Minors radio legend exits the booth in Birmingham
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Birmingham is known as The Magic City, and for 32 years it was Curt Bloom’s job to cast a spell over the airwaves. Bloom, the longest-tenured broadcaster in Birmingham Barons history, announced at the end of last month that it “was time to get off the bus and let someone else take their turn” as the voice of one of Minor League Baseball’s most storied franchises. He's not retiring -- not by a long shot -- but his departure from the Barons marks the end of an era.
I spoke with Bloom in his broadcast booth at Birmingham’s Regions Field in 2023, during what turned out to be his penultimate campaign. The quotes contained in this article, lightly edited for clarity, are from that conversation (previously featured in an episode of “The Show Before the Show” podcast).
"I was blessed growing up in New York, in Westchester County," said Bloom. "I was nine years old and I wanted to be the Yankees center fielder. The next best thing would be, 'I want to be the Yankees broadcaster.' I would go to bed at night with a transistor radio, listen to Phil Rizzuto and Bill White and Frank Messer. I just knew athletically it was never going to happen for me, and I carved out a path. It’s a very big blessing to know when you’re nine years old what you want to do, and it was just carving that out and continuing to do it."
Following stints with the Bakersfield Blaze, Prince William Cannons and Huntsville Stars, Bloom was hired by the Barons in advance of the 1992 season. The Southern League stalwart was then, and remains now, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
"I’ve always answered it this way: 'The job seeks you,'" he said. "It was just that the Birmingham Barons had an opening, and I had some sales experience, and the brand-new general manager at the time, Bill Hardekopf, wanted someone who could sell. … It could have been the Tulsa club. It could have been Frisco, it could have been Rochester. I didn’t go, 'That’s where I want to go.' They were the ones that said, 'OK, everything you’re presenting to us is good enough. We’d like to offer you the job.'"
It may have been a circumstantial and somewhat arbitrary decision, but Birmingham proved to be the right choice. Over the course of his Barons tenure, Bloom called the action for four championship-winning teams, including the improbable 2024 squad. He was behind the mic for every iteration of the Rickwood Classic, the annual Rickwood Field throwback game that set the stage for 2024’s Willie Mays-focused MLB game between the Cardinals and Giants. The Barons played at suburban Hoover Met Stadium for the first two decades of his career, with Regions Field opening in downtown Birmingham in 2013.
Bloom was inducted into the Barons Hall of Fame that same year, joining the likes of Mays, Satchell Paige and many other luminaries. Five years later he received enshrinement in the Southern League Hall of Fame as well.
And, of course, Bloom was the voice of the Barons for the unforgettable 1994 season, in which a longshot prospect by the name of Michael Jordan patrolled Birmingham’s outfield. The NBA superstar’s presence on the roster, under the guidance of rookie skipper Terry Francona, drew massive attention and Bloom was at the center of it all. Maybe that’s why he ended up in Birmingham.
"I rubbed a crystal ball, said 'I bet one day we’re gonna get Michael Jordan,'" he remarked facetiously. "I didn’t win a contest. It wasn’t like, 'Alright, send your tape in and you can be the announcer for Jordan.' I just happened to be here. … I’ll never forget those first couple weeks, never ever believing he’d get to the finish line, doubting him like everybody else did. That’s a great thing that I learned: The more you doubt, the more he tries to prove you wrong.
"The bottom line for any broadcaster, any year, any day, is build trust," he concluded. "I built trust with [Jordan] and he built trust with me."
Whether it’s Michael Jordan, an unheralded late-round Draft pick or anyone in between, Bloom said that building relationships was the most memorable and worthwhile aspect of his job.
"That’s what I’m really proud of, that I can walk into a lot of places. 'Hey CB, how you doing?'" he said. "[In 2022] when I did that Chicago [White Sox] game, a good part of that locker room was like, 'Hey, man, you got here!'"
Indeed, Bloom received a call to The Show in July of 2022, filling in for White Sox broadcaster Darrin Jackson. That was a career highlight, to be sure, but Bloom doesn’t look at it as a culmination. In announcing the end of his run with the Barons, he wrote, "I am not sure of my next step yet."
In the meantime, he’ll remain a familiar presence in the Birmingham sports scene, calling University of Auburn basketball and Vestavia Hills football.
As for what has brought him this far, and what compels him to continue, Bloom had a simple answer.
"One word: passion," he said. "I’ve got a lot of energy. I’m ready to go. … To be a broadcaster and to do all these other things, you’ve got to start with passion. And I’ve been blessed that the greatest feedback I get is when someone says, 'Man, you really sounded like you had a lot of fun.'"
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Big Lead Evaporates Against Giants in Extra-Inning Loss
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Ports let one slip away against the Giants on Friday night, missing an opportunity to tie the series at two apiece, and instead allowing San Jose to come back from an 8-1 deficit and win 11-10 in 11 innings. The Ports (17-20) got sac flies to
Ports Win 5-3 with Late Clutch Hitting
STOCKTON, Calif. – It was a resilient effort for the Ports on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark, reclaiming the lead each time the Giants tied the contest and coming away with a 5-3 victory in game three of the six-game series. The Ports (17-19) led 2-0 and 3-2, with
Pitcher's Duel Goes to Giants in Game Two
STOCKTON, Calif. – The pitching matchup going into Wednesday night’s game suggested a pitcher’s duel could be in play at Banner Island Ballpark, and that’s exactly how it panned out, with the Giants getting just enough offense to edge the Ports 2-0 in game two of the six-game series. Donny
Eighth Inning Eruption Gives Giants Game One Win
STOCKTON, Calif. – A six-run eighth inning for the Giants broke open a two-run game on Tuesday afternoon, as San Jose took game one of the six-game series 10-2. The Giants (19-15) got three runs in the third and one more in the fifth for a 4-0 lead, but Stockton
Ports Leave Runners Stranded at Inland Empire in 8-5 Loss
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Ports stranded 15 runners on Sunday afternoon at San Manuel Stadium, as they came up short of earning a series split in an 8-5 loss to Inland Empire in the series finale. The 66ers (12-21) walked 14 Stockton batters, but the Ports (16-17) couldn’t take
Aggressive Offense and Clean Defense Leads to 6-4 Win
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Some timely hitting – and bunting – helped propel the Ports to a 6-4 win over Inland Empire on Saturday night, setting up a chance to split the series on Sunday. It was a pitcher’s duel through the first four innings before the Ports (16-16) broke
Ports Fall to 66ers Despite Leary's Home Run
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Runs were hard to come by for the Ports on Friday night, this time in a 7-2 loss to the 66ers who took a 3-1 lead in the six-game series. Stockton (15-16) stranded eight runners in the game, including four in the first three innings. All
Eighth Inning Comeback for 66ers Leads to 8-5 Loss for Ports
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – A wild, wacky game at San Manuel Stadium went to Inland Empire on Thursday night, as a four-run eighth inning tilted the game to the 66ers in an 8-5 loss for the Ports. In a contest with six combined wild pitches and three lead changes, Inland
Ports Right the Ship in 6-5 Win Over I.E.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Ports held on for a 6-5 win over Inland Empire on Wednesday night, evening up the series at one game apiece and snapping a three-game skid with the nail-biting win. Stockton (15-14) trailed 2-0 after a second inning in which starter Sam Stuhr stumbled off
Ports Drop to .500 After 4-2 Loss to 66ers
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The big hit evaded the Ports on Tuesday night at San Manuel Stadium, as they lost the series opener to Inland Empire 4-2. The 66ers (9-19) scored a pair of runs in the first with a two-out, two-RBI base hit by Dario Laverde into right center,
Quakes Take Season Series Lead After Port Loss in Finale
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – The Ports (14-13) couldn’t get the season split with the Quakes (19-8) on Sunday afternoon, as Rancho Cucamonga jumped out early and held on for a 9-5 win over Stockton in the series finale. Wei-En Lin was good through the first two innings before running into
Series Goes to Quakes After 5-0 Loss in Game Five
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – The Ports were held to two hits on Saturday night, as they were blanked by the Quakes 5-0 to give Rancho Cucamonga the series win for the first six-game series loss for the Ports this season. Both hits for Stockton (14-12) came via singles into center
Stockton's Big Eighth Powers Them to 6-3 Win Over Quakes
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – The Ports (14-11) broke open a pitcher’s duel in the eighth inning en route to a 6-3 win over the Quakes (17-8) on Friday night. Neither side had a hit until the Quakes got a double into right center from Elijah Hainline, but starter Donny Troconis
Big Fifth and Sixth for Quakes Leads to Loss in Game Three
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – A deluge of runs for the Quakes in the fifth and sixth innings led to 14-2 loss for the Ports on Thursday night. As rain briefly came down in the fifth inning, the Quakes (17-7) were just beginning to pour it on the Ports (13-11). Stockton
Two Runs in Ninth for Quakes Leads to Walk-Off Loss
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – The Ports let one slip away in game two of their series with Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday night, as the Quakes came back for a 3-2, walk-off win over Stockton at Loan Mart Field. The Ports (13-10) were clinging to a 2-1 lead going into the
Quakes Pull Away for 9-4 Win in Game One
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – Game one of the six-game series in Rancho Cucamonga went to the Quakes on Tuesday afternoon, as the Port dropped game the opener 9-4. The Ports (13-9) are dealing with their first rash of injuries this season, as Stockton will be without shortstop Ali Camarillo and
Sunday Split Leads to Series Split with Modesto
STOCKTON, Calif. – The every-other-game pattern for Stockton and Modesto continued through the final two games of the series with the Ports (13-8) winning game five that was suspended due to rain, and the Nuts (15-6) taking the finale 7-1 to split the six-game series. GAME ONE: The Ports poured
Pitcher's Duel Goes to Modesto in Game Four
STOCKTON, Calif. – The first pitcher’s duel in this week’s 209 rivalry match up went to Modesto on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark, with the Nuts hanging on for a 3-2 victory over the Ports to even the series and two games apiece. Each side managed to get some
Ports Hang On for 11-8 Win Over Modesto in Game Three
STOCKTON, Calif. – A comfortable Ports lead ended up a little uncomfortable late in the game on Thursday night, but Stockton hung on for an 11-8 victory to take a two-games-to-one series lead over Modesto. The Ports (12-6) led the Nuts (13-5) by 10 runs through seven innings of play,
Nuts Even Up Series With 11-8 Win in Game Two
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Modesto Nuts evened up the six-game series at one apiece by taking game two by a score of 11-8 on a windy night in Stockton. In a game that came in as a match up between two highly touted pitching prospects, one could wonder who would
Waves of Runs Give Ports 13-2 Win Over Nuts
STOCKTON, Calif. – The first meeting between Modesto and Stockton in 2025 decidedly went to the Ports on Tuesday afternoon, with Stockton winning 13-2 over the Nuts in game one of the six-game series. With all signs pointing toward this being the last season of a team representing Modesto in
Ports Take Five of Six in Visalia
VISALIA, Calif. – Stockton (10-5) slugged their way to an 8-6 win in the series finale in Visalia on Sunday, taking five of six against the Rawhide (4-11). The Ports jumped on top early, scoring a pair in the first on an RBI double down the third base line from
Rawhide Snap Skid and Ports Win Streak
VISALIA, Calif. – The Ports four-game win streak came to an end on Saturday night, as the Rawhide snapped their 10-game skid with a 1-0 win, shutting out Stockton for the first time this season. Each side had five hits on the night, but the Rawhide (4-10) scratched across a
Ports Claim Second-Straight Series with 6-2 Win Over Visalia
VISALIA, Calif. – Another series win is in the books for the Ports (9-4) after winning their fourth straight in Visalia, this time via a 6-2 victory over the Rawhide (3-10). An RBI groundout from Ali Camarillo gave Stockton an early 1-0 lead in the fifth, but Visalia answered right
Go-Ahead Run in Ninth Gives Ports 4-3 Win
VISALIA, Calif. – The Ports (8-4) first come-from-behind win of the season was a 4-3 victory over Visalia (3-9), erasing a 3-0 deficit in the middle of the game before taking their first lead in the top of the ninth to go up three games to none in the series.