Padres television play-by-play man and sports broadcasting legend Dick Enberg will retire following the 2016, he announced on Wednesday. Here's his statement released by the team:
"In culminating 60 years of sports broadcasting, it has been a tremendous thrill to be the TV voice of my hometown San Diego Padres, and I’m tremendously excited that I will have a continuing TV role through the 2016 season, an All-Star Game year for San Diego. Our family is sincerely grateful to Padres ownership, Ron Fowler and Peter and Tom Seidler, and CEO Mike Dee for providing the opportunity for an extension through 2016. While I have decided that 2016 will be my last as the primary play-by-play announcer, I will always be a Padre, and look forward to a continuing role. Ultimately, with high hopes I’ll be one of the many in line that will someday soon embrace a World Series championship in San Diego."
And here's the statement released by Padres president and CEO Mike Dee:
"Inarguably, Dick is the greatest storyteller the sports world has ever known, and we have been fortunate to have heard his legendary voice and signature calls on our Padres telecasts since 2010. We look forward to his return in 2016, and know that after seven seasons in the booth at Petco Park, Dick will forever be part of the Padres family."
At the beginning of Wednesday night's Giants-Padres broadcast (SD 5, SF 4), Enberg let the viewers know of his decision:
In July of this year, Enberg, age 80, was given National Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2015 Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence. He's also a member of the National Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the National Sportscaster and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. As well, Enberg has won numerous Emmys as a sportscaster, writer, and producer.
In addition to serving as the voice of the Padres, Enberg over the years broadcast NFL, college football, college basketball, tennis, and golf, first NBC and then for CBS. He's been broadcasting professionally since 1965.
