As we transition to the end of the college basketball season and into the start of baseball, I was lucky enough to interview veteran play-by-play man Tom Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton is the “Voice of the Indians” during baseball season and also lends his great enthusiasm to the Big Ten Network during basketball season. He currently is out in Arizona with the Indians for spring training now that the basketball season has ended for him, and was gracious enough to grant some time to answer questions over the phone about how he got started, trading off from baseball to basketball, and his famous home run calls.
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Mike Seaman: How did you get your start into sports broadcasting?
Tom Hamilton: Well, I was just like any other kid growing up. I dreamed of playing professional sports but I wasn’t good enough to play at that level, so I thought the next best thing for me was to get involved in broadcasting.
MS: Did you play sports in high school?
TH: Oh yeah, I played the three major sports.
MS: In some of my discussions and reading about other broadcasters, many talk about catching a “big break.” Did you have one of those moments or was yours more of a natural progression?
TH: I worked my way up through the ranks. I started with high school football, basketball, and baseball; worked with Legion ball; then worked with Class A. I was then lucky enough to get into Big Ten football, and when I got to Columbus, I worked with the Triple A team, which I think is a prerequisite for anyone to get to the Major Leagues.
MS: You spend the spring, summer, and early fall calling games for the Indians on the radio, and then switch to TV for the Big Ten basketball season. How hard is the transition from radio to TV?
TH: You need to have the ability to stay flexible, because you never know when any of us are going to be out of work and looking for a job. So the key is to keep yourself flexible. But I really like the college game and it’s fun to be able to do that. It’s definitely different to call games on radio compared to TV. The key in TV is having a good analyst because TV really does the play-by-play with the video, graphics, and scoreboard that are constantly being shown. Radio is a play-by-play medium, and I like it in that aspect because it’s more challenging. But I like doing basketball; it’s a nice change of pace.
MS: When you’re calling baseball games, you are working with the same analyst almost every game, but in basketball, you’re working with someone different each night. Is it hard to develop that rapport with someone you are not as familiar working with?
TH: No question; it’s always easier working with someone that you are familiar with because you develop that familiarity and comfort level with them, so it certainly makes it easier. But it’s also fun to work with different analysts because it’s more of a challenge for me because you’re not working with them on a daily basis. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the same people for several years, and it really helps develop that comfort zone.
MS: Speaking of this time of year, your attention has turned to the Indians. Do you still get a chance to follow what’s left of this basketball season?
TH: Oh yeah, I do. That’s the hard part, though; you spend all this time with basketball and then you have to leave at the most exciting time of the year for the basketball season. But I enjoy being out here for spring training, and that’s the trade-off, knowing you’re going to leave every year at this time. But I certainly do pay attention to what’s going on in basketball in March.
MS: What was your reaction a couple of years ago when they had Tom Hamilton bobblehead night at Jacobs Field (now Progressive field)?
TH: I remember it was a really nice day, very humbling; I was very appreciative. It’s one of those things that just kind of happened; it’s not something that you get into broadcasting for is to have your own bobblehead night. But it was a nice night, and we all had a lot of fun with it.
MS: Did you keep one of your bobbleheads?
TH: My family has one in the house, but it’s not something I want to see above my mirror each day.
MS: I have one last question. You have become known for your famous home run calls; was that something planned or did those calls naturally happen?
TH: I couldn’t tell you when I started calling home runs like that, and I don’t call all home runs the same because quite frankly, I’m surprised when a ball goes out. It’s a disservice to the audience if you’re waiting for a home run to be hit, because then it becomes more about you then the game. But it was probably mostly a by-product of those mid-90’s teams; they hit so many no-doubt-about-it home runs that it probably became so repetitive for me to call them. That was a fun team that hit a lot of long home runs that you were sure were gone right when the ball hit the bat.
Mike:
ReplyDeleteGreat scoop to get Tom Hamilton in an interview. He is the consummate broadcast professional.
A few years ago, I attended the Indians press tour in Columbus. Most Tribe fans were there to meet the players and get a few autographs. Instead, I ventured over to meet Tom Hamilton, who was the MC for the night. I was fortunate enough to speak with him and shake his hand. The line waiting to speak with Hammy was longer that the line to meet the other “celebrities”. Most of the Tribe fans thanked Tom for bringing great excitement to the broadcasts, creating such memorable moments, and channeling his energy to bring pure enjoyment to the game of baseball. With all those accolades, Tom was very humble throughout the night.
He has the greatest job in the world and is the best in the business. In my next life, I want to be Tom Hamilton.