Jim O'Donnell: Brickhouse, Caray and Swirsky among new list of America's Top 100 sportscasters

SPORTS BROADCAST JOURNAL is an engaging trade newsletter distributed every week.

SBJ's publisher is David J. Halberstam - not to be confused with the late Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Halberstam.

"Halby" is a former EVP/GM of Westwood One Sports and Miami Heat play-by-play man who is as wired-in as they come.

This week, he listed "The Top 100 local TV and radio voices on the electronic media's 100th birthday."

Halberstam's focus is on play-by-play men and game analysts since 1922.

HIS SUPREME DESIGNEE as "Sportscaster of the Century" is Vin Scully.

A grand bicoastal choice that skips Flyover America, but so what?

It's Halby's list.

Fifteen of his remaining 99 spent all or some of their broadcast career on Chicago airwaves.

A glaring omission is Pat Foley of the Blackhawks (and briefly the Wolves). But again, it's Halby's opinions.

Below are his "Chicago 15," in alphabetical order, with Halberstam's comment followed by a brief response after each from The Insouciant.

Also, please note: Only the primary Chicago team covered by each individual is listed. Some had greater impact elsewhere.

THE FULL LIST CAN BE viewed at sportsbroadcastjournal.com.

The choices:

Jack Brickhouse (Cubs) - "Likely the most popular sports voice ever in the Windy City."

Insouciant Response: - Probably, and also the most versatile. ... Throw in "most political," too, until The TribCo./Caray Express derailed Ol' Brick in 1981.

Harry Caray (Cubs) - "One of baseball's great voices, Can sell anything on-air."

IR: True, and sold nothing better than himself. ... His most memorable run in Chicago came during his hungry years with Jimmy Piersall at Bill Veeck's Comiskey Park.

Jim Durham (Bulls) - "Right up there among the NBA's better radio talent."

IR: Far too understated. ... "J.D." was probably the most gifted p-b-p craftsman in the history of Chicago sports media. ... His 1991 departure from the Bulls was downright tragic and so unnecessary.

Bob Elson (Sox) - "The Commander. If you couldn't find him, check out the wagering houses."

IR: - Elson had longevity and a devoted following on the South Side ... To outsiders, though, he was about as exciting as a grandfather clock. ... His gin games with Red Rush were legendary.

Jack Fleming (Bulls) - "Big in the hills and three years with the NBA's Bulls."

IR: Second radio p-b-p man in Bulls history, on WIND-AM (560), he went on to more enduring acclaim in the Pittsburgh-West Virginia corridor. ... Mention of his name brings back memories of Bob Weiss, Matty Guokas and Dr. Bob Biel.

Milo Hamilton (Cubs) - "Full of smoke, strong voice and memorable calls."

IR: Inclusion of this annoying medfly immediately devalues any list he's on. ... Had he succeeded Brickhouse in the Cubs/WGN scheme, it would have been cultural carnage at Addison and Clark.

Hawk Harrelson (Sox) - "Like Dizzy Dean, he brings his own language and charm to work."

IR: Going back to his days of powder-blue Nehru suits and Charlie Finley, a platinum-gold self promoter. ... Jerry Reinsdorf loved him and on payday, that was all that mattered.

Pat Hughes (Cubs) - "Has the pipes, clips his words like a pro, doesn't miss a thing on the field."

IR: What is there to criticize about the man? ... Thoroughly professional and could cash big time if he ever can further monetize that "Lullaby of Wrigley" voice.

Wayne Larrivee (Bears) - "He explodes with energy and enthusiasm every game."

IR: Got to call some of the best years of contemporary Bears fans lives. ... Escape to Green Bay in 1999 was a hint that some things were going terribly wrong in The McCaskey Mouse House.

Josh Lewin (Cubs) - "Inexplicably bounced around. He's on the border of brilliance."

IR: Ran into a mean switchblade during his one season (1997) with the Cubs. ... Harry Caray wanted grandson Chip Caray positioned to succeed him and Lewin was collateral damage.

Lloyd Pettit (Blackhawks) - "Here comes No. 9, Bobby Hull, a shot and a goal!"

IR: Pettit's brilliance was such a given on WGN-Channel 9's Saturday night telecasts of Hawks road games. ... Actually kind of amazing that Foley dead-heats as "the greatest" in franchise history.

John Rooney (Sox) - "Rarely gets attention, yet he is good and dependable."

IR: Technically well above-average but in terms of memorableness, more in the Skip Bayless-at-The-Chicago-Tribune category. ... Was he really in town for 18 seasons (1988-2005)?

Dewayne Staats (Cubs) - "Another dulcet toned play-by-player who gets into nobody's way."

IR: Also just another voice in the night during his five years (1985-89) at WGN's Wrigley. ... Best thing when Dan Fabian hired him was that it meant Milo Hamilton really was gone.

Chuck Swirksy (Bulls) - "A steady in the Windy City, excels on hoops for the Bulls."

IR: A very good p-b-p guy but he would have been even better as a permanently tethered sports talker. ... In that Chicago category, though, he'd probably either be burned out by now or permanently diminished by the current motley crew.

Joe Tait (Bulls) - "Best NBA play-by-player ever and talented on baseball."

IR: An icon in Cleveland, people forget Tait fled to Chicago's SportsVision for one year (1982-83) when things got too nutty with Cavs owner Ted Stepien. ... Trifecta box of the three greatest local NBA game callers ever is Marv Albert (Knicks), Durham and Tait.

• Jim O'Donnell's Sports & Media column appears Thursday and Sunday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com.