Media By Ear
I "Saw" It On the Radio
Joe Castiglione Talks
Red Sox Tales
by M.A. Black
CCM Photography
Joe Castiglione, native of Hamden, Conn., and graduate of Colgate University, is in his 16th season of play-by-play of the Red Sox on the Red Sox Radio network. He’s the man behind what you “see” on the radio.
Castiglione is heard on Sports Radio 850 WEEI, flagship station of the Red Sox for 60 New England stations.
“I’ve had the best seat in the house at Fenway,” he said at a booksigning held in Connecticut.
Castiglione was born in New Haven, moved to Hamden as a child, grew up there, class of 1964. First job was at WELI. Employed by Intercomm, the radio network, WEEI, the Red Sox flagship, and many other stations. “But the Red Sox approve us, we’re not on their payroll, but we’re all together.”
In 1979, Castiglione covered the Cleveland Indians on television and cable in 1982.
A turning point in his career came while he was doing the Cleveland Indian broadcasts. “I knew there was an opening and had previously worked with Ken Coleman’s son, who told me his father needed a partner. So I applied.” And he was on track.
Aside from his broadcasting accomplishments, Castiglione has enriched the world of academia by teaching a course in broadcast journalism at Northeastern University.
“People said for years, ‘what’s your favorite play?’ And I would say, ‘it hasn’t happened yet.’”
But on Oct. 27, 2005, at 10:40 p.m. central time, in St. Louis, Missouri, “it”, his favorite moment of all time, happened. It was more than memorable.
“Can you believe it?” he says. “To beat the the Yankees, that was the greatest win in Red Sox history. That’s what I said after game 7, it was the most important win in Red Sox history. ‘Cause in 1918 there wasn’t the focus there is today. To beat the Yankees, being down three games to none was unbelievable.”
And he was there for it all.
“That was 11 glorious days, 8 games, 8 wins.”
Recalling Connecticut, he says, “When I was growing up there weren’t many Red Sox fans around. But recent surveys have shown that the Red Sox have made tremendous inroads here, more than 40 percent in Hartford and New Haven area is taking hold. We considered this Red Sox country, this is New England, and Connecticut is part of the Red Sox Nation.”
“There are many connections. Larry Lucchino went to Yale Law School. Our Hartford affiliate WTIC is the most powerful on our network. With Connecticut influence, the fans keep coming.”
Other changes also benefit the team.
“The new owners have gone to great lengths to maximize Fenway Park, modernize it,” he says. “The Green Monster seats in left field, roof seats in right field, the widened concourses are to maximize the ballpark. People have modern amenities, but they’ve kept the charm of the old.”
Details: Broadcast Rites and Sites : I saw it on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox by Joe Castiglione is published by Taylor Trade Publishing.
