Denny Matthews: One of the Greatest Announcers of All-Time

It seems as though everything has changed since 1969. Our hair, our clothes, our cars, technology, the economy, and even our national pastime have undergone amazing transformations. One thing, however, has remained an unwavering constant. Anyone listening to a radio broadcast of Kansas City Royals' baseball will still be hear the calm voice of Denny Matthews, one of the greatest announcers of all-time.

When major league baseball returned to Kansas City in 1969, Denny Matthews was an upstart broadcaster only three years removed from his graduation from Illinois Wesleyan University. The Illinois native was one of over three hundred applicants, but somehow managed to find his way into the radio booth with broadcasting veteran Bud Blattner to announce the ball club's inaugural season. He's been there ever since.

By 1975, Matthews had moved from being the "number two" man into the booth to being the star of the Royals radio network. In an industry where frequent turnover is expected, Denny Matthews has maintained his status as the voice of the Royals for over 38 consecutive years. Having announced the team's games in parts of five decades, it comes as no surprise that Matthews was recognized by induction into the Royals Hall of Fame in 2004.

Matthews' unique style has been at the heart of his lengthy tenure in the booth. His calm demeanor and willingness to announce the game at its pace and rhythms runs contrary to the prevailing strategy of broadcaster bombast and bloviation. Some young fans accustomed to a more aggressive performance from an announcer initially find Matthews' one-of-a-kind cadence and approach slow and inconsistent with their expectations. He is, however, an acquired taste and critics usually become converts in short order.

For many in the Midwest, Kansas City Royals baseball and Denny Matthews are completely inseparable. The thought of any other providing a blow-by-blow account of a game is unthinkable. Matthews introduced fans to the team in its infancy, relayed tales of their fantastic successes through the late 1970s and early 1980s (capped off with a 1985 World Series Championship), and has provided fans with a careful accounting of the teams disappointing subsequent performances.

He may not scream into the microphone, concoct controversial remarks, or have a signature catch-phrase, but Denny Matthews has been bleeding Royal blue for nearly four decades. He is certainly one of the greatest announcers of all-time.