Dan Baker will miss the Phillies home opener for the first time in 49 years
Legendary Phillies public address announcer Dan Baker will miss the Phillies’ home opener against the Marlins, marking the first Phils home opener without Baker’s presence since 1971.
Baker shared the news Friday on Twitter:
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2020Sorry, @Phillies fans, for the unfortunate timing, but due to a necessary surgery today, after announcing 48 straight home openers, I will miss tonight’s game. Hopefully this procedure will allow me to return to Citizens Bank Park quickly. GO PHILLIES!
— Dan Baker (@DanBakerPhils)
Sorry, @Phillies fans, for the unfortunate timing, but due to a necessary surgery today, after announcing 48 straight home openers, I will miss tonight’s game. Hopefully this procedure will allow me to return to Citizens Bank Park quickly. GO PHILLIES!
— Dan Baker (@DanBakerPhils) July 24, 2020
That’s an amazing streak, and it dates back to what would’ve been his “rookie” season: Baker began working for the team as the public address announcer in 1972. Not a single missed home opener since he started the job. Talk about consistency.
Here’s hoping Baker’s procedure goes smoothly, and his inimitable voice is back inside the CBP walls sooner rather than later.
If you’d like to get your Baker fix in ahead of the game, here’s a video from last June in which Baker announces the Phillies’ and Marlins’ starting lineups:
The Phillies will have a few different names, but the starting pitchers (Aaron Nola and Sandy Alcantara) are the same, and many of the same Phillies will take the field Friday night. (It’s not perfect, I know, but I’m trying!)
The Phillies open the unusual 2020 regular season Friday at home, in Citizens Bank Park, against the Marlins, in front of an empty ballpark.
Baker’s absence will make Friday’s already-odd season opener that much more strange.
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