of broadcasters have been helping with coverage, and that gives the Sox a deep bench to pick from as they figure out what a radio future without Castiglione will sound like.

*The voice of the Sox’ AAA farm team won’t be moving up to the big leagues, at least not in baseball. Tyler Murray, who’s spent three seasons with the Worcester Red Sox, just landed his own major league job, but his will be in the NBA, replacing Ed Cohen on New York Knicks radio broadcasts (now on WHSQ 880 in New York) and doing some fill-in for Knicks TV on MSG as well.

And there’s a new big-league hockey job for one of radio’s very good guys. With Judd Sirott’s move from Bruins coverage on WBZ-FM (98.5 the Sports Hub) to replace Jack Edwards on the NESN TV broadcasts, Ryan Johnston has finally landed the top radio job for the Bs.

The Syracuse University graduate has worked his way up steadily through the radio ranks, calling minor-league games in Lowell for the Lock Monsters and Devils, programming and hosting afternoons on WCAP (980), doing fill-ins and weekends on the Sports Hub and calling college hockey on NESN.

*Remember how we said Joe Castiglione has called the most Series wins of any “active” local radio announcer? We may need to put an asterisk there, because the former holder of that record is making at least a temporary return to the booth. John Sterling called five wins for the Yankees during his 36 years with the team before his abrupt retirement in April. Now he’s coming back to the Yankees to call postseason games, reportedly accepting an offer that originated with Audacy, which has the radio rights for the Yankees on WFAN (101.9/660).

At 86, Sterling’s return has prompted some controversy in New York sports circles, with some fans complaining that he’s stepping on the three-man team that’s been filling in on games all season, Justin Shackil, Rickie Ricardo and Emanuel Berbari. Instead of taking the lead for the postseason, they’ll be sidelined in favor of Sterling and his longtime partner Suzyn Waldman.

While Sterling’s retirement was said to have been prompted in part by a desire to stop traveling, the plan appears to be to have him and Waldman in the booth both home and away for however long the Yankees survive in the postseason. And whether that’s a quick one-and-done series or a longer stretch, it’s still likely to be the last time that Sterling, now 86, is in the booth for the team.