FSN-Ohio play-by-play announcer George Grande has called it a career before today's ball game. Grande and fellow colleague Chris Welsh have been together ever since 1993 as baseball's longest TV duo in Reds history. Grande stated that he wanted to spend more time at home with his family so he opted out of his contract one year early. Grandehosted the very first episode of SportsCenter when ESPN first came on the air. He often served as the master of ceromonies for Baseball's Hall of Fame for the annual inductions of new baseball nominees in Cooperstown, NY. Lots of tears were shed by Grande's fellow colleague's Chris Welsh, Jim Day, and Jeff Piecoro. His friends from FOX presented him with a cake before the game that had on it his famous quote during games, "Get em on, Get em over, and Get em in." Also, Marty Brennaman, Jeff Piecoro, Jim Day, and Reds CEO Bob Castellini visted Grande furing the broadcast in the booth, where he was presented two autographed jerseys by his FOX colleagues and Reds players and a plaque honoring his 17-year Reds broadcasting tenure with FSN-Ohio. George received phone calls on-air from MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and former Reds 1st baseman Sean Casey. He worked for 42 years in the broadcasting business. George Grande certainly will be missed, I've been listening to him all my life call Reds games with Chris Welsh and it will be awkward with him no longer being the voice of the Reds on TV. He was the Marty Brennaman of sports broadcasters on Reds TV. Fortunately, the Reds were able to send off his final broadcast with a 6-0 victory to end Baseball's regular season today. Here's what Grande had to say about his decision to retire;
"I wanted to spend more time at home, basically," Grande said before Sunday's game. "I love the Reds, what I do and I love my job. I just need to be home on a regular basis, not just four or five days a month, to keep up on things."
"It has nothing to do with anything about the Reds or Fox Sports," Grande said. "For me family has always been No. 1. Family will always come first."
"If there is something that comes along where I don't have to travel on a regular basis, I will do that too," Grande said. "I'm not leaving to take another job. I'm leaving to spend more time at home. If something happens, fine. More than anything, I will miss the people. I will miss everybody I worked with. We've all been pretty lucky and fortunate -- the broadcasters and writers, everybody - to have a great relationship. The people I worked with made 17 years a joy."
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