486. TV Writer, MLB Play-by-Play Announcer Ken Levine

Sports With Friends

This episode is a continuation from a conversation that took place on the Hall of Justice podcast episode 395. In that episode, Ken Levine detailed his illustrious TV writing career that included writing for MASH, Cheers, Frasier, the Simpsons, and countless others. In that episode, there was no discussion of what this episode is about. While he was writing Cheers and Frasier, Ken Levine was ALSO a Major League Baseball play-by-play announcer. Levine called games for the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres. In this episode recounts in great detail how this successful television writer began calling games into a tape recorder at Dodgers Stadium. That activity morphed into a couple of minor league gigs, which in turn became opportunities in the big leagues. While the entire story is fascinating, this podcast also contains amazing stories about Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken, Jr. Still, the best stories involve Tom Hanks and Ted Danson, who played former Red Sox pitcher Sam Malone on Cheers.