Lanny Frattare
Encyclopedia
Lanny Lawrence Frattare (born March 23, 1948 in Rochester, New York
) is a former American sportscaster
. For 33 years he was a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball
's Pittsburgh Pirates
, the longest such tenure in the team's history. In 2008 he was nominated for the Ford Frick Award, which is given by the Baseball Hall of Fame for broadcasting excellence.
Frattare attended Ithaca College
, graduating in 1970. He started his career in his home town as a radio disk jockey at the city's top rated station, WBBF (AM). During his time in Rochester radio he expanded his on-air role to include work as a sportscaster and lead play-by-play broadcaster for the American Hockey League
's Rochester Americans
. As the radio broadcaster for the Pirates' AAA affiliate Charleston Charlies
in 1974 and 1975, Frattare was mentored by then-Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince
, who invited Frattare to Pittsburgh after the Charlies' seasons concluded and allowed Frattare to take over the microphone on occasion.
He moved to Pittsburgh and joined the Pirates major league broadcasting crew on radio (KDKA
) and cable television in 1976. He started as Milo Hamilton
's junior partner, calling just two innings of most games and serving as Hamilton's color man
. His role began to increase after Hamilton left following the 1979 season. The Pirates gave Frattare a new contract late in the 2006 season that was to keep him on the air through 2009. In August 2008, Lanny announced his 5000th Pirates game. He began sharing primary announcing duties with Greg Brown
, as the Pirates evolved toward a transition that will come with Frattare's retirement. On October 1, 2008, Frattare announced he was retiring from the Pirate broadcast booth and would not return for the 2009 season. The Pirates plan a ceremony for some time in 2009 to honor him.
Frattare was lead announcer on the ESPN
broadcast of the February 23, 1985 college basketball
game between Indiana University
and Purdue University
during which Indiana coach Bob Knight threw a chair across the court, a moment which is frequently replayed on television to this day.
Frattare has two children and two grandchildren from his first marriage. He remarried a few years ago to the former choir director of Upper St. Clair High School
, but the couple separated in late 2007. Over the past twenty years, he has hosted the Family Links Golf Classic which has raised over $1.6 million in support of mentally challenged individuals and their families.
As of March 18, 2009 Frattare joined Waynesburg University, as an Assistant Professor in Communications in the Department of Communication and the faculty adviser of University radio station WCYJ-FM, while also doing some work with University Relations.
In 2010, he hosted the inaugural Sports Announcing Camp at Waynesburg University, featuring a week of programs and instruction for high school students interested in broadcasting.
"Go ball, get outta here – it's gone!" (when calling a Pirates home run)
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
) is a former American sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. For 33 years he was a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, the longest such tenure in the team's history. In 2008 he was nominated for the Ford Frick Award, which is given by the Baseball Hall of Fame for broadcasting excellence.
Frattare attended Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
, graduating in 1970. He started his career in his home town as a radio disk jockey at the city's top rated station, WBBF (AM). During his time in Rochester radio he expanded his on-air role to include work as a sportscaster and lead play-by-play broadcaster for the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
. As the radio broadcaster for the Pirates' AAA affiliate Charleston Charlies
Charleston Charlies
The Charleston Charlies was the name of the third and most recent Class AAA minor league baseball franchise that was located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. The Charlies played in the International League from 1971 to 1976 as the relocated Columbus Jets franchise. In 1977 the franchise...
in 1974 and 1975, Frattare was mentored by then-Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince
Bob Prince
Robert Ferris Prince was an American radio and television sportscaster and commentator best known for his 28-year stint as the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball club, with whom he earned the nickname “The Gunner” and became a cultural icon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Prince was...
, who invited Frattare to Pittsburgh after the Charlies' seasons concluded and allowed Frattare to take over the microphone on occasion.
He moved to Pittsburgh and joined the Pirates major league broadcasting crew on radio (KDKA
KDKA (AM)
KDKA is a radio station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Created by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation on November 2, 1920, it is one of the world's first modern radio stations , a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations, although it has claimed to be the first in...
) and cable television in 1976. He started as Milo Hamilton
Milo Hamilton
Leland Milo Hamilton is an American sportscaster, best known for calling play-by-play for seven different Major League Baseball teams since 1953...
's junior partner, calling just two innings of most games and serving as Hamilton's color man
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. His role began to increase after Hamilton left following the 1979 season. The Pirates gave Frattare a new contract late in the 2006 season that was to keep him on the air through 2009. In August 2008, Lanny announced his 5000th Pirates game. He began sharing primary announcing duties with Greg Brown
Greg Brown (broadcaster)
Greg Brown is a sports announcer, born in Washington, D.C., who currently works for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Root Sports Pittsburgh and 93.7 the fan . He has worked in the booth for the Pirates since 1994. He works with Steve Blass, Bob Walk, John Wehner, and Tim Neverett...
, as the Pirates evolved toward a transition that will come with Frattare's retirement. On October 1, 2008, Frattare announced he was retiring from the Pirate broadcast booth and would not return for the 2009 season. The Pirates plan a ceremony for some time in 2009 to honor him.
Frattare was lead announcer on the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
broadcast of the February 23, 1985 college basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
game between Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
and Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
during which Indiana coach Bob Knight threw a chair across the court, a moment which is frequently replayed on television to this day.
Frattare has two children and two grandchildren from his first marriage. He remarried a few years ago to the former choir director of Upper St. Clair High School
Upper St. Clair High School
Upper St. Clair High School is a public high school in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, USA, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is part of the Upper St. Clair School District. USCHS is one of three secondary schools in Pennsylvania to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon School three times...
, but the couple separated in late 2007. Over the past twenty years, he has hosted the Family Links Golf Classic which has raised over $1.6 million in support of mentally challenged individuals and their families.
As of March 18, 2009 Frattare joined Waynesburg University, as an Assistant Professor in Communications in the Department of Communication and the faculty adviser of University radio station WCYJ-FM, while also doing some work with University Relations.
In 2010, he hosted the inaugural Sports Announcing Camp at Waynesburg University, featuring a week of programs and instruction for high school students interested in broadcasting.
Memorable calls
"...and there was no doubt about it." (after a Pirates win). He coined this catch phrase after a similar slogan used by his mentor, Bob Prince ("We had em all the way")"Go ball, get outta here – it's gone!" (when calling a Pirates home run)