Talking on Air: A Broadcaster's Life in Sports

by Dan Valenti

Book Overview

Talking on Air: A Broadcaster's Life in Sports highlights the 40-year career of Ken Coleman. The book details a broadcasting life seen not only from inside the booth, but also from inside the minds... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1583820620
• ISBN13: 9781583820629
• Release Date: July 2000
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Very enjoyable!

Ken Coleman was the announcer for the Browns and the Indians. I enjoyed reading about Jim Brown of the Browns and other football players. I remember a lot of the ball players for the Indians. They were noted for having one of the best pitching staffs in baseball in the late 1940s and 1950s. Ken was also the announcer for the Red Sox.

A Man with A Memorable Career

Although Ken Coleman was primarily identified with the Boston Red Sox, you don't have to be a fan of the Bosox to enjoy this book. (I'm a Tigers' fan.) Ken was blessed to be a part of the Cleveland Indians, Coach Paul Brown's Cleveland Browns during the days of the great Jim Brown, Cincinnati's Big Red Machine, and two stints with the Boston Red Sox, including the Impossible Dream year of 1967 (The Year of the Yaz.) The most interesting story that I found was Ken's telling for the first time the story of the decline of Indians' pitcher, Herb Score. People attribute Score's decline to the 1957 line drive off the bat of Yankees' infielder, Gil McDougald. However, Coleman relates that Score had his ankle injured in a spring training pickup basketball game in 1958 and tried to come back too soon before his ankle had a chance to heal and ended up with a sore arm. Ken provides us with a good summation of his career and his subsequent retirement from play-by-play work. He wanted to continue on a year-by-year basis, but an excuse was given that an announcer was wanted who would insure of being there for four full years. We are all remembered by what we give to others, and Ken Coleman gave his listeners and others he came into contact with a lot to remember. The Lord doesn't permit us to know all the good we do for others, but, in time, He will reward us. Thank you, Ken, for sharing your career with us.

A "must" for baseball enthuiasts and Boston Red Sox fans.

Talking On Air: A Broadcaster's Life In Sports is the biographical story of Ken Coleman, former Boston Red Sox broadcaster who worked in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1989, including ten years with the Cleveland Indians and four years announcing games for the Cincinnati Reds. In the twenty years he spend as the voice of the Boston Red Sox, Coleman became known to millions of New England baseball fans, making him an institution throughout the region, and eventually resulting in his election to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. Talking On Air is a "must" for baseball enthusiasts in general, and Boston Red Sox fans in particular!

GREAT NOSTALGIC READ!!

This is an outstanding sports book written by a true gentleman who writes with such great honesty.If you like nostalgia,look no further,this book has it all.Go back in time when sports was more than just money,and Coleman was there through it all with such great heroes like Ted Williams,Yaz,Jim Brown,Otto Graham, etc. Highly Recommended!!

A grwat book about a great man!

Who was the voice of the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, the Reds of the early 70's and for over 20 years the voice of Red Sox Baseball on the radio? Ken Coleman is the man behind the mike and Boston's Voice of the Summer and this is his story.Valenti is an author that brings back the memories of listening to Coleman during the miracle of '67, when the Red Sox defied the odds and won the American League Pennant. Coleman's voice is undeniably one of the most recognized voices in sports history.Follow along in this 200-page sports extravaganza of baseball memorabilia to relive the magic that has made baseball the American pastime. You read about Coleman career and the ups and downs of broadcasting. You'll get glimpse of more than sports you'll see a true legend and great person throughout the book.Ken Coleman will long be remember by this reviewer for his call in the 1975 World Series of that magic home run by Carlton Fisk and this book will in my personal library to share with other for years to come. You can purchase your copy and begin to relive those memories for yourself.