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Chuck Thompson
Chuck Thompson
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Charles Lloyd Thompson (June 10, 1921 – March 6, 2005) was an American sportscaster best known for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles and the National Football League (NFL)'s Baltimore Colts. He was well-recognized for his resonant voice, crisply descriptive style of play-by-play, and signature on-air exclamations "Go to war, Miss Agnes!" and "Ain't the beer cold!"

Key Information

Biography

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Early life and career

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Thompson was born in Palmer, Massachusetts, and moved with his family to Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1927. He began his broadcasting career in 1939 at WRAW in Reading, working there until 1942. After spending only a month at WKBN in Youngstown, Ohio, that same year, he joined WIBG in Philadelphia as an on-air announcer. His career was interrupted in October 1943, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Promoted to the rank of sergeant, he was sent to Europe aboard the Queen Mary in January 1945 and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. After an honorable discharge in August 1945, he returned to WIBG. For three years starting in 1946, he, along with Byrum Saam and Claude Haring, called all the home games of both Philadelphia professional baseball teams, the Athletics and Phillies.[1] He also called Temple University football during this period.

Career in Baltimore

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In 1949, Thompson was hired by the Gunther Brewing Company to be WITH's play-by-play voice for both the International League Orioles and the Colts, at the time a member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Despite being laid off following the 1951 IL season because the brewery felt no need for a salaried announcer, he joined WITH in order to continue doing the broadcasts.

When the American League's St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore, Maryland, and were rechristened the Orioles in 1954, his previous connections with Gunther prevented him from becoming a broadcaster for the franchise. The National Brewing Company had purchased the team's broadcast rights and hired Ernie Harwell as the lead voice, but still wanted Thompson to be part of the coverage. He agreed to work with Harwell on Orioles broadcasts on WCBM and WMAR-TV in 1955. Two years later he joined Bob Wolff to call Washington Senators games on WWDC and WTOP-TV, succeeding Arch McDonald as a result of National Brewing's becoming the team's new sponsor.

Thompson returned to broadcast Orioles games on both radio and television (WBAL and WJZ-TV from 1962–1978, WFBR from 1979–1982, and WMAR-TV from 1979–1987). He resigned from the radio broadcasts after the 1982 season and the death of longtime broadcast partner Bill O'Donnell. However, he remained on the television broadcasts until his first retirement after the 1987 season. The prime of his career was the 17 years he shared the broadcast booth with O'Donnell beginning in 1966. During that span, the pair would describe two World Series Championships (1966 and 1970), five American League Pennants (1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1979), six A.L. Eastern Division titles (1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, and 1979), and only one losing season. Others who worked with Thompson on Orioles broadcasts included Frank Messer (1964–1967), Jim Karvellas (1968–1969), John Gordon (1970–1972), Brooks Robinson (1978–1987), and Tom Marr (1979–1982). Thompson was also the narrator of the official 1966 World Series highlight film jointly produced by both major leagues.

Besides his baseball-related achievements, Thompson also called Colts football for many years, first on CBS television in the 1950s and '60s, and then alongside Vince Bagli on WCBM Radio from 1973 until the team's relocation to Indianapolis in 1984. From 1964 to 1969, he narrated the Colts' season review films produced by NFL Films, making on-camera appearances in the first two. The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named Thompson as Maryland Sportscaster of the Year for eight consecutive years from 1959 to 1966.

National work

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Thompson's national television debut was in 1954 when he succeeded Ray Scott as the voice of the NFL's Saturday night Game of the Week on the DuMont Television Network, as well as that year's NFL Championship Game. Four years later, he teamed with Chris Schenkel to call the telecast of the legendary 1958 Championship Game on NBC. The announcers flipped a coin to determine play-by-play assignments for the two halves. Schenkel won the toss and chose the second half. Thompson ended up broadcasting the first-ever sudden-victory overtime in professional football history. Thompson also called the 1959 and 1964 Championship Games for NBC and CBS, respectively, and regular-season NFL games for the Mutual radio network. In 1988, he was among several veteran announcers who called some September NFL telecasts for NBC while many of the network's regular broadcasters were working that year's Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Thompson also did baseball work for NBC, beginning with the Game of the Week in 1959 and 1960. He, along with Curt Gowdy, covered the Memorial Stadium legs of the World Series in 1966, 1970 and 1971, and conducted the victorious post-Series clubhouse interviews in 1966 and 1970.

He is particularly remembered for his flawed but endearing call of Bill Mazeroski's championship-clinching home run to end the 1960 World Series, for which he was the play-by-play announcer for NBC Radio.(Audio) This event was replayed in full on an MLB radio special some years ago, during one of the players' strikes. The pitcher was actually Ralph Terry; Art Ditmar was warming up in the bullpen, and besides that error, Thompson just got caught up in the moment:

Well, a little while ago, when we mentioned that this one, in typical fashion, was going right to the wire, little did we know…Art Ditmar throws—here's a swing and a high fly ball going deep to left, this may do it!…Back to the wall goes Berra, it is…over the fence, home run, the Pirates win!…(long pause for crowd noise)…Ladies and gentlemen, Mazeroski has hit a one-nothing pitch over the left field fence at Forbes Field to win the 1960 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates by a score of ten to nothing!…Once again, that final score…The Pittsburgh Pirates, the 1960 world champions, defeat the New York Yankees. The Pirates ten, and the Yankees NINE!... and Forbes Field... is an insane asylum!

In 1985, Thompson's Ditmar-Terry flub became a commercial hit, featured as an audio-over in a nostalgia-immersed Budweiser TV ad during that year's World Series. A libel lawsuit subsequently filed by Ditmar against Anheuser-Busch and its advertising agency for the commercial was ultimately rejected by a United States District Court.[2]

Later career

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Thompson came out of retirement in 1991 to work part-time on Orioles games for WBAL when Jon Miller was away broadcasting ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Failing eyesight caused by macular degeneration forced him to retire for good in 2000. He received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1993. In January 2009, the American Sportscasters Association ranked Thompson 34th on its list of Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time.[3]

Death

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Thompson, who lived in Lutherville, Maryland, at the time, died at Greater Baltimore Medical Center on March 6, 2005, after suffering a stroke.

Catch phrase origins

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"Go to war, Miss Agnes!" was picked up from a golfing friend who never swore and whose putting failed to improve even after reading a book about it. Thompson explained the details in Curt Smith's Voices of the Game:

He was a great guy, very proper, and like any golfer, he had some real frustrations. But instead of cussing, he'd come up with the phrase, 'Go to war, Miss Agnes!' I didn't know what it meant, but don't feel bad – he may not have known. What I did know was that it sounded so funny. I picked it up and used it to emphasize something big and exciting on the ball field, and it just caught on – with listeners, it snowballed.

Thompson phased out the expression when the Vietnam War was protracted, although it was later picked up by North Carolina Tar Heels football and basketball broadcaster Woody Durham.

"Ain't the beer cold!" became the title of Thompson's autobiography, in which he described the story behind the exclamation:

For years in my game broadcasts I had used the expression, 'Ain't the beer cold!' when things were going especially well for the home team. I got that phrase from Bob Robertson, a spotter who worked with me on Baltimore Colts football games (that were sponsored by the makers of National Beer). Eventually, I received lots of mail from people in the Carolinas, the area sometimes referred to as the Bible Belt. The listeners felt they shouldn't have to put up with my ad libs about beer with all the beer advertisements they were already exposed to, and I thought they had a legitimate beef. So, I stopped using the line sometime in the 1970s.[1]

References

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Bibliography

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Charles Lloyd "Chuck" Thompson (June 10, 1921 – March 6, 2005) was an American sportscaster renowned for his play-by-play broadcasting of and games, particularly as the longtime voice of the Orioles and . Born in , Thompson was raised in the Springfield area of and , where he began his broadcasting career in 1939 as a teenager, initially working as a big-band singer before transitioning to radio announcing. He joined the Orioles (then a minor league team) in 1949 as their lead play-by-play announcer, a role he held through 1956 before a hiatus, resuming from 1962 to 1987, with additional part-time duties into the 1990s. During a brief hiatus from the Orioles (1957–1960), he broadcast for the Washington Senators and contributed to NBC's Game of the Week television coverage. Thompson's career highlights include calling the ' dramatic overtime victory, often dubbed "," as well as ' first title in 1966. He also provided radio commentary for Game 7 of the , famously describing Bill Mazeroski's that clinched the title for the —though his account included some inaccuracies in the initial excitement. Additionally, he broadcast three (1966, 1970, 1971) and served as a for Radio. In recognition of his contributions, Thompson received the from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993, honoring excellence in baseball broadcasting, and was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame. He retired from full-time duties in the 1980s but remained a beloved figure in sports until his death following a in 2005 at age 83.

Biography

Early life

Charles Lloyd Thompson was born on June 10, 1921, in , to parents Lloyd Stevens Thompson, a railroad telegrapher, and Maggie Moon Thompson. As the first child in the family, he grew up in a working-class household, initially in the Springfield area before the family relocated to , in 1927, just prior to his starting first grade. He maintained connections to his roots, spending summers with an aunt in Palmer. Thompson's early fascination with radio began around age three or four, when a babysitter introduced him to broadcasts from KDKA in Pittsburgh, igniting a lifelong interest in the medium during the 1930s. In Palmer, he developed a passion for baseball by playing sandlot games with neighborhood children and listening to Boston Red Sox broadcasts alongside his grandmother, who shared stories of legendary figures like Connie Mack. His formal education was completed at Reading High School, where he graduated around 1939 after participating in sports such as basketball, soccer, football, and baseball. During high school, he also performed as a singer with local dance bands, including the Joe Lombardo band in 1938. In October 1943, Thompson was inducted into the U.S. Army, where he underwent 17 weeks of basic training at , , followed by additional preparation at Camp Howze, . Serving as a in the 30th Reconnaissance Troop of the 30th Infantry Division, he was deployed to Europe aboard the Queen Mary in January 1944 and participated in combat operations, including the , earning three Bronze Stars for campaigns in the , , and . He was honorably discharged in August 1945. This military experience preceded his full entry into professional broadcasting after the war.

Early career

Thompson began his broadcasting career in 1939 at WRAW radio in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he started as a part-time announcer after being dared by a neighbor, Jean Guilden, to audition based on his singing voice. Hired at a modest salary of $14.20 per week, he quickly gained experience by calling his first sports event, a game between and Carnegie Tech, which was broadcast live to . This early role at WRAW, supplemented by work at nearby station WEEU, allowed him to develop basic announcing skills while still young and navigating the competitive local radio scene. Following a brief interruption for in 1941 and the onset of , Thompson enlisted in the U.S. in 1943, serving with the 30th Infantry Division in until 1945. Upon his postwar return, he resumed radio work at stations in , including a move to WIBG in , where he handled staff announcing and twice-daily sports programs, often covering minor events like Temple University football games and occasional Ivy League contests from Harvard, Princeton, or Dartmouth. Earning over $50 weekly at WIBG—another Philadelphia outlet—he focused on building credibility through consistent play-by-play coverage, learning techniques from mentor Les Quailey despite the era's low pay and limited opportunities for newcomers. In 1946, Thompson's career advanced with an impromptu major league debut for the Philadelphia Phillies on the final day of the season at Shibe Park, when regular announcers By Saam and Claude Haring were delayed by a faulty elevator; without a scorecard, he called the game on the fly, marking his entry into professional baseball broadcasting. By 1947, he had joined Saam and Haring as a regular collaborator, providing color commentary for two innings of home games for both the Phillies and the Athletics at Shibe Park through 1949, an arrangement that kept him local without road travel and helped him hone his style amid the competitive Philadelphia market. These early challenges, including ad-hoc assignments and financial constraints, underscored the grit required to establish himself as a reliable sportscaster before gaining wider prominence.

Career in Baltimore

Chuck Thompson arrived in Baltimore in 1949, where he was hired as the play-by-play announcer for the minor league , broadcasting home games at Municipal Stadium and telegraphic recreations for road contests. He also began covering the that year, marking the start of his deep ties to the city's sports scene. When the relocated to Baltimore and became the Major League in 1954, Thompson faced an initial exclusion due to a sponsorship conflict with Gunther Brewing Company, but he joined the broadcast team in 1955, sponsored by , initiating a 35-year association with the franchise. Due to ongoing sponsorship disputes between Gunther and National Brewing, Thompson left after the 1956 season to broadcast games for the Washington Senators from 1957 to 1961. He returned to the Orioles in 1962, with primary broadcasting stints from 1955–1956 and 1962–1987, during which he broadcast thousands of games on radio and television, establishing himself as a fixture in Baltimore baseball. In 1966, he formed a long-term broadcast partnership with Bill O'Donnell, calling Orioles games together on stations like WBAL until O'Donnell's death in 1982; this duo covered regular-season action and postseason play, blending Thompson's enthusiastic play-by-play with O'Donnell's analytical color commentary. Thompson provided memorable calls for the Orioles' World Series appearances in 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, and 1983, including the 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on NBC television, where he vividly described Brooks Robinson's spectacular third-inning diving catch of a Jim Lefebvre line drive and subsequent defensive highlights that earned Robinson the Series MVP award. In addition to , Thompson served as the radio voice for the from 1950 to 1983, working on WBAL and providing national television coverage for . His most iconic football broadcast came during the against the at , where he called the Colts' dramatic 23-17 overtime victory—later dubbed the "Greatest Game Ever Played"—including Alan Ameche's game-winning touchdown run, a moment that helped popularize professional football on a national scale. Throughout his Baltimore career, Thompson worked across key local outlets, including early stints on WITH for games and later on WBAL, , WFBR, and for Major League broadcasts, solidifying his reputation as the "Voice of Baltimore Sports" during the city's mid-20th-century golden era of professional athletics.

National broadcasting

Thompson's national broadcasting career began in when he took over as the play-by-play announcer for the NFL's Saturday Night Game of the Week on the , succeeding Ray Scott. This debut marked his entry into major network sports coverage, where he handled NFL games for DuMont before expanding to , , and the Mutual radio network for regular-season contests and championship events in the late and . His work with these networks often focused on games, serving as a springboard to broader national recognition. A defining moment came during the on December 28, when Thompson provided play-by-play for NBC-TV alongside as the defeated the 23-17 in the first sudden-death in NFL playoff history. Watched by an estimated 45 million viewers, the game featured Thompson's vivid description of the overtime drive, culminating in his call of fullback Alan Amchein's game-winning : "He is over for a ! The Colts are the world champions." This broadcast, emphasizing the dramatic tension of the new overtime rule, helped propel the NFL's popularity on national television. In , Thompson contributed to NBC's Game of the Week telecasts in 1959 and 1960, handling play-by-play duties. He later joined NBC's coverage of the in 1966, 1970, and 1971, partnering with for the Baltimore ' home games against the , , and , respectively. During the 1966 series, which the Orioles swept in four games, Thompson called the memorable back-to-back first-inning home runs by Frank and off Dodgers pitcher in Game 1, capturing the explosive start that set the tone for Baltimore's victory. In 1970, his broadcasts highlighted 's spectacular defensive plays in the Orioles' five-game triumph over the Reds, including the third baseman's diving catches that earned him MVP honors. The 1971 coverage, though ending in a Pirates win, featured Thompson's accounts of key Orioles moments amid the series' competitive back-and-forth. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Thompson made guest appearances on national television for MLB All-Star Games and other events, often bringing his distinctive style that combined enthusiastic narration with subtle regional charm to appeal to a wider audience. His collaborations with prominent broadcasters like Gowdy on underscored his reputation for seamlessly integrating local passion into national broadcasts, earning respect from figures such as for his authentic, engaging delivery.

Later career and retirement

After retiring from full-time following the 1987 season, which marked the end of his 33-year tenure as the primary voice of the , Thompson stepped away from the booth to spend more time with family. In 1991, Thompson returned on a part-time basis for the , covering up to 81 radio games on WBAL by providing three innings of play-by-play commentary whenever lead announcer was committed to ESPN's telecasts. This limited schedule continued sporadically through the , allowing him to maintain a connection to sports while adapting to the ' transition to . By the late , Thompson's vision had deteriorated due to a diagnosis, which progressively impaired his ability to follow live action and forced a shift from play-by-play to pre-game commentary and anecdotes. This condition ultimately led to his full retirement from broadcasting in 2000. Following his final retirement, Thompson remained engaged with community through alumni events and occasional guest commentary, sharing stories from his extensive career in sports. In recognition of his contributions to broadcasting, he received the from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993, honoring his excellence as a play-by-play .

Death

Chuck Thompson suffered a massive at his home in the Mays Chapel area of , on March 5, 2005, and was rushed to Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson, where he was placed on while in a . He had been experiencing declining health in the preceding years, including failing eyesight and memory issues. Thompson died peacefully in his sleep the following day, March 6, 2005, at the age of 83, surrounded by family and friends. A private funeral was held shortly after his death, followed by a public Memorial Mass on March 10, 2005, at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in , which drew hundreds of attendees including sports figures, fellow broadcasters, and longtime fans. Among those present were Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., Orioles owner , and former Orioles broadcaster . Immediate tributes poured in from the Baltimore sports community, with Orioles owner Peter Angelos stating, "Chuck Thompson was as much a part of the fabric and history of Orioles baseball as the players on the field." Jon Miller, who succeeded Thompson as the Orioles' primary radio announcer in 1983, described him as having "one of the all-time great voices of the game." Thompson's son, Craig, reflected on his father's impact, saying, "The city of Baltimore has lost a good friend, and the sports media has lost one of the greatest voices of all time." Thompson's ashes were later interred in September 2005 at the Chuck Thompson Memorial Plaza in Hunt Valley Towne Centre, northern Baltimore County, inside a 12-foot fieldstone fireplace that serves as a permanent tribute. His wife, Betty, who had initially considered scattering the ashes over , approved the mall developer's offer to place them there to honor his connection to the community.

Broadcasting style and catchphrases

Broadcasting approach

Chuck Thompson was renowned for his resonant voice, often described by peers as "the voice of God in ," which provided a soothing yet authoritative presence during broadcasts. This vocal quality allowed him to deliver clear, descriptive play-by-play commentary without resorting to excessive hype, emphasizing the natural drama of the game instead. His approach focused on , painting vivid pictures for radio by narrating the action in a way that evoked the scene's atmosphere and emotion, rather than overloading with statistics. In his partnerships, particularly with Bill O'Donnell from to 1982, Thompson fostered a conversational flow that made broadcasts feel intimate and engaging, like a between friends sharing the experience. Their dynamic, marked by mutual respect and off-air camaraderie—such as dining together on nearly all road trips—translated to on-air chemistry that enhanced listener connection without scripted formality. This style extended to brief, emblematic catchphrases that punctuated key moments, adding a touch of local flavor to the narrative. Thompson's adaptability shone across sports, seamlessly transitioning between for the and football for the Colts, where he captured game momentum by highlighting shifts in energy and strategy to maintain fan immersion. In football's faster pace, he maintained precise, real-time descriptions, while in , he built tension around pivotal plays, always prioritizing the event's flow to keep audiences hooked. His and stylistic influence resonated in , inspiring successors.

Origins of catchphrases

One of Chuck Thompson's most enduring catchphrases, "Go to war, Miss Agnes!", originated in the from a golfing companion named Bob Sharman, who used the expression as a mild substitute for after missing putts despite studying instructional books. Thompson adopted it during his early broadcasts in to highlight exciting plays, such as strong hits or defensive gems, where it quickly became a exclamation emphasizing intensity without . He later reflected in a 1966 interview that the phrase's spontaneous appeal led to its widespread adoption, noting how it captured the thrill of the game in a folksy, non-offensive way. The phrase gained traction in the and as part of Thompson's conversational style, resonating with fans for its quirky charm and evoking a sense of spirited competition. However, Thompson phased it out by the late amid the escalating , citing the mounting U.S. casualties as making the martial imagery increasingly inappropriate; in his , he explained, "I phased that expression out of my play-by-play lexicon as the dragged on." Another iconic line, "Ain’t the beer cold!", stemmed from a comment by Bob Robertson, a spotter assisting Thompson during a sweltering 1950s Baltimore Colts football broadcast sponsored by . Robertson's offhand remark about cold beer on a hot day prompted Thompson to incorporate it into his calls starting in the , using it to celebrate victories or positive momentum, often after a key hit or win to convey communal relief and joy. The phrase's lighthearted nod to post-game refreshment amplified its popularity, tying into Baltimore's brewing heritage and becoming a post-victory for listeners. Thompson discontinued "Ain’t the beer cold!" in the following complaints from listeners in the regions within the broadcast range, who viewed it as overly promotional amid beer advertisements, resembling an unintended commercial endorsement. In his 2002 autobiography of the same title, he recounted respecting these objections to avoid alienating fans, underscoring his commitment to inclusive . These catchphrases embedded themselves in Baltimore's sports culture, entering the local as shorthand for exuberant play and fan camaraderie, with "Go to war, Miss Agnes!" symbolizing bold action and "Ain’t the beer cold!" evoking shared triumph. Thompson often credited their organic evolution to listener feedback in interviews, emphasizing how they arose spontaneously rather than as contrived elements, fostering a personal connection that defined his era of regional broadcasting.

Legacy and honors

Awards and recognitions

Throughout his career, Chuck Thompson received numerous accolades for his contributions to sports broadcasting, particularly his iconic coverage of the Orioles. He was named Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association for eight consecutive years, from 1959 to 1966, recognizing his excellence in local sports announcing during the early years of the Orioles' franchise. The pinnacle of Thompson's honors came in 1993 when he was awarded the by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the highest accolade for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Presented during the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in , on August 1, 1993, the award specifically cited Thompson's decades-long service as the radio and television voice of the Baltimore Orioles, spanning from their International League days in 1949 through major league play after the 1954 relocation of the . In recognition of his lifetime achievements, Thompson was ranked 34th on the American Sportscasters Association's list of the Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time, announced in January 2009, highlighting his enduring impact on sports radio and television. In 1995, Thompson was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a broadcaster.

Posthumous tributes

Following his death on March 6, 2005, at age 83, Chuck Thompson received immediate tributes from the sports world, including a poignant commentary by on , which celebrated Thompson's Hall of Fame career and his role as the iconic voice of for decades. In September 2005, six months after his passing, Thompson's widow Betty interred his ashes inside a 12-foot fieldstone fireplace at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre in Cockeysville, , transforming the courtyard into the Chuck Thompson Memorial Plaza complete with a plaque bearing his likeness to honor his contributions to local sports broadcasting. The 10th anniversary of Thompson's death in 2015 prompted remembrances in media, including a article reflecting on his legendary status as the ' broadcaster and how the milestone passed with understated notice amid ongoing appreciation for his style. Marking the 20th anniversary in 2025, published a on revisiting Thompson's highlights, his partnership with Bill O'Donnell, and his retirement due to , emphasizing his lasting influence on fandom. Later that month, a March 28 Baltimore Fishbowl piece highlighted the continued relevance of the Hunt Valley memorial, noting plaques there that honor Thompson alongside , with whom he co-broadcast games from 1978 to 1987, underscoring their shared role in chronicling the team's golden era. Thompson's influence endures in contemporary Orioles lore, where team histories frequently reference his calls of pivotal moments like the , and archival audio releases—such as the 2014 Baseball Voices compilation featuring his broadcasts—keep his distinctive narration alive for fans and historians.

References

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