Joe Garagiola remembered: a natural humorist

The death of Joe Garagiola - ballplayer, broadcaster, humorist - called to mind a story from Giants announcer Jon Miller, who has carried on the great tradition of light-hearted manner in the booth.

Just a week ago, in an interview discussing the element of humor in the game, Miller recalled one of his first big breaks:

[...] he gives me an example of what to expect on the air: ‘You know, Jon, if I’m catching right now, I’m gonna call a pitchout, because every bone in my body tells me that guy’s running.’



[...] if they don’t pitch out? “Doesn’t matter,” Garagiola said.

If they do, I look like a genius, but if they don’t - and they probably won’t - then you can have some fun at my expense.

Garagiola wrote two entertaining books, “Baseball is a Funny Game” and “Just Play Ball,” about the game’s lighter side.

In the early 60s, when the expansion New York Mets were historically bad, Garagiola was hanging around a baseball banquet when the caterers brought in some long loaves of bread.

“It was uncanny,” said Garagiola, a catcher, and thus ripe for some up-close experience.