A Tribute to Local Broadcasts’ Signature Home Run Calls

“That’s a strike! PIZZA FOR EVERYBODY!”

That is one of the most unique calls in sports that we may never hear again, courtesy of Reds play-by-play announcer John Sadak.

Last week, the Cincinnati Reds had a partnership with LaRosa’s Pizzeria that if the staff combined for 11 strikeouts, every fan got a free one-topping pizza. A 9th inning ABS call that overturned a strike made the fans go wild for their free pizza like it was a literal home run, but it was just a challenge to overturn an umpire. This is the new world of ABS!

There’s such beauty in the local play-by-play of voices like Sadak, where now, if you have MLB.TV and listen to the local markets, even fans from all across the country can hear the iconic calls that are rhythmic and add a different character to the game. There’s a special kind of energy when you see and hear the different flavors of the home run calls.

On social media, there are accounts that document the brief clips of each home run, where you can hear and feel each iconic cadence and word play.

This is a tribute to each of those play-by-play guys and the type of flavor they bring with every bomb, high fly, moon shot, and more.

Cincinnati Reds

“And that is GONEEE!!!”

Said with the most aggressive cadence possible in the manner of Gus Johnson or Eric Collins. Sadak feels like a fan saying this one.

Pittsburgh Pirates

“CLEAR THE DECK! CANNONBALL COMIN’!”

One of the most unique calls because it involves the actual mascot. Bonus points.

Colorado Rockies

“TAKE A GOOD LOOK- YOU WON’T SEE IT FOR LONG!”

You hear this one a lot because balls tend to fly in Colorado.

San Francisco Giants

“HIGH DRIVE! IT. IS. OUTTA HERE!”

The hesitation and melodrama of this one are so beautiful.

New York Mets

“Annndddddd ITS OUTTA HERE!”

The anticipation for a team like the Mets, which needs something to believe in, fits the drawn-out wording so perfectly.

Texas Rangers

“THAT IS HIGH! THAT IS DEEP! IT IS GOOOOOOONE!”

This one needs to be loud because the Rangers play in a stadium that looks like a hollow Costco.

Chicago White Sox

“GET OUT!”

John Schriffen is so perfectly aggressive and makes the White Sox, one of the most recently clowned-upon franchises, sound like a bullying juggernaut with his calls.

San Diego Padres

“In the air to deep ____ field…  andddd that’s GONE! INTO A SEA OF SAN DIEGANS!”

No one goes crazier than Don Orsillo. It’s literal poetry. We’ll always have Gavin Sheets’s “HOLY SHEETS!” and Manny Machado’s “MAN OH MAN OH MANNY!”

Cleveland Guardians

“He’s outta room! It’s outta here!”

The Guardians’ calls are about as loud as it gets, which is exactly what you need with the recent power struggle the Guards have had.

Arizona Diamondbacks

*Says the name of the player very long*

“Keteeeeel MARTEEEEE!” “COOOOORBIN CARROLL!” It’s like he knows the guys. It feels personal.

New York Yankees

“High fly ball… deep left field…SEEE YA!”

It’s kind of fitting the way that Michael Kay has his home run calls because somehow it sounds as Yankee “27 rings loser” as possible with every Aaron Judge blast to the short porch.

Minnesota Twins

“BACK IT GOES! THERE IT GOES! AND IT’S GONE!”

The Twins have a MASSIVE ballpark in Target Field, and Corey Provus’s excitement and level to fill the stadium when it goes really far is about as perfect as it gets.

Detroit Tigers

“That ball is CRUSHED!”

Jason Benetti is so good at what he does that he gets to also capture the moment nationally and will have some sort of romantic anecdote he studied about the player afterward.

Seattle Mariners

“High fly…. WAYYY BACK THERE… IT IS GONEEEEEE!”

Just an absolute crazy elation from someone who feels like the most psyched fan possible.

Chicago Cubs

“High fly ball… ON ITS WAY… OUTTA HERE!!!!”

The anticipation, with all the inebriated fans in the ivy-strewn bleachers at Wrigley, is iconic.

Houston Astros

“That ball is hit well and deep all the way back and GONE!”

This one kind of has to be very fast with the speed at which the ball flies off of Yordan Alvarez’s bat when he swings what looks like a toothpick in his arms.

Atlanta Braves

“He gives it a ride… that’s on its way… it is GONE!”

The Braves also usually have some sort of celebration along the basepaths, and the aggression in the call with them dancing or something makes the Braves feel like even more of a powerhouse.

Los Angeles Dodgers

“…..AND GOODBYE!”

Shohei Ohtani hits so many of these that it’s hard to get impressed sometimes.

Boston Red Sox

“High fly ball.. Deep down the line… and that is GONE! HOME RUN!”

There’s great speed at the end of this call that adds to the ferocity of something hit over the monster.

Tampa Bay Rays

“And THERE’S A SHOT! THAT BABY IS GONE!”

The Rays’ calls are awesome because the Trop sometimes looks so empty that the brilliant booming call feels like it’s just a couple of fans going nuts by themselves for their favorite team.

Philadelphia Phillies

“High fly ball… deep at the wall.. Back goes. ____.. It’s gone!”

It’s not too loud and doesn’t try too hard. It just lets the fans at the Bank go nuts on the audio instead—one of the best.

Miami Marlins

“WAYYYY BACK AND OUTTA HERE!”

Similarly to Tampa, you need the “WAYYYY” to make it feel like it was actually hit super far with the absence of fans in that massive park in South Beach.

Las Vegas Athletics

*Nothing of signature note except Dallas Braden in the background going “HO HO HO HOOOO” in awe*

Jenny Cavnar is still working things out to create a signature, but former A’s pitcher Dallas Braden just goes bananas like he’s on the actual team next to her, not caring about the overlap at all. It’s very authentic.

Toronto Blue Jays

“High in the air…. And GONE! *With a massive horn filling the Rogers Centre afterwards*”

The Blue Jays’ airhorn afterward to get a dome with what feels like an entire country excited largely does the work here. We wouldn’t want it any other way.

Baltimore Orioles

*some form of storytelling*

There’s not really an iconic wording from Kevin Brown, but he’s simply one of the best. There will be an anecdote that captures the moment.

He’s just having fun in the booth with stuff like “WELCOME BACK TO NEW YORK PETE ALONSO!” as knowledgeable as he is.

St. Louis Cardinals

“SWINGGGG AND A DRIVE…..”

This is so much more fun, especially during a season in which the Cards are just winning off of having a couple of young guns that hit shots to Big Mac Land in one of the most picturesque ballparks possible with the “best fans in baseball.”

Washington Nationals

“Looking up… it’s OUTTA HERE!”

Not necessarily creative, but with the Nats being in a rebuilding phase, there’s a nice parallel surprise in the cadence.

Milwaukee Brewers

“This one is WAY GONE!”

Fills up the Brewers’ massive dome to a tee. It’s remarkable.

Kansas City Royals

“That is CRUSHED/HAMMERED.”

Crushed and hammered kind of captures the same southern charm of Kansas City, the barbecue, and the fountains of the magnificent park.

Los Angeles Angels

“Toward the wall… IT‘S GONE!”

We need more of these. Let’s get Mike Trout as healthy as possible.