CF Reconfiguration Work
Minute Maid Park
December 2016
Thanks to a contribution by Darrell Pittman, here’s the 2016 bon voyage photo of the work going on at Minute Maid Park with the removal of Tal’s Hill and the shortening of deep CF from 436 to 409 feet.
The upgoing replacement structure near the old CF wall appears to be something like a jutting-out, slightly askew directed special grandstand – or, at least, some kind of new feature that looks like a grandstand. I guess we will find out for sure with our own eyes on Opening Day – and that dateline includes those of us who will be tuning into the game at home for the first regular season HD telecast by Todd Kalas, the replacement game telecaster voice for the now retired, but still wonderful Astros game caller for a record 30 years, Bill Brown. Also, Geoff Blum will join Kalas as his analyst partner – and – as Todd Kalas, son of Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas also now goes to work for the same franchise that gave his father a first broadcasting job at the MLB level back in the Gene Elston era.
Gene Elston is one of two Hall of Fame broadcasters, the other being Milo Hamilton, who spent many years of their careers broadcasting for the Houston Astros. Harry Kalas spent most of his career with the Phillies, and Bob Prince, a Hall f Fame broadcaster for the Pirates, spent a short time with the Astros after finishing at Pittsburgh.
Todd Kalas
New TV Voice of the Houston Astros
This hire isn’t the first rodeo for Todd Kalas, who has worked with the media broadcasting team serving the Tampa Bay Rays for the past 18 seasons. He also is a native Houstonian, having been born here in the Bayou City back in 1965, when his father was working for the Astros.
Warm up the pipes, Todd Kalas! Looks like your dad’s old signature call at the Astrodome is going to be finding its way to new nostalgia reincarnation at the now-being-reconfigured outfield fence overall shorter distances for a home run.
“…and THAT ball is in Astro-Orbit”
You probably won’t say it over the air because – well, after all, it was your dad’s call.
But many of us old-timers who remember Harry Kalas will be thinking it every time an Astro goes yard – because – you will be there to remind us of him!
____________________
Publisher, Editor, Writer
The Pecan Park Eagle
Tags: Goodbye, Tal's Hill.~ Hello, Todd Kalas.
The Pecan Park Eagle 
December 29, 2016 at 2:36 pm |
Bill,
Tom Cheek, the Blue Jays’ announcer, who died in 2005, is a third broadcast member of the Hall of Fame. He broadcast 4306 consecutive Blue Jays games, including the club’s two World Series victories. His “Touch ’em all, Joe”, comment can still be heard on internet cites.
Jim Farge
January 2, 2017 at 7:50 pm |
big improvement over Ashby