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Tom Hamilton (sportscaster)

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Tom Hamilton
Hamilton in 2014
Born (1954-08-19) August 19, 1954 (age 70)
Waterloo, Wisconsin, U.S.
Children4
AwardsFord C. Frick Award (2025)
Sports commentary career
TeamCleveland Indians/Guardians (1990–present)
GenrePlay-by-play
Sport(s)Major League Baseball
College basketball

Tom Hamilton (born August 19, 1954[1]) is an American sportscaster, primarily known as the chief radio play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Guardians Major League Baseball team for 35 years. He is the recipient of the 2025 Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Career

Hamilton joined the then- Indians Radio Network for the 1990 season, after spending three years in the booth for the then AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees, the Columbus Clippers.

Cleveland

He was paired with Indians legend Herb Score until 1997, when Score retired after 30 seasons. Hamilton became chief play by play announcer in the 1998 season, a position he still holds today. Because of his longevity and popularity, he is now considered to be the "voice of the Tribe". After the Indians were renamed to the Guardians, he has also been referred to as the "voice of the Guardians".[2]

Hamilton also called college basketball games in the offseason (usually Ohio State games) for ESPN Plus, and Big Ten Network for 25 years.[3]

Broadcasting associates with the Indians/Guardians

(*) - Nelson, and later Underwood joined Hamilton and Hegan in a three-man booth from 1998 to 2007, when the Indians then went to a two-man booth. Rosenhaus, Hamilton and Hegan formed a three-man team for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Broadcasting credits

(all pre-Indians/Guardians)[5]

Signature calls

  • "And we're underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario!" - after the first pitch of a Guardians home game (during away games, Hamilton will usually say "And we're underway at [opposing team's ballpark or city]")[6]
  • "STRIKE THREE CALLED!" - after a Guardians pitcher strikes out an opposing batter looking[7]
  • "Swing and a drive, waaaay back, and gone!!" or "Swung on and belted, to deep ______ (left/center/right), awaaaay back, and outta here!!" - for a Guardians home run[7]
  • "Swiiiing and a miss, he tried to hit that one to Euclid / into Lake Erie." - when a batter swings really hard but misses (for away games, Hamilton will use the name of a nearby suburb or neighborhood in the home city)
  • "A SWING and a miss!" - for a swinging strikeout by a Guardians pitcher
  • "Ballgame!" - after the final out of a Guardians win[8][9][7]
  • "DOWN GOES ANDERSON! DOWN GOES ANDERSON!" - during an August 5, 2023, brawl between the Guardians and Chicago White Sox when Cleveland’s José Ramírez knocked Chicago's Tim Anderson down with a right hook.[10][11][12]
  • "Cleveland, you will have an October to Remember!" - the final call of every game in which the Indians/Guardians have clinched a playoff spot since 1995.[13]

Personal life

Hamilton resides in Avon Lake, Ohio, with his wife and four children.[5] One son, Nick, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 35th round in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Kent State University.[14]

Another son, Brad, works as a reporter for Cleveland Fox affiliate WJW-TV 8.[15]

Books

  • Glory Days in Tribe Town: The Cleveland Indians and Jacobs Field 1994–1997, (Co-Written with Terry Pluto), 2014 ISBN 978-1-938441-35-6

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ Loede, Matt. "Happy Birthday to Indians Radio Voice Tom Hamilton!". Sports Illustrated Cleveland Guardians News, Analysis and More. The Arena Group. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  2. ^ Doherty, Leah. "Guardians' Tom Hamilton named 2025 Ford C. Frick Award Winner". cleveland19.com. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Guardians Broadcasters". mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  4. ^ All-Time Broadcasters - Cleveland Guardians
  5. ^ a b c Broadcasters - Cleveland Guardians
  6. ^ Justice, Camryn (10 April 2020). "You can have 'Voice of the Tribe' Tom Hamilton call your play from home". News 5 Cleveland. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Meisel, Zack (28 May 2024). "It's hard to not be a fan of Guardians announcer Tom Hamilton — just ask his kids". The Atlantic. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  8. ^ Tom Hamilton - SABR.org
  9. ^ For Tom Hamilton, the voice of the Cleveland Indians, 'the impossible dream came true' - Cleveland.com (The Plain Dealer)
  10. ^ Tom Hamilton's call of the Jose Ramirez-Tim Anderson fight on Cleveland radio is the stuff of legend. - Awful Announcing on Twitter
  11. ^ "DOWN GOES ANDERSON LIMITED EDITION T SHIRT". GV ART AND DESIGN. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  12. ^ Traina, Jimmy (8 August 2023). "Guardians' Tom Hamilton Takes Us Through the Viral Call of the Wild MLB Fight". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  13. ^ DeNatale, Dave (8 September 2020). "25 years ago: Remembering the night the Cleveland Indians clinched the 1995 American League Central Division crown". WKYC. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  14. ^ Hamilton's son drafted - Cleveland.com
  15. ^ a b Browns legend, Olympic gold medalist, champion volleyball coach and longtime broadcaster inducted into Hall of Fame - Fox 8.com (WJW-TV)
  16. ^ Hamilton Ohio Sportscaster of the Year - NSSA.com
  17. ^ Hamilton inducted into Cleveland Broadcasters HOF - CAB Cleveland.com
  18. ^ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Greater Cleveland Sports Awards
  19. ^ 2025 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Tom Hamilton - National Baseball Hall of Fame
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