By Saam
From SoSH
Byrum Fred Saam, Jr. (September 11, 1914 - January 16, 2000) was a Philadelphia baseball and football broadcaster.
Broadcasting Biography
Saam was the public address announcer for his high school's football games and would also call the games on the radio. At Texas Christian University, Saam was noticed by CBS when he was broadcaster for Southwest Conference football games, many of which were carried over CBS Radio. He auditioned with WCCO in Minneapolis, MN for baseball, though he'd never broadcast a baseball game before. He still landed the job and worked as the primary voice of the AAA Minneapolis Millers, in addition to working University of Minnesota football games.
In 1937, Saam moved to Philadelphia to work football games for Temple and Villanova. His work got him noticed by both the Philadelphia Athletics and the Philadelphia Phillies, and by 1939, he was pulling double duty as an announcer for both teams, which he did for twelve years. He was forced to choose one over the other in 1950 when both teams began to air their road games live. Saam chose the Athletics and stuck with them until they departed for Kansas City after the 1954 season.
Saam went back to calling Phillies games in 1955 and worked with Bill Campbell from 1962 and Richie Ashburn from 1963 until Campbell retired in 1970. Campbell was replaced by Harry Kalas. The new trio stuck together until Saam retired in 1975.
In addition to his Phillies duties, Saam called games for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Philadelphia Warriors. He was a broadcaster during Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.
Saam received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
Trivia
- When Saam chose the Athletics over the Phillies, he didn't know he would never call a Philadelphia pennant or division winner in his career. The Phillies won their first pennant in 35 years, while the A's finished in last place. The Phillies did not make the postseason again until the year after Saam retired. Kalas and Ashburn invited Saam into the booth and let him call the last half-inning of the division clincher that year.
- In his career, Saam broadcast approximately 4,400 losses, estimated to be the most by any one broadcaster.
