Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Joe Castiglione, who has been the voice of the Boston Red Sox for over four decades, announced Sunday that he will retire from the WEEI booth following the finish of the 2024 Major League Baseball season.
Castiglione has called Red Sox games for 42 years, the longest tenure of any play-by-play announcer in the franchise’s storied history.
The broadcaster will remain on with the team in an honorary ambassador role and the Red Sox plan to pay tribute to him before the final regular season game on September 29 in Fenway Park.
Joe Castiglione announcing his retirement after joining the TV broadcast.
42 seasons in the booth. 2024 Ford C. Frick Award winner. The soundtrack of Red Sox fans for almost half a century.
Hope we get to hear him fill in here and there… because he still has his fastball. pic.twitter.com/kxh0RXkcdE
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) September 15, 2024
“After 42 seasons with the Red Sox and more than 6,500 games, I have decided it’s time to retire from a regular broadcast schedule,” said Castiglione in a statement. “While I feel I am at the pinnacle of my career, have been blessed to call four World Championships, and received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Hall of Fame in July while working for the greatest franchise in sports, it’s time to spend more time with Jan, my bride of almost 53 years, my kids, and grandkids.
“The Red Sox and Audacy have been wonderful to me and have let me call my own shots, which is so rare in broadcasting. They will keep me in the family as a club representative making appearances with clients and fans, working special events, and filling in on game broadcasts when the need arises. While I will miss the daily interactions with baseball people and talking to the fans of Red Sox Nation, I think this is the right decision for my family and myself.”
Congrats to Joe Castiglione on 40 years of iconic calls! pic.twitter.com/e1sWtWcf1S
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 28, 2022
The Connecticut native and Syracuse University graduate briefly called MLB games for Cleveland and Milwaukee before joining the Red Sox in 1983. He called four Boston World Series victories between 2004 and 2018 and received the Ford C. Frick Award this past July. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2014 and Fenway Park’s radio booth was officially named the “Joe Castiglione Booth” in 2022.
[Audacy]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.