It's Cocktail Hour, Remembering Skip Caray

Skip Caray

Going to take a break from football tonight and talk about Skip Caray. Skip died one year ago, and he did so way, way too soon.

In our house when I was growing up, Skip Caray was ever bit as revered as Larry Munson. Perhaps even more so. Skip, after all, he was coming into our house via the SuperStation roughly 162 times a year. With the exception of that two year run in the early 80's, there wasn't a lot of great baseball being played in Atlanta, but Skip, and Ernie and Pete, kept us tuned in.

Personally, I think Skip was the finest paly-by-play man the Hawks every had. I can remember it like it was yesterday, "Charlie Criss pulls up for the 18 footer, shoots it 17." As good as he was with the Hawks, he will always be a Brave.

Skip was a proud "homer". He was also quite honest. Who can forget lines like, "And, like lambs to the slaughter, the Braves take the field" or "The bases are loaded, just like Jack McKeon probably wishes he was"? My Dad's favorite Skip event was when he rented a banner to fly over the old stadium with Ron Hudspeth's real phone number. The banner read, "for a good time, call Rona Hudspeth ###-####". Classic.

Then there was "cocktail hour". When Skip felt the Braves chances in a particular game were over he would declare "It's cocktail hour." Those were the best days of Skip to me. He filled the void the Braves level of play created. When the Braves started the remarkable run of Division Championships, Skip ceded to the suits and toned things down. I do not think he minded, for HIS Braves were winning.

Skip, tonight I toast to you. Happy Cocktail Hour! Braves Win!

Baseball mourns loss of Skip Caray | MLB.com: News

"Our baseball community has lost a legend today," said Braves president John Schuerholz. "The Braves family and Braves fans everywhere will sadly miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Paula and his children."