Chip Caray
| Chip Caray | |
|---|---|
 Caray in 2009. | |
| Born | Harry Christopher Caray III |
| Education |
University of Georgia, '87 Journalism |
| Occupation | Sports broadcaster |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse(s) | Susan |
| Children | 4 |
Harry Christopher "Chip" Caray III (born 1965) is a television broadcaster for Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Southeast's coverage of the Atlanta Braves baseball and Southeastern Conference basketball, and is an occasional radio broadcaster and co-host of the pre-game and post-game shows on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network.[1] Chip is also known from his time as a broadcaster for the Fox Saturday Game of the Week and as the television play-by-play broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs from 1998 to 2004. He is the son of broadcaster Skip Caray, the grandson of broadcaster Harry Caray and the older half-brother of broadcaster Josh Caray.
Biography
Education and early career
Caray graduated from the University of Georgia in 1987 with a degree in journalism. Well before his first big job with Fox, he worked with local television stations in Panama City, Florida, and Greensboro, North Carolina. He was the play-by-play broadcaster for the Orlando Magic of the NBA from 1989 to 1996.
He worked on baseball games for the Seattle Mariners of the American League from 1993 to 1995. While broadcasting with the Mariners, Caray received a two-game tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals. After the 1994 season, he was expected to sign with St. Louis, but chose instead to remain with Seattle. Caray was also a broadcaster for the first edition of Major League Baseball on Fox in 1996.
Chicago Cubs
In 1998, Chip Caray was hired to work alongside his grandfather as broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs. Harry Caray died in February 1998, and Chip stayed with the team and took his grandfather's place as "the voice of the Cubs". He would go on to serve as their announcer for seven seasons, with Steve Stone providing the color commentary for most of those years. In 2004, both Caray and Stone left the Cubs booth after the season.
TBS
On the final day of the 2004 season, Caray announced that he had signed a long-term contract with both TBS and Clear Channel to work alongside his father, Skip, broadcasting games for the Atlanta Braves, staying closer to his family, who lived in Orlando, Florida. Chip Caray also became a broadcaster for TBS's college football coverage of the Big 12 and Pac-10.
In 2007, there was a major shake-up of the Braves broadcasters: Don Sutton departed to be the full-time broadcaster with the Washington Nationals, Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren went to the Braves Radio Network full-time, and Joe Simpson signed with Fox Broadcasting Company to be a color analyst on FSN South and Sports South, and also signed to call a limited schedule of games on TBS with Chip Caray. It was announced that Caray would be a broadcaster for TBS and also would be the main play-by-play broadcaster for TBS during its coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs. TBS would cover all Division Series games and the National League Championship Series. Hall of Fame player Tony Gwynn called the playoff games with Caray.
Caray has been criticized for making factual mistakes[2][3] during postseason broadcasts.[4][5] In response to such criticisms, Caray said, "It wasn't the job that I had when I came here in the first place. It would be like being a pinch-hitter or being a relief pitcher that works once every 10 days. I'm better when I work more."[6]
On November 30, 2009, TBS announced that Caray and the network decided to part ways.
Fox Sports South
On December 21, 2009, Fox Sports South and SportSouth announced that Caray would be the play-by-play announcer for all 105 Braves games on the networks. The deal also includes selected college basketball games on the regional sports networks.[6]
Career timeline
- 1989–1998: Orlando Magic Play-by-play[7]
- 1991–1992 Atlanta Braves play-by-play on TBS and Atlanta Braves Radio Network[7]
- 1993–1995: Seattle Mariners Play-by-play[7]
- 1996–1998: Major League Baseball on Fox Studio host[7]
- 1999–2000: Major League Baseball on Fox Play-by-play[7]
- 1998–2004: Chicago Cubs Play-by-play on WGN-TV and FSN Chicago[7]
- 2005–2009: Atlanta Braves Play-by-play on TBS, Peachtree TV and Atlanta Braves Radio Network
- 2007–2009: MLB on TBS Lead play-by-play[7]
- 2010–present : Atlanta Braves Baseball[6]
Family
Chip Caray's grandfather, Harry, was a broadcaster famous for calling games of the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs. His father, Skip, was the longtime broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves until he died in 2008. Chip Caray occasionally imitates his father with sarcastic comments made in a high, nasal voice. Caray also has a brother Josh, who is the radio broadcaster for the Rome Braves (the Class-A minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves).
Chip is married to Susan. They have three sons, Christopher, Stefan, and Tristan, and a daughter, Summerlyn.