Jack Buck – 2006
For several generations of baseball fans, Jack Buck’s voice was permanently linked to the St. Louis Cardinals. He came to St. Louis to be a play-by-play announcer for the team in 1954. In addition to his work in the booth for the Redbirds, he held many more jobs. At KMOX, listeners heard him doing play-by-play for St. Louis Cardinals football, University of Missouri basketball and football, and, for a short time, St. Louis Blues hockey. He also did Monday Night Football for CBS Radio and broadcast numerous Superbowls and World Series games. For several years in succession, he logged over 200,000 air miles annually. He is a member of the broadcast wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame and was given the Pete Rozell Award by the National Football League. Jack Buck also established himself as a strong team member at KMOX. He was a disc jockey in the late 50s, and was the host of the first “At Your Service” program February 29, 1960. He hosted Christmas morning programs from his home every year, and, in the ultimate indication of community involvement, was known to host up to 250 civic and charitable events a year. Although Buck was revered in St. Louis as the radio voice of the Cardinals, his television sports career made him known to the nation’s sports fans. His voice was heard on telecasts of 17 Super Bowls, 11 World Series and four Major League All-Star Games. He was in the TV booth for ABC’s baseball Game of the Week during the 1960 season and for the CBS broadcasts of NFL Football in 1963. Buck was also a regular on many Cardinal baseball telecasts originating in St. Louis over the team’s TV network.