Thursday, 16 April 2026

Dizzy Dean

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Commentators 2026
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Baseball
Statistics & Accolades: National Sports Media Association Award
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
When Dizzy Dean's playing career came to a close, he began calling games for the St. Louis Browns and St. Louis Cardinals, and the popularity he enjoyed as a player multiplied as a broadcaster.

Dean embraced his southern roots, disregarding grammar and developing “Dizzyisms” like “Slud”, and entertaining fans with his rendition of “Wabash Cannonball” during rain delays. His most famous moment as a broadcaster came during a Browns telecast, when he said he could pitch better than the current staff. In the season finale, he pitched four scoreless innings and returned to the booth to call the rest of the game.

In 1953, Dean’s down-home charm went national when he called the Game of the Week for ABC and later CBS.

We are proud to nominate Dizzy Dean for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.