Harry Caray

Harry Caray is one of the most well known baseball announcers of all-time, and he had a unique personality, style and flair all to his own. He ended his career with a 16 season stint as the voice of the Chicago Cubs on WGNTV, lasting from 1982 through 1997. During which time, WGN became one of the first nationally broadcast cable stations, and Caray was brought into the homes of millions of Americans all throughout the career. Here is a retrospective on his life and career.

Harry Caray began his broadcast work with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1945, and he stayed there through the 1969 season. After this he was replaced by his partner in the broadcast booth, Jack Buck. During his tenure with the Cardinals, Caray wielded great influence, and helped really grow the Cardinals brand. He was there to broadcast three World Series on NBC, in 1964, 1967 and 1968.

He then made a brief stopover with the Oakland Athletics, where he only stayed for one season before he was fed up and moved to the Chicago White Sox for the 1971 season. He stayed with the White Sox for 11 seasons, overseeing such infamous events as the Disco Demolition Night fiasco, where he tried to calm the crowd down when the fans stormed the field.

How did he try to calm them down? By singing "Take me out to the Ball Game",a 7th inning tradition that Caray is largely responsible for popularizing and continuing. He sung the tune to and with the home crowd every game, and he would eventually bring the tradition with him to the Chicago Cubs, when he joined the team in 1982 on WGNTV.

Another Harry Caray tradition, so to speak, that really begun taking foot in Chicago with the White Sox was his real honesty and outspoken nature. This meant he would criticize players pretty easily, and always voice his opinions. This made him not always the most popular of individuals, but he was beloved by most of the fans nonetheless. In addition to these aspects of his broadcasting, and his singing of Take me Out to the Ball Game, one of Caray's additional famous phrases is, "Holy Cow!"

And so Harry Caray moved to the Cubs and WGNTV, owned by the team, in 1982, and quickly became the voice of the franchise, even in taking over for another legend, Jack Brickhouse. Caray continued his Take me Out to the Ball Game tradition here, and the fans ate it up. So much so, that to this day of course at every Cubs home fans, a guest gets his turn to sing Take Me out to the Ball Game in front of the crowd, but few can ever live up to the billing of Caray himself.

Away from baseball, Caray also had his ups and downs in his life. Ultimately, he was married three times and had five children. He became more infamous than famous to a younger generation with Saturday Night Live cast member Will Ferrell played an older, perhaps somewhat drunk or just very out there Caray. However, it was borne from respect and adulation, and Caray is still looked on very fondly by not only Cubs fans, but baseball fans everywhere.

His son Skip and his grandson Chip have both been prominent broadcasters. Skip was with the Atlanta Braves, while Chip was a broadcaster with the Cubs after Caray's death, staying with the club from 1998-2004. Caray died on February 18, 1998, at the age of 78 years old from cardiac arrest. Sammy Sosa attended Caray's funeral, along with many other notable Cubs and other Chicago sports scene members.

Caray was of course also a famous Budweiser drinker, and had a commercial at one point that was all about Caray being a Bud man and a Cub fan, and featured him dancing around in a suit with some music in the background. He was certainly one to have a good time and to enjoy life, and he wanted to try to make others do the same. He was also unabashed with his opinions and belief, and was if nothing else, always completely true to himself. He was also known as the Mayor of Rush Street, an area of Chicago dominated by bars and pubs and Cubs fans.

Harry Caray has a great legacy that will continue to last for years and generations to come. His statue stands outside the bleachers of Wrigley Field, and perhaps that's where he would have liked it best, with the real fans and the rowdy folks, enjoying a few cold beers on a hot summer day. You can see his caricature above the broadcast booth and various places around Wrigley Field. From his famous sayings and unique style, to his long tenure in the booth and much more, for many people Caray will always be the true voice of the Chicago Cubs.

Shop Chicago Cubs Merchandise and Memorabilia