It’s been a long career in Cincinnati for Marty Brennaman. He began calling Reds games in 1974 and he’s been doing it every year since. But this is the last season for the voice of the Reds that’s been around for the entire lives of many Cincinnati fans. And on Friday afternoon the Reds announced a whole lot of things they are doing to celebrate his career.
Perhaps the biggest of all is that they will induct Marty Brennaman into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2020. And he will by the only inductee of the class. The induction will take place the weekend of April 25th next year. You can get more details on that right here.
This season, with just over a month left, there are also a whole lot of things planned around Marty Brennaman. There will be special broadcasts, a giveaway, meet-and-greets, and more.
His final broadcast will be on Thursday afternoon, September 26th against the Milwaukee Brewers. Probably. If the Reds make the playoffs, he will continue to broadcast the games for the Reds throughout the season and the playoffs.
Marty meeting with fans at Great American Ballpark
On September 3rd, 4th, and 7th, Marty will visit with fans on the concourses of Great American Ballpark. Exact details for when/which concourse areas have not been announced for this yet.
Broadcasting from a temporary booth at Gappers Alley
Marty Brennaman will broadcast the game on September 20th from a temporary radio booth at Gapper’s Alley. On September 24th and 25th he will be doing the pre-game radio broadcast from the same place.
The Final Game, and Giveaway
On September 26th the first 20,000 fans will receive a Cincinnati Reds transistor radio so they can listen to the game at the stadium. Jeff Brantley will be in the booth for that game with Marty Brennaman.
After the game, which is a 12:35pm day game, the Reds will bring a stage onto the field and invite everyone in attendance to come out onto the field to take in a program honoring Marty that will be hosted by Jim Day.
There will also be giveaways on both September 24th and 25th. On the 24th there will be an oversized replica ticket from the April 4th, 1974 Reds game handed out, commemorating Marty’s first broadcast with the organization. On the 25th there will be a commemorative Marty Brennaman Print handed out, celebrating his selection for the 2020 Reds Hall of Fame. Both will be presented to the first 20,000 fans at the game.
I think the Sept 20th game would be really cool to see! Wonder what the transistor radio will look like?
I also heard the Sept 6th game you can buy a ticket package which will include a private meet and greet and photo with Marty. I did not hear any more details than that, but didnt see it on your report there sir.
It’s not currently listed by the Reds in their release. So I have no clue.
Sorry thought I heard Phil say it on their live broadcast.
No I meant I wonder how they’ll look in terms of design. Will it be some cheap plastic or something cool worth getting and remembering Marty’s final call?
I became a Reds fan purely by chance during the heyday of the Big Red Machine – coincidence that didn’t involve me directly. I was 7 or 8 growing up in Connecticut and my older brother playing in Little League was a catcher. His favorite player was obviously Johnny Bench and thus was a Reds fan. I, being the younger brother, came along for the ride. First Reds game I saw on tv was an afternoon World Series game (remember they used to have those?) against the As. 73 was hard as my best friend was/is a Mets fan … but in 75 and 76, I was in heaven. I used to clip out box scores from newspapers (yes they had real newspapers too) and late at night I could pick up the ending of games on my little transistor radio – listening for this one to belong to the Reds and the ol’ Left Hander rounding 3rd, heading for home. West coast games were great because if I were able to stay awake, I could actually hear the whole game! Some of the epic games with the Dodgers playing 18 times a year I can still remember from my youth. Time moves on, life changes – Marty has his faults, but then we all do. I’ll miss him – maybe because in a way I still have that kid in me that hid his radio under the covers hoping not to be “called out” for being up when I should be asleep, hoping no one heard me when I gave a shout of delight at a walk off homer by Bench or a head first slide by Pete. I’ll be forced to give up a little more of my youth soon but as I say, life changes. It’s okay, I still have the memories.
Marty is the last link to the glory days of the BRM. For me,he and Joe were just as important as the players on that incredible team…and maybe more so…because they were the ones bringing the play by play to our house,the dairy barn,the tobacco fields,the car,the tractor or my dads old pickup truck. There was always a radio nearby for the Reds games. It was “Marty and Joe on Reds Radio”. Marty is part of my youth and my life. Like Joe he will be missed.
Marty is another distinctive great Voice of the Reds along with Red Barber, Waite Hoyt, Al Michaels, and Joe Nuxhall. 45 years is a long time in one job. Congratulations Marty, all the best.
Prior to Mr. Brennaman’s retirement from the world of baseball, he and Thom
must broadcast a Reds’ game in its entirety, together, along with Chris Welsh
as third party member in the booth by no later than mid- September.