Tom Hamilton (sportscaster)

Last updated
Tom Hamilton
Tom Hamilton.jpg
Hamilton in 2014
Born (1954-08-19) August 19, 1954 (age 70)
Waterloo, Wisconsin, U.S.
Children4
Awards Ford C. Frick Award (2025)
Sports commentary career
Team Cleveland Indians/Guardians (1990–present)
Genre Play-by-play
Sport(s) Major League Baseball
College basketball

Tom Hamilton (born August 19, 1954 [1] ) is an American sportscaster, primarily known as the chief radio play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Guardians Major League Baseball team for 35 years. He is the recipient of the 2025 Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Contents

Career

Hamilton joined the then- Indians Radio Network for the 1990 season, after spending three years in the booth for the then AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees, the Columbus Clippers.

Cleveland

Hamilton was paired with Indians legend Herb Score until 1997, when Score retired after 30 seasons. Hamilton became chief play by play announcer in the 1998 season, a position he still holds today. Because of his longevity and popularity, he is now considered to be the "voice of the Tribe". After the Indians were renamed to the Guardians, he has also been referred to as the "voice of the Guardians". [2]

Over his career, Hamilton has called over 5,000 games, including two World Series (1997 and 2016 [3] ).

On August 5, 2023, Hamilton received praise for his energetic call of a bench-clearing brawl between the Guardians and Chicago White Sox. [4]

Other Work

Hamilton also called college basketball games in the offseason (usually Ohio State games) for ESPN Plus, and Big Ten Network for 25 years. [5]

Broadcasting associates with the Indians/Guardians

(*) - Nelson, and later Underwood joined Hamilton and Hegan in a three-man booth from 1998 to 2007, when the Indians then went to a two-man booth. Rosenhaus, Hamilton and Hegan formed a three-man team for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Broadcasting credits

(all pre-Indians/Guardians) [7]

Signature calls

Personal life

Hamilton resides in Avon Lake, Ohio, with his wife and four children. [7] One son, Nick, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 35th round in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Kent State University. [16]

Another son, Brad, works as a reporter for Cleveland Fox affiliate WJW-TV 8. [17]

Books

Awards and honors

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References

  1. ↑ Loede, Matt. "Happy Birthday to Indians Radio Voice Tom Hamilton!". Sports Illustrated Cleveland Guardians News, Analysis and More. The Arena Group. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  2. ↑ Doherty, Leah. "Guardians' Tom Hamilton named 2025 Ford C. Frick Award Winner". cleveland19.com. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  3. ↑ Bell, Mandy. "Guardians radio announcer Tom Hamilton named Frick Award winner". mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  4. ↑ Noga, Joe. "'Down goes Anderson!' Guardians broadcaster delivers epic play-by-play of brawl with Chicago". cleveland.com. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "Guardians Broadcasters". mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  6. ↑ All-Time Broadcasters - Cleveland Guardians
  7. 1 2 3 Broadcasters - Cleveland Guardians
  8. ↑ Justice, Camryn (10 April 2020). "You can have 'Voice of the Tribe' Tom Hamilton call your play from home". News 5 Cleveland. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Meisel, Zack (28 May 2024). "It's hard to not be a fan of Guardians announcer Tom Hamilton — just ask his kids". The Atlantic. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  10. ↑ Tom Hamilton - SABR.org
  11. ↑ For Tom Hamilton, the voice of the Cleveland Indians, 'the impossible dream came true' - Cleveland.com (The Plain Dealer)
  12. ↑ Tom Hamilton's call of the Jose Ramirez-Tim Anderson fight on Cleveland radio is the stuff of legend. - Awful Announcing on Twitter
  13. ↑ "DOWN GOES ANDERSON LIMITED EDITION T SHIRT". GV ART AND DESIGN. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  14. ↑ Traina, Jimmy (8 August 2023). "Guardians' Tom Hamilton Takes Us Through the Viral Call of the Wild MLB Fight". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  15. ↑ DeNatale, Dave (8 September 2020). "25 years ago: Remembering the night the Cleveland Indians clinched the 1995 American League Central Division crown". WKYC. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  16. ↑ Hamilton's son drafted - Cleveland.com
  17. 1 2 Browns legend, Olympic gold medalist, champion volleyball coach and longtime broadcaster inducted into Hall of Fame - Fox 8.com (WJW-TV)
  18. ↑ Hamilton Ohio Sportscaster of the Year - NSSA.com
  19. ↑ Hamilton inducted into Cleveland Broadcasters HOF - CAB Cleveland.com
  20. ↑ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Greater Cleveland Sports Awards
  21. ↑ 2025 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Tom Hamilton - National Baseball Hall of Fame
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