Wednesday brought some terrible news for Cleveland Indians fans and anyone following sports in the city for the past 50 years.
The news was that legendary broadcaster Joe Tait died at the age of 83.
Younger generations in Cleveland remember him best for his work calling Cavaliers games.
He was there when LeBron James arrived and his voice delivered a new era of basketball in Cleveland into the cars, homes, and workplaces of so many.
But he also spent 15 years calling Indians games, both on television and the radio.
The team shared a statement in honor of Tait following the news.
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) March 10, 2021
In Honor of the Late Joe Tait
The statement reminds fans how Tait was the voice of the Indians for quite some time in the 1970s and 1980s.
He called games on the radio first before transitioning into a television role.
Unfortunately, the team wasn’t all that competitive during his time in the booth.
Tait did still manage to make some legendary calls and the Indians cut up a video featuring some of the best.
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) March 10, 2021
His most memorable call, and arguably one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, came with Len Barker’s perfect game.
Plenty of Indians fans have likely heard that call before and not had any idea it was Tait delivering the historic description of the moment.
The video from the Indians also features a call that isn’t as big of a moment in team history.
Duane Kiper spent eight years with the Indians and managed to hit one home run.
That ended up being the only home run of his career.
As the team’s statement explains, that ranked right up there for Tait in terms of his favorite moments.
That is about as pure as a broadcaster can get.
Tait’s Legacy in Cleveland
It is hard to find local broadcasters who leave such a lasting legacy.
Fans in Cleveland are lucky to have heard Tait call both the Indians and Cavaliers during his time in the city.
Countless people in the city still say “wham with the right hand” in honor of his dunk calls during Cavaliers games.
Saying that almost just came naturally after hearing him say it so often.
Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and all his loved ones during this tough time.
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