Pat Hughes

[A New Era]

 

Does WGN have a mic on the field to pick up the ball hitting the bat or glove? How do they work that?

 

That is actually Pat simulating the sound himself.

 

Yeah, cause he's so good. He can even do it SIMULTANIOUSLY talk while doing the sound effects too!!

[Wilson A2000]

Hughes' work has earned him the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year award in 1996, 1999, and 2006 I found out

[dew1679666265]

Pat is the best pbp guy i've ever heard (Note: I haven't heard a whole lot..but still, he's great)

 

Ron and Pat make such a great combo. Ron is a total homer, and pat plays off it so well while still being able to be a level-headed announcer. I love pat! :lol:

 

Did you ever hear Harry when he was alive? Pat isn't as disoriented as Harry was some days, but you haven't heard a baseball game called unless you heard it called by Harry Caray and Steve Stone.

 

No, I didnt. At least, not that I remember. I watched Cubs games before 98...but it wasn't until 1998 and the HR Race that I really got into baseball. I wish I would have gotten to hear them.

 

Some of the more weathered Cub fans on the board may disagree because they have more listening experience than I do, but Harry and Steve are by far the best sportscasting duo I've ever heard - perhaps in any sport.

Again, I'm only 24 so I have limited experience, but I thought incredibly highly of Harry and Steve.

[dew1679666265]

I agree that Hughes is great at always keeping you informed.

 

This reminds me of a few times that I have seen a Sox game, and when the game is going bad for the them, Hawk Harrelson will litterally sulk, and not talk for minutes at a time....pretty pathetic if you ask me.

 

Don't take this as a defense of Hawk Harrelson at all because I can't stand him, but it's not as important to keep the listener informed on TV as it is radio. It's more purely about entertaining on TV since the audience can watch the action.

I do hate the way he sulks when things go bad, though.

[A New Era]

I've heard Harry and Stone. I'm 30 now. And I can tell you, me becoming a diehard cubs fan has as much to do with the magic of listening to Harry Carrey and Steve Stone as it did with the few speckled games my dad brought me to.

 

"Hello again everybody, this is Harry Carrey and welcome to baseball on WGN. It's a wonderful day for baseball". .

 

Or somethin like that. :lol: :wink:

[VanceJergins]

If it weren't for Pat, I would probably get annoyed by Ron. But since you have Pat, Ron makes the games very entertaining. Pat lets you know whats going on and Ron cheers and grunts. I like throwing a fit when the Cubs do something stupid and having Ron throwing a fit along with me in the booth.

[Outshined_One]

I found a website today that streamed the Cubs' radio broadcast of the game. It made me feel at home. :D

 

My personal favorite moments are always walkoffs.

 

Pat: Barrett hits a drive, deep to left field...

Ron: Go!

Pat: FAIR BALL!

Ron: YES!!!!

Pat: Lee's rounding third!

Ron: COME ON!!! COME ON!!!! GO!!!!!!

Pat: Here's the throw!

Ron: GOOOOOOOOOOO!

Pat: Lee slides!!!

Ron: AUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!!!!

Pat: HE'S SAFE! HE'S SAFE!! CUBS WIN!! CUBS WIN!!!!

Ron: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!!!! *Goes bananas*

[VanceJergins]

Haha, Ron at his finest.

[Flames24Rulz]

The 2003 playoffs with Hughes and Stone on the radio was as good as it gets.

[kujay]

Yeah I miss Stoney. Last year I would watch random games on ESPN only because he was doing the color.

 

MLB Gameday Audio makes my afternoons in the office very enjoyable, listening to Pat do his thing.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

I became a Cubs fan the summer of 82 when we finally got cable. I was able to watch the Cubs and Braves at that time and that was it. Both teams were really bad, but Harry made the games so much fun. As I got older I really came to appreciate what Steve brought with him. Harry though is why I am a Cubs fan and even more a baseball fan.

 

Pat and Ron are the same way. Its like going to a game with friends.

[RynoRules]

I just wish that at critical junctures in the game Ron would remember not to step all over Pat. I just want to hear what happened and then Ron can be as emotional as he wants. Other than that bit of nit-picking, I enjoy them, and actually have heard Ron make some decent observations this year.

[fibro]

I think Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall were great together I was young at the time but I would put them with Steve and Harry.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The "Pat and Ron Show" schtick has gotten so out of control that I find it almost unlistenable anymore. We get it, you guys like to have cute banter, now can we please not go three pitches without being told if any was a ball or strike?

 

Pat used to be great, and even a few years ago he could bring Ron up and make the broadcast great. He's now sunk to Ron's poor level.

[Coach C]

Who else are classic announcers?

 

Ernie Harwell

Vin Scully

Milo Hamilton

Jack Brickhouse

 

I may be in the minority, but Denny Matthews for the Royals, to me, is a classic. He doesn't do what most broadcasters do, basically ramble on about their personal lives and all. He just broadcast the game how he sees it.

[Tracer Bullet]

My son and I drive all over the country listening to CUBS games on the XM radio. As most of you know, XM broadcasts only the home team's announcers, so when the CUBS are on the road, we have to listen to the other team's guys. Some of them are good, others not so good...... but invariably it will happen a couple times a game that a crucial play takes place and the announcer will react to the play, but he'll never describe it. I look at my son and say "What just happened there ?", and all he can do is shrug his shoulders. This absolutely NEVER happens with Pat Hughes. He describes every singele play succintly and timely. He never leaves me wondering what the hell is going on. I salute Pat Hughes for the job he does. He ranks up there with the best of all time, and that's not idle praise coming from a guy that grew up listening to Jack Quinlan & Lou Boudreau.

 

The 7th inning stretch guests in the booth are a distraction, to be sure. Pat misses relating a few pitches while the guests are in the booth..... but when the ball in put in play, you will always hear about it.

 

Pat will also tell you what jerseys and hat color (and even the brim of the hats) each team is wearing. That always cracks me up. "Cubs wearing the blue caps with the red brim..."

[NCCubFan]

I think Jack Buck belongs on the list as well (unless someone else mentioned him and I just overlooked it).

[hawkcub]

Who else are classic announcers?

 

Ernie Harwell

Vin Scully

Milo Hamilton

Jack Brickhouse

 

I may be in the minority, but Denny Matthews for the Royals, to me, is a classic. He doesn't do what most broadcasters do, basically ramble on about their personal lives and all. He just broadcast the game how he sees it.

 

This is what I like about Pat and Ron. There is a lot of time between action in Baseball. So they do a good job of filling that time. As far as not knowing what's going on. I never get that feeling with Pat and Ron.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Every announcer has "game is boring, let's entertain people" mode.

 

It seems like Pat and Ron default to that about halfway through the second inning.

[mul21]

Pat is the best pbp guy i've ever heard (Note: I haven't heard a whole lot..but still, he's great)

 

Ron and Pat make such a great combo. Ron is a total homer, and pat plays off it so well while still being able to be a level-headed announcer. I love pat! :lol:

 

Did you ever hear Harry when he was alive? Pat isn't as disoriented as Harry was some days, but you haven't heard a baseball game called unless you heard it called by Harry Caray and Steve Stone.

 

QFT

 

I miss those summer days of my youth listening to Harry and Steve call games for terrible Cubs teams.

[3Dog]

I watched a bit of the Yankees/A's game on MLB EI last night and they showed the YES feed. I was happily surprised to hear Ken Singleton and John Flaherty calling the game instead of the usual PBP guys - both were very fair, insightful, and intelligent sounding. Sure hope YES makes Singleton and Flaherty the regular guys someday!

[hitamprun]

I think Pat is technically a very good announcer. He does what a radio guy should do, he paints a pitcture to give you an idea of what is happening. He also has an easy voice to listen to.

 

Santo is another story. I understand the nostalga of having him in the booth, and it does create a unique atmosphere. Pat also does an excellent job working around Santo, and keeping the broadcast moving along. At times, I have a hard time listening to Santo for very long, it just gets a bit painful.

 

Some of you may remember Vince Lloyd, who broadcast on the radio for the Cubs with Lou Beadrou. Lloyd was another excellent technical guy who worked very well with Lou. Lou did not come across as a sharp radio man, but he knew the game exceptionally well.

[danonwaveland]

I miss Vince and Lou, although I think very highly of Pat Hughes. As much as I love Ronnie -- he was my favorite player growing up -- I get very irritated that he doesn't keep up-to-date on player movement ('Oh, when did he join the Padres? Oh, really?') and other things. I appreciate his knowledge of how to play the game, but he doesn't express it very well.

One thing I do like is his expressions of disappointment when the Cubs make stupid plays or lose a game they should have won. After I hear him "bleeding" over the radio, I can more easily remind myself that it's just a game and tomorrow is a new day. . . isn't it?

I liked Harry and Steve, but not Chip and Steve -- too much filling the air with needless chatter. I'm quite happy with Len and Bob.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I could not stand Brickhouse's and Hamilton's delivery. And Brickhouse's stories drove me to distraction.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I agree that Hughes is great at always keeping you informed.

 

This reminds me of a few times that I have seen a Sox game, and when the game is going bad for the them, Hawk Harrelson will litterally sulk, and not talk for minutes at a time....pretty pathetic if you ask me.

 

Don't take this as a defense of Hawk Harrelson at all because I can't stand him, but it's not as important to keep the listener informed on TV as it is radio. It's more purely about entertaining on TV since the audience can watch the action.

I do hate the way he sulks when things go bad, though.

 

I agree with you on your assessment on Hawk. To me, this is what makes Len Kasper so great as well. He keeps the listener informed AND he entertains. Plus, he has a great knowledge of the game, even citing Baseball Prospectus the other day. I've listened to a lot of announcers through MLB.TV, and I have to say, we have two of the best PBP guys in the league with Pat Hughes and Len Kasper.

[hitamprun]

I think both Hawk and Stone bring a unique perspective to the game because of their knowledge, and that can be interesting to listen to. One thing that always irritated me about them both is their arrogance, both would do well with a slight dose of humility.