The Los Angeles Times’ Diane Pucin has a great column on announcers’ role in a #nohitter.
When the Angels’ Jered Weaver was in the midst of his no-no, the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Victor Rojas and color analyst Mark Gubicza stuck to the unwritten baseball code that a mere mention of a no-hitter might jinx it, according to the L.A. Times piece.
“Some people say jinxes have no place in sports, but that’s just how I am,” Rojas told Pucin for the article. “I didn’t move from my position after the third inning, I didn’t move any paper. I put my pens back in the same spot. That’s just who I am.”
It must be working, because the son of former Mets base coach Cookie Rojas says it’s the third no-hitter he’s called without actually saying the words.
Me? I’m in the don’t-say-a-word camp (and so is Dick Enberg). Do I honestly believe a slip of the tongue or tweet from me makes a difference? Well no, not the logical side of my brain. But superstition and baseball are too good of a pairing to not embrace traditions.
Gary, Keith and Ron clearly have no qualms (or should I say Qualls) about mentioning an in-progress no-no.
They’re joined by Charley Steiner and Jon Miller (quoted in the L.A. Times piece) saying you’ve got to acknowledge what’s going on.
What are your views on this?
beyond saying “no hits, no runs” or whatever at the end of the inning, I don’t think announcers should elaborate on the possible no-hitter. I mean if you’re tuned into the game, you can figure it out for yourself, and if not, I’m sure one of your friends will alert you. Once the no-hitter is broken up, talk about it ad nauseum if you want.
Agreed!
Wanda, sorry but it’s “ad nauseam”. As to the topic, radio broadcasters owe it to their listeners to inform them as the game progresses that one of the teams has nary a hit, especially with each out in the later innings. If they prefer to cling to silly superstitions and to not say “no-hitter”, well, fine, so long as they say SOMETHING, such as “one out here in the 8th and the Spuds still have not gotten a hit off Smith.” TV folks can let their graphics dept. say what they are afraid to. But I must return to what Broadcast God Vin Scully said on the topic. To paraphrase: If I thought that what I say up here in the booth could affect what happens on the field, I’d ask for a lot more pay.” Nuff said.