Pete Van Weiren passes away at 69.

Terrible news.

I grew up listening to him, Skip and Ernie. I started watching the Braves on WTBS in 1979 and haven't missed many games since then. So much has changed since then, but Pete was one of the best. They were so fun to listen to when the Braves were not so fun to watch. RIP Pete, you will be missed!
 
RIP Pete, your gonna be missed.

Another link to my childhood is gone, man I'm getting old.

Damn this is a tough one. As one that didn't grow up in a good home, listening to Skip and Pete and watching Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Chipper, McGriff, Andruw, Justice, etc was great along with Bobby. Those guys provided outlet as they made the game enjoying, interesting, and entertaining. No matter the type of game, they provided laughs and taught me a lot about the game. I'm too young to recall the dreadful teams in the 80s and Ernie.

Those days will never be replicated. EVER! One of the regrets I have is I wish I would have recorded all or at least some of those games. I can not explain how great of an outlet they were. I miss their voices, their witty comments, and astute observations.

Those guys were so much apart of my childhood that I initially pursued sports broadcasting out of high school until I determined it wasn't for me. But without those guys I doubt I would have even been remotely interested or considered such a career.

One of the greatest things about TBS was the split broadcast, which allowed us to see and hear about the observations from 2 perspectives. While they were mostly on the same page most games, it was a nice change of pace and allowed us to maybe pickup on a thing or 2 about a certain pitch or hitter or the way the game was going that you wouldn't get with a single broadcast crew.

And with that, the crew complimented each other so well. Skip and his brutal honesty with humor, the professor himself with true professionalism and astute observations and stats and a pitchers perspective in Don and everyday players perspective in Joe. You knew exactly where Skip and Pete stood, they were Braves homers, but they told it like it was and did it so without crossing the line and crucifying a player or team, or crossing the line and not making the game enjoyable even if you were a fan of the opposing team.

Pete, your one of the best! Gonna miss you buddy! Thanks for the memories.
 
goldfly said:
uh, you don't think if him and Skip met in the after life today

Skip wouldn't say "the game was that bad eh?"

that comment was in no way disrespectful to someone that meant a lot to me and my years growing up
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I disagree with the original comment; but, that is a very respectable response.
 
I'm just now seeing this. In tears.

I knew he was sick years ago. There were articles talking about it, that they thought they had gotten it and then it returned shortly after he MC'd Bobby Cox Day at Turner Field in 2010. I had checked a few months ago, because something randomly made me wonder how he was doing, and didn't see anything, so I figured it had been so many years and I hadn't heard anything further that he was fine.

This breaks my heart as a fan, for his family, and that he could have gone into the HOF while he was still alive (even though he wouldn't have been able to be there). He had been one of the 10 finalists this year. Now he, like Skip and Ernie Sr., will never have that opportunity. That is mind boggling to me.
 
Still boggles my mind that 3 guys that were the voice of the Braves for many years, especially nationally aren't in Cooperstown.

For the TBS era, every baseball fan could listen/watch them.

Harwell, Scully, Kalas are all in because they were long time stalwarts to their respective franchises they covered.

When Tigers, Dodgers and Phillies fans think about broadcasting those are the names that come first and foremost. For Braves fans it's the Broadcast Big 3.
 
KeithLockhart said:
Still boggles my mind that 3 guys that were the voice of the Braves for many years, especially nationally aren't in Cooperstown.

For the TBS era, every baseball fan could listen/watch them.

Harwell, Scully, Kalas are all in because they were long time stalwarts to their respective franchises they covered.

When Tigers, Dodgers and Phillies fans think about broadcasting those are the names that come first and foremost. For Braves fans it's the Broadcast Big 3.
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It burns me that an a-hole like Milo Hamilton is in the Broadcaster's Wing and none of the decent guys who carried the water for so many bad years, then made the good ones even more unforgettable, are on the outside looking in.
 
rico43 said:
It burns me that an a-hole like Milo Hamilton is in the Broadcaster's Wing and none of the decent guys who carried the water for so many bad years, then made the good ones even more unforgettable, are on the outside looking in.
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The you have *stellar* broadcasters like Tim McCarver who beat out Skip a couple of years ago. :facepalm:

Unfortunately, a lot of this comes down to politics on the voting committee. Pete sounded so excited to be a finalist, particularly in the year Bobby, Glavine, and Maddux were going in. I know I thought at the time that this would be his year, what better way to send in those three than with one of the main announcers.

It was a crying shame that he wasn't chosen, and it's even worse in hindsight.

I read this news so late I couldn't even go to sleep. Too upset.
 
Millwood1Hitter said:
RIP Pete, your gonna be missed.
Another link to my childhood is gone, man I'm getting old.

Damn this is a tough one. As one that didn't grow up in a good home, listening to Skip and Pete and watching Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Chipper, McGriff, Andruw, Justice, etc was great along with Bobby. Those guys provided outlet as they made the game enjoying, interesting, and entertaining. No matter the type of game, they provided laughs and taught me a lot about the game. I'm too young to recall the dreadful teams in the 80s and Ernie.

Those days will never be replicated. EVER! One of the regrets I have is I wish I would have recorded all or at least some of those games. I can not explain how great of an outlet they were. I miss their voices, their witty comments, and astute observations.

Those guys were so much apart of my childhood that I initially pursued sports broadcasting out of high school until I determined it wasn't for me. But without those guys I doubt I would have even been remotely interested or considered such a career.

One of the greatest things about TBS was the split broadcast, which allowed us to see and hear about the observations from 2 perspectives. While they were mostly on the same page most games, it was a nice change of pace and allowed us to maybe pickup on a thing or 2 about a certain pitch or hitter or the way the game was going that you wouldn't get with a single broadcast crew.

And with that, the crew complimented each other so well. Skip and his brutal honesty with humor, the professor himself with true professionalism and astute observations and stats and a pitchers perspective in Don and everyday players perspective in Joe. You knew exactly where Skip and Pete stood, they were Braves homers, but they told it like it was and did it so without crossing the line and crucifying a player or team, or crossing the line and not making the game enjoyable even if you were a fan of the opposing team.

Pete, your one of the best! Gonna miss you buddy! Thanks for the memories.
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This was one of my favorite things, as well. I really enjoyed getting a chance to hear the entire crew during the course of a single game.
 
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