Karl Ravech was already excused from loogie-gate during ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, but that didn’t stop 670 The Score’s afternoon show in Chicago from still laughing at the play-by-play announcer’s expense.
The Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros were featured on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast on June 19th. And prior to the game, Ravech spoke to Astros manager Dusty Baker.
“Today is Juneteenth, we’re in the state of Texas, you’re obviously a Black man as you told us a few minutes ago,” Ravech said.
Thank Karl, better to be extra informative than not informative enough, I guess? Nonetheless, Ravech reminding Baker that he’s Black created an awkward-sounding piece of audio. And as they listened back to the interview, 670 The Score’s afternoon show hosted by Danny Parkins and Matt Spiegel erupted with laughter.
“That’s nice of him to be told. You’re obviously a Black man as you told us…Breaking News, was it on the scroll?” Parkins joked. “Come on [Jeff] Passan, how didn’t you have that?”
It was an odd way of framing the question to Baker, who knows he’s Black, just as the audience does, and likely didn’t need the reminder. Maybe just ask, “What does Juneteenth mean to you?” Or dare I suggest asking a more direct question about a specific aspect of the delayed decision to finally start recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday. Regardless, Baker already knew he was Black.
The phrasing, although awkward and funny, was harmless. But what could have been a meaningful conversation with one of the most respected people in Major League Baseball history, kind of got overshadowed by Ravech’s decision to preface the topic with information Baker and the audience already knew.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com