Back in the 80's and 90's, if you didn't live in a market with a professional baseball team, the two teams you got to see the most were the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs.  Both teams were on "superstations" beamed all over the country on any local cable system.  At one point, before MLB laid the smack down on the superstations and limited them to 90 games a season, you could enjoy a Cubs or Braves game every night.

The Cubs got most of the notoriety, thanks in part to the antics of Harry Caray and the fact that they had a few good teams in the eighties.  But in the nineties, thanks to Sid Bream scoring an improbable run, the Braves began a record streak of 14 division titles and slowly wedged their way into becoming "America's Team."

The constant on TBS was always the announcers.  Sure, some like John Sterling and Don Sutton came and went, but Ernie Johnson was there until his retirement.  And until TBS finally pulled the plug altogether on Braves broadcasts after the 2007 season, you could always count on Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren to be there night after night.  Whether it was Skip's blatant plugs for movies following the ball game or Pete coming up with some unreal stat, the Braves broadcasts of the nineties, which also included Joe Simpson and Sutton, were always entertaining.

Yesterday, it was announced that Van Wieren was retiring from Braves broadcasts (he still does radio) after 33 years in the booth.  Caray, his long time partner, passed away of a heart attack in August.

Obviously, at 64, Van Wieren wants to spend more time with his family and less time on the road.  But losing your best friend and partner of over thirty years is also an indication that maybe it is time to step aside.

Pete Van Wieren is an excellent baseball announcer who someday should be a candidate for the Ford Frick award. Here's hoping he enjoys his retirement and someday is inducted into Cooperstown.  In fact, he and Skip should go in together.