Radio Broadcaster Jay Burnham

Christmas came early for many of Asheville's biggest baseball fans in 2008. For the first time since the 1970s, Tourists games were broadcast over the airwaves when the team and radio station WRES 100.7 FM came to an agreement to air all of the contests. Those airings, which were simulcast over the internet on the Tourists website as well as on the concourse at McCormick Field, were deemed a rousing success by everyone involved, with numerous fans leading the cheers.

Making the experience even better was the enthusiastic efforts of Jay Burnham, who joined the Tourists a few weeks prior to the 2008 campaign. The opportunity combined with the Shelburne Falls, Mass., native proved to be a perfect match, resulting in a growing and interactive audience and a broadcast that increased in popularity as fans discovered there was a new and exciting way to keep up with the Asheville nine, both at home and on the road.

"I grew up listening to the Red Sox on the radio with my dad, but I never considered broadcasting games to be realistic because it's such a unique and fun job," Burnham said. "When I went to college, I decided I was going to give it a shot. I wound up doing a couple of internships and eventually found my way to Asheville. I've been having a blast ever since."

After attending Hawaii Pacific University and Kansai Gadai University in Japan, Burnham graduated from Elon University in Greensboro with a bachelor of arts degree in communications. He then received his initiation in the South Atlantic League during an internship with the Hagerstown Suns prior to spending three seasons calling the play-by-play of the Pensacola Pelicans in the independent American Association. As with any small organization with a limited budget, Burnham was in many ways a jack of all trades. He had to write and produce all of the radio ads in addition to honing his skills on the air, all of which gave him valuable experience in all phases of minor league baseball.

Burnham also became an expert on how to survive road trips. While many members of the SAL grumble about the extended trips to Hagerstown, Lake County and Lakewood, those journeys are little more than a hop, skip and a jump compared to what Burnham encountered with Pensacola.

"We would travel from Pensacola to El Paso, Texas, which is a 26-hour ride on a bus, to play a six-game series," Burnham said. "We would then stop in Fort Worth, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana, on the way back home. We also made a 26-hour bus trip to St. Paul, Minnesota, which is a great baseball town, and then we would stop back in Sioux City on the way home. We had sleeper buses, so it wasn't that big of a deal, but you might say I was able to cut my teeth during those three seasons."

The experience with the American Association had several high points. The first centered on working with manager Bernie Carbo, who etched his name into Red Sox lore with his home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series that helped set the stage for Carlton Fisk's historic homer. Burnham also dealt with players who loved the game so much they were willing to accept jobs with little fanfare while hoping to earn a shot with clubs affiliated with the major leagues.

"About half the guys had a year or two of minor league experience, with many of them reaching Class A and even a few the Double-A level," Burnham said. "The other half are guys who went undrafted out of college and are trying to prove the scouts and major league teams wrong. It was an interesting cast of characters and a group of players I still root for. For instance, Chris Coste, a catcher with the Phillies, started his career years ago with Fargo-Moorhead in the Northern League. Our closer in Pensacola, Edwar Ramirez, was cut by the Angels and found his way to our camp with the shirt on his back and nothing more. Two years later, he's pitching out of the bullpen for the New York Yankees. There's lot of guys who fall through the cracks and that's the kind of guys you love to root for."

According to Burnham, an unabashed love for baseball is one of the primary criteria for doing his job. Behind every player is a story of how he arrived in Asheville. Burnham tries to pass those insights along to his listeners in order to create an interesting broadcast while also generating a closer bond between the fans and the young men they are cheering on the diamond.

"I enjoy the stories of the players and describing what's happening on the field," Burnham said. "I like to be a little theatrical about it, but also inform people as much as possible. I love the stories behind the stories. For instance, we may have a first-round draft pick, but he also might have gone to high school with the lead singer of a punk rock band. I also try hard to stay community-minded throughout the broadcast, because that's what really helps tie the entire product together and keeps local fans listening."

Burnham is the first to admit his broadcasts emitting from McCormick Field compared to those on the road are as different as night and day. During away games, Burnham is strictly a solo act, trying to do his best in usually small, cramped and unfamiliar surroundings. At home, he not only has everything he needs either in the press box or in his office, he also has a broadcast partner as well as assistance from a variety of sources, including several listeners at the ballpark.

"We have several season ticket holders, fans like Dorlan Winkler and Cliff Feingold who are wearing headsets and listening to the game while sitting behind home plate," Burnham said. "I really appreciate their feedback, and it's flattering that they go to the effort to let me know things they might see that I can't see up in the booth."

While he was in Pensacola, Burnham began using instant messaging during games in order to communicate with listeners during a broadcast. Many of those who use the system are friends and relatives of the players who are listening to the game in other parts of the country via the internet.

"Those are the people who are listening every single night, and that's where I get the really good stories," Burnham said. "Oftentimes the parents will send me stories about what the players did in high school or Little League. Sometimes the stories really aren't all that flattering, but it gives me something I can tease them about."

In the major leagues, some broadcasters have developed reputations for "calling it as they see it," which can include criticism from the announcer's team. In Cincinnati, veteran Hall of Famer Marty Brennaman has fielded complaints from the Reds' players and coaching staff regarding his perceptions and evaluations on what has transpired over the course of a game. Burnham, however, understands there is a big difference between the major leagues and the South Atlantic League, which for most players is their first full season in pro ball. As a result, he admits to downplaying many of the mistakes.

"This is their proving ground, so to speak, and playing 140 games in a year is not an easy feat," Burnham said. "It's a grind, so I believe I need to give a little leeway for improvement and try to bring them up instead of tear them down. A guy may strike out three times in a game, but I try to focus on the things they did right. And the listeners I believe understand and respect that."

As with anyone associated with the minor leagues, Burnham would love to one day ply his trade in the big leagues. At the same time, he realizes how unique his current situation with the Tourists is and admits to being both happy and content as the play-by-play man in Asheville. In fact, he even goes so far as to admit he's not sure if life can get any better than what he has experienced since he arrived in Western North Carolina a little over a year ago.

"I got a break coming to Asheville and I love it," Burnham said. "I love this city, and I feel it defines me. I went to school in North Carolina, Hawaii and Japan, and I've lived in New York City, Portland, Oregon, Nashville, Tennessee, and Pensacola, Florida. But Asheville is the place I've loved living in the most. You always want to move up, but I couldn't be happier doing what I'm doing right here in Asheville with the Tourists."