Tom Hamilton (sportscaster)
Tom Hamilton (born August 19, 1954) is an American sportscaster, primarily known as the chief radio play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team. During the baseball offseason, Hamilton also calls college basketball games for the Big Ten Network.
Tom Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 Hamilton in 2014 | |
| Born | August 19, 1954 |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team(s) | Cleveland Indians (1990–present) |
| Genre(s) | Play-by-play |
| Sports | Major League Baseball College basketball |
Hamilton joined the Indians Radio Network for the 1990 season, after spending three years in the booth for the then AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees, the Columbus Clippers. He was paired with Indians legend Herb Score until 1997, when Score retired after 30 seasons. Hamilton became chief play by play announcer in the 1998 season, a position he still holds today. Because of his longevity and popularity, he is now considered to be the "voice of the Tribe".
In the offseason, Hamilton calls college basketball games (usually Ohio State games) for the Big Ten Network. Prior to the founding of the Big Ten Network, he served in the same capacity for ESPN Plus.
Broadcasting associates with the Indians
- Herb Score, 1990–1997
- Mike Hegan, 1998–2011
- Dave Nelson, 1998-1999*
- Matt Underwood, 2000-2006*
- Jim Rosenhaus, 2010–present*
(*) - Nelson, and later Underwood joined Hamilton and Hegan in a three-man booth from 1998 to 2007, when the Indians then went to a two-man booth. Rosenhaus, Hamilton and Hegan formed a three-man team for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Broadcasting credits
(all pre-Indians)[1]
- University of Wisconsin–Madison—football games
- ABC Radio
- Appleton Foxes—minor league baseball games
- University of Colorado—basketball games
- Columbus Clippers—minor league baseball games
Signature calls
- And we're underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario! - after the first pitch of an Indians home game (during away games, Hamilton will usually say And we're underway at [opposing team's ballpark] or in [opposing team's city or a nickname for said city, such as Beantown]).
- Swing and a drive, waaaay back & gone!! or Swung on and belted! To deep ____(left/center/right), awaaaay back! waaaay outta here!! - for an Indians home run
- And a mobbing at home plate! or He's about to get mobbed! - after an Indians walk-off home run.
- How about that! - after something unusual or exciting happens.
- A SWING and a miss! - for a swinging strikeout by an Indians pitcher.
- Oh, what a job by ___ (name of Indians pitcher) - when an Indians pitcher dominates the opposing lineup or gets out of a jam.
- Juuust a bit (outside/inside) - when a close pitch by a pitcher is called for a ball.
- Ballgame! - after the final out of an Indians win.
- Mm mm mm - after an Indians screw-up.
- And the pay-off pitch... - just before a full-count pitch.
- STRIKE THREE CALLED! - after an Indians pitcher strikes out a batter looking
- So long, everybody - his sign-off
- The string is out. - for a full count
- Oh, for the love of Pete! - in exasperation
- Swiiiing and a miss, he tried to hit that one to Euclid / into Lake Erie. - when a batter swings really hard but misses. For away games, Hamilton will use the name of a suburb or neighborhood in the home city.
- And the Indians / [batter's name] has left a small village on base tonight. - when a lot of runners are stranded
Personal life
Hamilton resides in Avon Lake, Ohio, with his wife and four children. One son (Nick) was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 35th round in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Kent State University.[2]
Books
- Glory Days in Tribe Town: The Cleveland Indians and Jacobs Field 1994–1997, (Co-Written with Terry Pluto), 2014 ISBN 978-1-938441-35-6
Awards and honors
- Seven-time NSSA Ohio Sportscaster of the Year (1997, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2017) [1][3][4]
- 2009 inductee - Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame[5]
- 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award - Greater Cleveland Sports Awards[6]