Anderson and the voices of Wisconsin
Wisconsin sports fans have been treated well over the years to great on air-talent. The list includes Wayne Larrivee (Packers), Jim Paschke & Ted Davis (Bucks), Matt Lepay (Badgers), and of course Mr. Baseball Bob Uecker. We also cannot forget to mention quality side-line reporters like Sophia Minnaert (Brewers) & Zora Stephenson (Bucks). Included in that list is TV play-by-play announcer for your Milwaukee Brewers, Brian Anderson.
Previously from the golf channel, Anderson had worked as a sideline reporter for the San Antonio Spurs. The Brewers hired him in 2007 to work alongside Bill Schroeder. For the last 14 years “BA” & “Rock” have been behind the mic for several memorable Brewer moments.
Arguably one of Anderson’s best calls came early in his tenue with the Brewers on September 27th, 2008. You know the one…
And there’s a drive into left field, this is hit well! AND IT’S GONE! RYAN BRAUN! A 2 RUN HOME RUN! THE BREWERS TAKE THE LEAD!
Anderson’s National Work
While Anderson has been a fixture in the booth for the Brewers, over the past decade plus he’s been given several opportunities to call games in front of a national audience.
Beginning in 2008, Anderson had been working for Turner Sports to call the MLB baseball division series in October. In 2010, he would be included in the regular rotation to call MLB games on Sunday for TBS. In 2017, He became the lead caller for the championship series, replacing longtime sportscast Ernie Johnson.
Anderson’s resume would continue to diversify as you could hear him call nationally televised NBA games on TNT, March Madness for CBS, and the PGA Tour.
While Anderson has a lot of calls on his resume, the game many could most reference is the 2010 national league division series game one between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds. In this game, Hall of Famer Roy Halladay would throw the second-no hitter in postseason history.
Halladay is one strike away, the 0-2… a bouncer. Ruiz, IN TIME! ROY HALLADAY, HAS THROWN A NO-HITTER!
Would Anderson ever leave?
With all of the well deserved notoriety Anderson has received, as Brewer fans we would be remiss not to wonder if he would move on from the Milwaukee market and step into a national role on a full-time basis. Over the last couple of years, rumors suggested TNT had pegged Anderson to replace now retired Marv Albert for the NBA on TNT game of the week.
However, Anderson has made it known that he intends to stay in Milwaukee for “as long as the Brewers would have him.”
The source….Brian Anderson on “Inside Wisconsin” with John Anderson & Trevor Thomas.
BA is up next! And he's got news to share…
Brian Anderson (@BAndersonPxP) signs multi-year extension to remain @Brewers TV play-by-play man!
Full show airs Thursday, 9/16, at Noon. Subscribe today! https://t.co/mi2zL3qHWJ!
cc: @CC_Sabathia pic.twitter.com/V3BFwUqPMg
— Inside Wisconsin (@InsideWiscoShow) September 10, 2021
Sounds like great news to our listening ears especially as we await another division clinching call for the Brewers!
Calling less games?
As the tweet says, the entirety of the interview will be available next Thursday. But from the few tidbits we get from the one minute clip, including how BA thanks CC Sabathia for helping his career, is the fact that he may have to do fewer games in the seasons to come.
This should not come as a shock to anyone as the Brewers have allowed Anderson to have the ability to call games on a national level. The flexibility in this relationship has most likely made it easier for Anderson to keep calling Milwaukee his home.
The “Time-share” callers
To fill the gap, the Brewers brought in Badgers play-by-play man Matt Lepay in 2014 to call games while Anderson was out. In 2020, the Brewers included WTMJ radio caller Jeff Levering into the rotation for home games. Both Lepay and Levering have done fantastic jobs as “time-share” callers as both already possess the talent and voices to be on the air-full time.
Just like Wisconsin as a state is spoiled with good on-air talent, so are those who watch Brewer games on TV. Thus, it should be safe to assume the broadcast will continue to be of high quality for the years to come!
Comment below: What is your favorite Brian Anderson call?
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2 Comments
When he calls in sick
I enjoy the way Mr. Anderson calls the game. I do not enjoy the “musical chairs” aspect of replacing him when he is calling national level games. Although each of his replacements does a fine job, I cannot help but long for an individual who is devoted to broadcast ALL of a teams games.