Awards

TSN Announcers of the Year Winners

By Patrick Mondout

In 1932 The Sporting News (TSN) asked its readers who their favorite baseball broadcaster was. Arch McDonald, who was actually broadcasting minor league games in Louisville at the time, was their answer. TSN asked again in 1936, but included both Major League and minor categories, with Cincinnati Reds announcer Harry Hartman coming out on top of the former. The Sporting News put their knowledgeable editors to work starting in 1937 and began using internal voting results to award the honor rather than asking the fans. They expanded the award in 1946 to include a winner from each league and in 1952 to have separate television broadcaster awards.

I have contacted The Sporting News and they do not have a list of winners of this award. I have begun a list here and hope that some of you will be able to fill in some of the gaps. Harry Caray, for example, won the award seven times, but which years? Mel Allen was a ten time winner. If you have additional information on the winners of this award, please use the Contact link at the top right of this page to share it with everyone.

1932 Arch McDonald 
1936 Harry Hartman
1937 France Laux
1938 Tom Manning
1939 Red Barber
1940 Bob Elson
1941 Bob Elson
1942 Arch McDonald
1943 Johnny O'Hara
1944 Dizzy Dean
1945 Arch McDonald
1946 Mel Allen (American League), Harry Caray (National League)
1947 Mel Allen (American League), Red Barber (National League)
1948 Mel Allen (American League), Harry Caray (National League)
1949 Mel Allen (American League), Harry Caray (National League)
1950 Mel Allen (American League), Russ Hodges (National League)
1951 Mel Allen (American League), Harry Caray (National League)
1952 Mel Allen (American League) 

The Sporting News also named Television Announcers of the Year in 1951:

1951 Jack Brickhouse (American League) Russ Hodges (National League)

References