Cleveland Plain Dealer Columnist Terry Pluto notes an amazing milestone in yesterday's edition..Cleveland Cavaliers radio voice Joe Tait will be calling his 3,000th game tonight as the Cavaliers play the New Orleans Hornets at Quicken Loans Arena. Except for 2 years in the early 1980's, Tait has been the "voice" and in some ways, the "face" of the Cavaliers Franchise..He has been the one constant throught the team's history..I have been a Cavs fan just about from the beginning..For me, Joe is one of the greats in broadcasting..His signature calls.."Binggoo!" "Wham. with the right hand!".."Three Ball...Got it!"..He made Cavaliers Basketball entertaining through the expansioin years, and through most of the down years between the Miracle of Richfield, Daugherty-Price era and the LeBron Era..He also found time to Call Cleveland Indians Games in the 1970's and early 80's, as well as numerous high school and college sporting events..Ive never had the chance to meet him, but he always seems to be a real good, regular guy always willing to help others in the broadcasting business..One of my biggest early memories was in February 1972 when the Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks 111-109..The Cavs' first ever win against the Knicks..Youd have thought the Cavaliers won the NBA title...I thought Joe was gonna lose it then..
Congratulations, Joe on your milestone..Only hope now is that you get an NBA title..You deserve it..Thanks for the memories..
Links:
Cleveland Plain Dealer Article:
Cleveland Seniors.com article:
NBA.Com page of Joe Tait's greatest calls:
Photo of Joe Tait courtesy Dan Hanson/Clevelandseniors.com
Tim, I remember hearing that game also.
ReplyDelete"And the crowd is going bananas."
"I think someone would have to shoot someone to have a foul called on them."
Joe Tait, definitely part of the soundtrack of my life.
I went to the Coliseum to see a Cav's game in 1975, and went up to Joe afterward. Talked to him for 5 minutes, as he answered a question for me about how to get into the business.