Joe Buck Reveals the Finish Line of his Career
By Keaton Moore
As one broadcasting legend retired in 2016 another recently announced his own plans to call it a career. In recent interviews, longtime broadcaster Joe Buck shared his plans to retire after the 2019 World Series.
Aside from Vin Scully, no other voice better broadcasted the beauty of sports over the last two decades than Joe Buck. Now, after over twenty years in the sports industry, Buck recently put an expiration date on his phenomenal broadcasting career.
“But I would like to get some of my time back and be at home, be in St. Louis, be with my wife and watch my kids,” said Buck (per Yahoo Sports). “I’ve been gone a lot this year and I’m not crying about it. I love it. But I need to take stuff out.”
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Returning to St. Louis would be returning to the place where his career first took off. Under the influence of Jack Buck, his father and established broadcaster, Joe began his career at 19-years-old. As a young man, Buck worked in the minor leagues before broadcasting his first baseball game. While working on local television and KMOX Radio, he called his first Cardinals’ game in 1991.
Three years later, Fox Sports hired Buck to cover the National Football League. By announcing his first professional sports game, the 25-year-old became the youngest broadcaster to announce an NFL game in 1994.
While continuing to cover the NFL, Fox Sports added the sport his father raised him to love to his workload. In 1996, Fox Sports named Buck the lead play-by-play broadcaster for the major leagues.
On top of broadcasting Super Bowls and occasionally golf tournaments, Buck covered a number of seasons in the major leagues. Besides 1997 and 1999, Buck’s voice brought the World Series to fans over the airwaves since 1996. Within the 19 World Series Buck covered, he called a number of unforgettable postseason moments. Most recently, he called final out of the 2016 World Series with an audience of over 40 million. His call was simple, perfect and simply perfect.
“Yeah, I think I – I love it – but I’ve been doing it for a long time and I feel like somebody else should do it. I’ve done enough,” said Buck (per Yahoo Sports). “If somebody said right now, before I walk outta here, you’re done, I’ve had the greatest career miles beyond anything I could have ever dreams.”
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Whispers of his impending retirement first surfaced while he interviewed with Brad Straubinger on Dec. 7. Within a week, Buck expounded on his comment on 590 The Fan. His current contract with Fox Sports stands through 2019, after which he plans to hang up the head set. Regardless of receiving criticism for his casual style and accusations of bias, the sports industry will remember his hard work and passion.