49ers Bid A High-Pitched, Frenetic Adieu To Joe Starkey
Joe Starkey is retiring as play-by-play voice of the 49ers. Don't recognize the name? He's the broadcaster who always sounds like his testicles are wired to a car battery, as this legendary clip demonstrates.
They simply call it The Play: That game-ending kickoff in 1982 in which Cal scored a multi-lateral touchdown — plowing through the Stanford band in the process — to win the Big Game. John Elways' tearful post-game quote: "The band ruined my college career," was delicious, but nothing helped cement the moment in college history like Starkey's call. Subtlety was never the man's strong suit; any play of any significance was reported as if Martians had just landed on a farm outside of Grovers Mill, New Jersey.
Also, accuracy was not a huge priority. "Gore catches it at the 40 for a three-yard gain; not enough for a first down ... wait, they're giving him EIGHT yards. And that's Johnson, not Gore. Sorry." In other words, the perfect play-by-play guy for San Francisco. The longtime sports director for KGO would for years call a Cal game on Saturday and then trundle off to wherever the 49ers were playing the next day; a schedule that finally got the better of him. He'll continue to call games for Cal, however, although how his larynx ever recovered from that day in 1982 is beyond me.
End Of An Era: Joe Starkey Retires [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
Related


- Thursday October 30th NBA Predictions: Best Bets for Heat vs. Spurs and More
- Ravens vs. Dolphins Week 9 Thursday Night Football Top Betting Picks, Predictions
- Wednesday NBA Betting Picks: October 29th Best Bets, Player Props
- World Series Game 5 Betting Picks: Blue Jays vs. Dodgers Player Props
- NBA Best Bets for October 28th: Expert Picks for Tuesday
- World Series Game 4 Best Bets: October 28th's Top Props and Picks
- World Series Game 3 Betting Picks: Blue Jays vs. Dodgers Player Props & Totals

