Paul Porter worked his 3rd NBA All-Star Game Sunday night

People who regularly attend basketball games at Amway Center will hear a familiar voice Sunday night.

They will hear Paul Porter, the Magic’s longtime public-address announcer, who will work his third NBA All-Star Game. He also served as the in-arena voice during the 1981 All-Star Game in Cleveland and the 1992 All-Star Game in Orlando.

“To be in two different cities and three different occasions is really something I’ll treasure my entire career,” Porter said a few minutes ago.

Calling Sunday’s game will require some stylistic changes for Porter.

During Magic games, his booming voice exudes energy when the Magic make a basket, but he dampens his voice into a monotone when a visiting team scores.

On Sunday, he will be even-handed.  read the story by Josh Robbins 

That familiar voice: Kelly Burnham aka Alan Roach

He's welcomed Tom Petty, the Black Eyed Peas, Prince and Bruce Springsteen to the Super Bowl stage.

Not only has Kelly Burnham, a Slayton native, worked for a Denver radio station for the last two decades, he's had the opportunity for many sideline gigs, which included the Winter Olympics, the NFL Super Bowl and Pro Bowl as well as being the stadium announcer for the Colorado Rockies for 13 years.

Burnham, whose professional name is Alan Roach, moved from Slayton to Brainerd in 1980 and attended high school in Brainerd.  read the full story here

Meet Fort Myers' new voice of the Red Sox - Ted Fitzgeorge

FORT MYERS -

There are a lot of new things involved in this year's Red Sox spring training season - including a new voice that will announce the team's lineup.

NBC2, the Boston Red Sox and Hodges University teamed up to find the first voice for the new JetBlue Park. Friday, we sat down with the winner of the contest to see how he's holding up as he gets ready for his debut.

At January's open tryout for the gig, Ted Fitzgeorge had to wait 5 hours for his 5 minute audition.

As it turned out, it was worth the wait. Just days later, he found out he'd advance to the next round.

"Someone had posted on my Facebook page that I had made the top 10. So I waited for the 11 o'clock news that night to see where I could find it. I went to the NBC2 website or page on Facebook and saw the list of the names. And of course the first thing I wanted to know was who else was on the list," Fitzgeorge said.  read the full story here

The Baltimore Orioles Select A New P.A. Announcer

Attention ladies and gentleman, the Orioles have a new P.A. aanouncer.

The Orioles announced Tuesday that Ryan Wagner has been selected as the new Voice of Oriole Park. Wagner was chosen to be the club's new public address announcer out of a field of 670 applicants.

An Orioles fan originally from Baltimore, Wagner spent last season as a resident of Major League Baseball's Fan Cave, watching over 2,450 major league games at a 15,000 square foot space in Greenwich Village in New York City. He also co-hosted a series of interactive sketch comedy skits and conducted interviews with MLB players and celebrities as part of his Fan Cave responsibilities.  read the full story here    watch video below

Sykesville man takes memorable swing at Orioles' announcer job

Longtime radio DJ takes part in Camden Yards auditions

Kirk McEwen wasn't nervous when he entered the radio booth at Oriole Park last Saturday.

The Sykesville resident had been behind a microphone a few thousand times during a long broadcasting career.

But this was different. McEwen was one of 25 semifinalists who participated in an open competition on Feb. 11 to determine the new public address announcer for the Baltimore Orioles.

Even though he wasn't among the eight finalists chosen by Orioles' officials, McEwen will remember the experience.  read the story from The Baltimore Sun's website<--click

PA Announcer for BYU Men’s Basketball Just Along for the Great Ride

Trace Eddington says the hair on his arms stands up during games at the Marriott Center

Resounding through the Marriott Center during the BYU men’s basketball games is a voice that gives the play-by-play, announces the starting lineup with passion and intensity and energizes the already hyped-up crowd.

But Trace Eddington is not one to take any glory for being the PA announcer at the games. In fact, he is just excited and honored to be able to watch great basketball and silently cheer on his favorite team.

“I’ve been doing it every year since 1998,” Eddington said. “In 14 years, I think I’ve only missed five or six games. I don’t think I missed a single home game in Jimmer’s career. I’ve seen a lot of great basketball.”

Eddington’s PA career started in the spring of 1998, when he saw BYU was hiring a PA announcer for both football and basketball, and decided to show up at the Marriott Center to audition. When the employers called him back to have a longer audition, he competed for the football announcer’s job against Kelly Newbold, but was instead given the basketball announcer’s position.  read the full story here

End of Oxnard basketball will silence announcer

Kevin Natale announces the women's basketball game at Oxnard College. Natale got shot at a young age and now is paraplegic. For Natale announcing the games makes him feel part of something he loved.

Thanksgiving weekend is one of Kevin Natale's favorite times of the year, but not because of turkey or stuffing.It's the extra helping of basketball that the Oxnard College men's basketball team's serves up with its annual holiday tournament. "It's probably one of the most exciting times for me," said Natale. "When basketball season starts coming around and the Condor Classic arrives, I get really excited."  Natale, 32, has been confined to a wheelchair since he was paralyzed by an intruder's bullet when he was 14 years old. His story was told in a 2009 documentary called "Thy Will Be Done." A fervent sports fan, his relationship with the games, along with so much else, was forever altered that day in 1994.  But he has stayed active in sports as the public address announcer at Condor Center for Oxnard College basketball. read the full story here

SABR Baseball Biography Project - Art McKennan

Baseball parks offer a smorgasbord for the senses. Ask some longtime Pittsburghers to describe Forbes Field and you will find yourself awash in sensory detail, little things that made the place vivid and unforgettable. Those older Pirate fans may recall the lush, green ivy that cloaked the outfield wall. They may recall the bracing, manly odor of old beer and cigarettes, which hung in the air like a permanent cloud and mingled with the tantalizing scent of red hots and roasted peanuts. And they may recall the voice of Art McKennan, the Pirates’ longtime public address announcer, whose warm baritone sounded like a sunny Sunday afternoon.
read the entire story written by James Forr

Mike Hopkins has been the basketball announcer for 25 years at Cony High School in Augusta, ME

AUGUSTA -- It will take another year before fans realize the absence of the booming voice of Mike Hopkins at Cony High School basketball games.

Hopkins will continue his duties as public address announcer this month and in the future for tournament games at the Augusta Civic Center. But after 25 years at the mic, Hopkins announced his last regular season game for the Rams on Thursday night.

"Twenty-five years is a good number," said Hopkins, who was recruited by then girls basketball coach Paul Vachon to announce games in the 1986-87 season. read here

Will Ferrell delivers pre-game intros for New Orleans Hornets

For one night, Chuck Edwards got the night off from announcing lineups in New Orleans.

That's because the New Orleans Hornets public address announcer was replaced by comedian Will Ferrell.

Ferrell stood at center court and took to the microphone in front of 15,456 NBA fans in the New Orleans Arena to deliver the lineups for both the visiting Chicago Bulls and the home Hornets.

In classic Ferrell style, the comedian added a tidbit of information about each player. For the Bulls, these facts were slightly unflattering. For example, fans were told by Ferrell that power forward Carlos Boozer still lives with his mother and Derrick Rose's favorite movie is "The Notebook."  read story here

The Arizona Rattlers (AFL) Looking for a PA Announcer

Scottsdale, Ariz. – The Arizona Rattlers are seeking talented and enthusiastic individuals to audition to be the team’s PA announcer for the 2012 season. Auditions will be held on Saturday, February 25 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at US Airways Center. Candidates must possess strong ad-lib skills, knowledge of Arena Football League rules and work all home games. Auditions are open to the public.

Minimum qualifications include at least two years of experience in any of the following areas, public address announcing, broadcasting and/or performing arts.

Qualified candidates should send a resume and a sample of work prior to auditions for review to KHelt@azrattlers.com or drop off at US Airways Center (201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix). Preferred formats include: DVD, link to any online samples (i.e. YouTube, Vimeo, online portfolio, etc) or digital file (mp4, .mov or other standard video files).

The PA announcer will kick off their first official appearance when the Rattlers host the Milwaukee Mustangs on March 17.

The Arizona Rattlers are Arizona’s professional Arena Football League team in their 25^th season, with 17 franchises from coast to coast. The team made its sixth ArenaBowl appearance after a 54-48 victory over the Chicago Rush in last season’s Conference Final game.  see team's website

'Voice Of Oriole Park' Search Narrows-25 Finalists To Audition Saturday

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles have narrowed their search for a new public address announcer to 25 finalists.

More than 670 people applied for the job that involves player introductions, fan announcements and other Camden Yards responsibilities.

A committee of Orioles front office staff members narrowed the search to the top 25.

The finalists consist of Maryland residents and those from outside the state, professional broadcasters, and applicants who auditioned at the recent FanFest. Auditions for the finalists will be held Saturday.

Longtime public announcer David McGowan stepped down from the post after last season. read story here

Cleveland Cavaliers PA announcer out of the hospital, resting at home

Cavaliers public address announcer Olivier Sedra was released from the Cleveland Clinic on Saturday night after he was taken from The Q on a stretcher prior to the game against Dallas. 

Team officials were not commenting on his medical condition only to say he was home Sunday resting. Sedra's status for the Cavaliers' game Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers will be determined that morning. 

Serda also works Lake Erie Monster games.    read from The Plain Dealer website

Oakland A’s PA Announcer Friendly Sons speaker

The voice of basketball at St. Mary’s College in San Francisco’s East Bay for 34 years, Callahan was the winner of the college’s Mike Gibbons Award for long-term athletic service. He was named Honorary Alumnus in 1998 and currently serves on St. Mary’s College Board of Regents. He spent 19 years announcing for the Golden Warriors in Oakland; gaining a large following and wide-spread renown for his signature “shhhhhhhhooo-ting two” free-throw call.

The Oakland Athletics’ baseball team appointed Callahan in 2004, as their public address announcer. And football in the Bay Area gained access to his silky sound 10 years ago when he became the public address announcer for the University of California’s Golden Bears. His boisterous “FIRST DOWN BEARS” is a signature sound at Cal’s Memorial Stadium.  read the full story click here

The Sugar Land Skeeters in Houston, TX search for PA Announcer

The Sugar Land Skeeters are set to host an open audition for game day entertainment at Constellation Field. The auditions will take place Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Imperial Theatre in Sugar Land Town Square from 8:30am-5 pm. Those who audition will be competing for the opportunity to work for the Skeeters in key positions and the chance to perform at Historic Opening Day on April 26 and other games throughout the season.  Public Address Announcer auditions will be from 8:30am-noon. The PA Announcer is responsible for all in-stadium game day announcing. A small sample game script will be provided to read at the audition.  Those attending the auditions are asked to pre-register by filling out the form located online at www.SugarLandSkeeters.com. Pre-registering will guarantee time to audition. The Skeeters will contact you with your scheduled time. Please show up 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled audition time to allow time to get ready.  read full story here

The voice of the New Orleans Saints

You might not recognize Jerry Romig if you saw him on the street. But you’d know him if you heard him. As the longtime public address announcer at the Superdome, his hallmark call — “Firrrsssst downnnn!” Saaaaaaainnntsss!” — has become a popular rallying cry in the Crescent City, perhaps second only to the Who Dat chant.  Romig has not missed a Saints game in 42 seasons as the public address announcer. He even called “home” games in San Antonio and Baton Rouge during the Katrina season. The only time his voice hasn’t been heard at a Saints game was for one quarter of one game in the early 1990s when he left early because of the failing health of a relative. read more here