Grandsons Of Broadcast Legends Delivering Blue Wahoos-Trash Pandas Series 

Their grandfathers endeared themselves into listeners’ hearts and millions of homes nightly as legendary radio broadcasters during baseball’s bygone era.

This week, history is happening at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Chris Garagiola and Josh Caray, grandsons of broadcast hall of famers Joe Garagiola Sr and Harry Caray, are in separate booths, 10 feet away, delivering their own unique style into the play-by-play call of the Blue Wahoos-Rocket City Trash Pandas series.

Somewhere in the heavens, you know their grandfathers are smiling.

“He would have a lot to say,” said Chris Garagiola, in his second season as the voice of the Blue Wahoos. “I just think he would be more pleased about what I am trying to do now.

“But there is no denying it’s a cool piece of baseball broadcasting lore to see it go from generation to generation to generation.”

Josh Caray is the son of Skip Caray, who became a legend himself as Atlanta Braves broadcaster from 1976 through 2007 on Turner Broadcasting System (TBS). Josh’s half-brother, Chip Caray, is now part of the Braves network.

Harry Caray worked more than 50 years as a Major League broadcaster, headlined by his last 16 years with the Chicago Cubs where he became beloved for leading fans at Wrigley Field to sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” as he opened the radio booth window.

“He would be thrilled,” Josh Caray said. “He loved the game of baseball. I think he liked this more than the major leagues, because the players are young and they are still hungry and striving for excellence.

“It is still what baseball is all about. I think he would love to see one of his grandkids continue the legacy so I think he would be proud.”

Josh and Chris have a commonality aside from family ties. They decided broadcasting careers later in school, naturally hesitant to make it a dream job as kids.

Josh Caray launched his own broadcasting career in 2007 with the Rome (Georgia) Braves, the Atlanta Braves’ High-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

Chris Garagiola opted to pursue radio broadcasting at Trinity University in Texas, where he helped develop the school’s own broadcasting network. His grandfather was able to learn of his grandson’s ambitions before he passed away in 2016.

Joe Garagiola, who played nine years in the major leagues as a catcher, helped usher national television broadcasting into baseball when he first teamed with Curt Gowdy in the late 1960’s on NBC Game of the Week each Saturday. He worked nearly 30 years for NBC, including as co-host on The Today Show.

“To have Chris and Josh up in the booth, that’s pretty special,” said Trash Pandas manager Jay Bell, who grew up in Pensacola, led Tate High to a state title, then had a decorated 18-year career in the big leagues. “That’s a big deal. You don’t get that opportunity very often.

“It’s pretty special for me, because Josh’s dad and granddad were pretty special to me, and of course, Chris’ dad and granddad were extremely important in my life, too. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment as far as I’m concerned.

Chris’ father, Joe Garagiola Jr., was the architect behind the Arizona Diamondbacks’ place in sports history as the fastest start-up franchise in baseball history to win a championship.

It is one of many feats his father has attained, including making spring training sites in Arizona more popular for MLB teams than training in Florida.

The Diamondbacks won the World Series in 2001, just four years after their launch, back when Chris was 9-years-old and Rocket City Trash Pandas manager Jay Bell was a Diamondbacks infielder who scored the walk-off, winning run in Game 7 against the New York Yankees.

His father’s impact in baseball – he is now the Diamondbacks’ special advisor to the team president and CEO – has helped inspire Chris Garagiola.

“My dad has done incredible things for the game of baseball,” he said. “His resume is one that I don’t think is talked about enough.

“And when you look at the Caray family and what they have contributed to broadcasting since Harry, it’s as impressive as any family has contributed.

“My only real serious dip into broadcasting is my time here in Pensacola. We built groundwork for a pretty solid broadcasting facility at Trinity and opportunities for students. So I am very proud of what it has become.”

Harry Caray and Joe Garagiola Sr. both grew up in St. Louis, 12 years apart in age. Both rose to broadcasting fame with the St. Louis Cardinals early in their careers.

The amazement is that decades later, here are their grandsons developing their own style and passion for broadcasting.

“For me, I think it was about finding my niche and finding what I was good at,” said Josh Caray, who worked as football-basketball broadcaster at Stony Brook (NY) University and the Hudson Valley (NY) Renegades in the former New York-Penn League before getting hired by the Trash Pandas.

“It certainly is remarkable to see what is happening,” he said, referring to this week’s series with grandsons in the booths. “What is unique for the Garagiola family is they have done it different ways. (Chris’) grandfather did what he did in the broadcast business, his dad did what he did for the Arizona Diamondbacks as a front office executive.

“For my family it is a little more linear. I had to bounce around a little bit and find what I was passionate about and what I had to go after and it happened to be the same thing as my father and grandfather.”

On broadcasts, both men try to deliver in their own style, apart from famous family. Josh Caray said his style far more resembles his father, Skip, than grandfather.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he said, smiling. “I’m not as critical. Because frankly I can’t play and I can’t get away with it. But my mannerisms, my thinking, my tone, are a lot more like my father.”

Both broadcasters have aspirations of reaching the major leagues. It is a difficult road with only 30 teams and broadcasters typically staying for long careers with a team.

That would be the ultimate connection for both to embrace.

“To maybe look at this as a stop along the journey and during this time I happened to be just a door down from the grandson of Harry Caray, that is a very cool thing to say,” Chris Garagiola said.