Jason Benetti

Jason Benetti (born September 9, 1983) is an American sportscaster. Since 2016 he has been employed as a television play-by-play announcer for Chicago White Sox games.[1] He also acts as a play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN, Fox Sports, Westwood One, and Time Warner covering football, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, basketball, and electrician competitions.

Early life

Benetti was born 10 weeks prematurely and hospitalized for three months. During the three months in the hospital, Benetti had a respiratory illness while in intensive care that deprived his blood of oxygen. It is believed that caused his cerebral palsy, which was diagnosed when Benetti was a toddler. He underwent years of physical therapy and two surgeries to improve his ability to walk.[2]

In junior high, Benetti ran his school's NCAA tournament pool, and in high school he joined the radio broadcasters.[3]

Benetti's cerebral palsy prevented him from playing tuba during marching band season. Not wanting to exclude him, the band director asked him to serve as the halftime broadcaster for their marching events.[4]

Career

In the mid-2000s, Benetti became a student at Syracuse University where he called lacrosse and women's basketball. After graduating, Benetti enrolled at Wake Forest University where he earned a law degree. While at Wake Forest, Benetti acted as the voice of High Point Panthers basketball games, Syracuse Chiefs baseball games, and high school football for Time Warner Cable Sports Channel.[2]

Benetti served as an intern for Chicago's sports radio station WSCR. In 2011 Benetti joined ESPN,[4] where his broadcasting career would move him on to television, a medium he wanted to avoid when he was a kid.[2] Benetti would call select college basketball games for ESPN3 and then move on to ESPN2 and ESPNU. In 2013 Benetti called his first football game for AAC Network.

Benetti works with the CHAT ("Communication Hope through Assistive Technology") Camp at Syracuse University.[5]

Beginning with the 2016 baseball season, Benetti replaced Ken Harrelson as the television play-by-play announcer for select Chicago White Sox home and road games.

In May 2017, the White Sox announced Benetti would take over full-time play-by-play duties in 2019 upon the retirement of Harrelson.

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References
  1. "Jason Benetti Profile". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07.
  2. "Jason Benetti Is Voice of Hope in Face of Cerebral Palsy". Archived from the original on 17 March 2013.
  3. "Jason Benetti, Syracuse Chiefs announcer, refuses to let cerebral palsy affect his game".
  4. "Disability is no impediment for ESPN play-by-play man Benetti".
  5. "Sports announcer: 'The way I look is a small part of who I am'".
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