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Los Angeles Ram broadcasters

LA BOB wrote: "In the Fifties, the Rams main radio voice, and a deep baritone voice it was, dripping with formality and a sense of tremendous IMPORTANCE in every word, was the late Bob Kelley. Sidekicks included Bill Brundage, in the days when the sidekick mainly did interviews and took you to commercial. Used to love hearing Kelley say names like Catcavage and Lundy and Lipscomb. He made Rams games sound like news coverage. Right out of the "radio announcer" mold. They don't make many like that anymore. Remember him? Later, of couse, a younger and more excitable Dick Enberg came aboard and provided the Rams listener with the best "word's eye view" I've ever heard in any sport. He pioneered the radio announcer's early use of Instant Replay video in the booth. After a big play was over and his "live" call completed with an Enbergian "Oh, My ! " Dick would allow a few moments for the crowd to holler and the tape to rewind, then CALL THE REPLAY, more analytically the second time around, to also give the RADIO fans a second bite at the apple. Nowadays, the "expert" color guy usually cops this duty, but in those days, Enberg's sidekicks (Dick "Scooter" Bass, et al) still talked less than they do now. (Thank Humble Howard and Motormouth Madden for that.) Enberg's technique became obvious when you "simul-tuned" the Rams' radio broadcast with the live tv game. Great technique, great enthusiasm. Dick Enberg could virtually staple a kid's ear to his transistor radio. Remember? From Kelley, I remember mostly his voice, his tone, and how important he made each play seem. From Enberg, I remember mostly Rams triumphs and disasters, maybe even more than I might if I had watched them on tv, and the TENSION and DRAMA he conveyed."

Here is Bob Kelley calling the first play of the 1950 championship game between the Rams and the Cleveland Browns BOB KELLEY Here is Dick Enberg calling the 1967 block punt against the Packers DICK ENBERG Here is Al Wisk calling the game winning TD in the 1979 playoff game against Dallas. AL WISK Here is Bob Starr calling the game winning FG in the last game of the 1983 season BOB STARR ................................................ Kelley, Bob: KMPC, 1946-64; KRKD, 1964-66. Bob was regarded as one of the finest football announcers in the history of radio and television. Bud Furillo was even more effusive, "Ol' Kell was the best football announcer I ever heard." Bob came West with the Rams in 1946, a position he had held since the inception of the pro football team in Cleveland in 1937. He won immediate fame for his vivid broadcasts. Bob announced the PCL's Angel games from 1948 to 1957. He was twice named the LA Times Sportscaster of the Year. He had a nightly controversial sports show on KMPC and was the sports director for the station. Jim Murray wrote: "His dinner-hour sports show made as many people gnash their teeth as cheer. But they listened. His mail was sulfuric. But they wrote." Bob was born in Kalamazoo and attended high school in Elkhart, Indiana and Western Reserve University where he graduated in 1942. After graduation from high school, Bob moved to South Bend and a job announcing the football games of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. He became director of sports for WGAR-Cleveland and began calling Ram games. In 1942 he joined WJR-Detroit where he broadcast the games of the University of Michigan, while commuting back to Cleveland on Sundays to do the Rams. In the mid-1950s Bob became part of the Angels and Hollywood Stars at Wrigley Field and California Angels beginning announcing team in 1961. In 1964 Bob was carried out of the Coliseum during the Pro Bowl with a heart attack. The Voice of the Rams died September 9, 1966, at the age of 49.

Bob Starr

BOB KELLEY 1946-1965 ...DICK ENBERG 1966-1977...AL WISK 1978-1979...BOB STARR 1980-1990............ RAM PICTURES TELL A STORY