“Opening day, 1956. It was the Yankees versus the Senators...”

Charlie Brotman tells his friend Tom Wiener about his first day as a baseball announcer.

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Recorded in Washington, D.C.

Credits

Facilitated by Laura Spero.

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Interview transcript

Wiener: —and that was?

Brotman: —which is traditional. Presdient Eisenhower.

Wiener: Okay.

Brotman: I was so excited. After the game, I raced home. I talked to my wife Sada, S-A-D-A. And I said, you won’t believe this, but there’s no question. I’ve gotta be the most powerful man in the world.

Wiener: [chuckles]

Brotman: I mean people like Mickey Mantle, the world’s greatest baseball player, had to wait for me to introduce him before he took the field. If that wasn’t enough, I introduced the President of the United States who could not do anything until I said Mr. President, would you throw out the first ball? My God, you won’t believe how important that I am! And she says, —

Wiener: [chuckles] Yeah.

Brotman: —“Charlie, I want to hear all about it, but would you take the trash out first?” [laughter] And I said “The trash, do you know to whom you’re speaking? The most important guy in the world?” [laughter] She burst my bubble, and when I came back from taking out the trash, —

Wiener: Yes…

Brotman: —she said, “Okay, please tell me about—“ “I said, it wasn’t really anything.” [laughter] They have an expression. If you find a job that you really enjoy, you’ll never work a day in your life. I fulfilled that slogan, that saying, that admonition of wisdom, and I’ve been a happy camper.