The task of saying “Turn the clock back” posed quite the challenge for Tom Hart of ESPN and SEC Network.
During the eighth inning of an SEC Tournament college baseball game between Vanderbilt and Auburn, Hart began trying to say the phrase in reference to turning back the clock to the mid-1980s and putting on a Whitey Herzog-coached team.
Unfortunately for Hart, who was reportedly a top finalist for the Braves’ play-by-play job, he did not say that.
Can't turn the WHAT back? pic.twitter.com/5eE34LC2pf
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2023
“You can’t turn the Black cock Black,” Whoops. Hart immediately recognized the spoonerism and attempted to finish his sentence after regaining his composure. “We can’t turn the clock back—I know it’s after midnight. We can’t turn the clock back,” Hart added with a bit more caution.
Props to Hart for immediately pointing it to being after-dark during his hilarious slip-up. Perhaps the funniest part of the ordeal is you can hear color commentator Chris Burke in the background let out a “Hoo.”
In Hart’s defense, it was during the final game of a four-game tournament slate on Wednesday. Not to excuse the slip-up, but it was a long day of baseball in Hoover, Alabama.
Hart attempted to make that point about the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer manager after Auburn had walked back-to-back batters on four pitches to start the frame and later let Vanderbilt tack on two more insurance runs.
Hart will likely think twice before trying to use that phrase again.
