Submitted by Anonymous on
Alright, a short quiz:
When you see Tinker to Evers to Chance at MRT, you’ll hear a radio play-by-play of the 2003 Chicago Cubs NLCS Game 6.
But who’s that you’re really hearing? Is it:
A) Tim Bawmann, President of the Lowell Spinners
B) Jeffrey Cohen, Lowell Spinners’ announcer and Director of Merchandising
C) Richard Warner, a devoted MRT subscriber just like you
D) All of the Above
Why it’s D of course!
For Bawmann, the chance to call the game was especially significant: before becoming a Lowellian, he was already a die-hard Cubs fan. “My dad used to listen to the games in the back yard while he was puttering around,” Bawmann remembers. “I developed a love for the Cubs and broadcasting through that experience.” When cable TV came out, he’d rush home after school to catch the last few innings of afternoon games, and his dad would take him out to opening day – rain, sleet, or snow.
Before his time as President, he was the full-time announcer. In those days, he had to research players and calculate statistics himself – all in order to fill four hours of airtime. “I hated dead air, so I had to be prepared. My favorite thing to do when broadcasting is paint the picture. Describe the color of the team’s uniforms, the position of the players, where the sun in the sky is, the wind direction…”
And while Bawmann never got a chance to announce for the Cubs, he gets to announce for them at MRT. Something of a dream come true!
But as it turns out, announcing isn’t just for the pros this time: MRT subscriber Richard Warner won the chance to do a voiceover at last season’s fundraiser auction. A retired state employee, Richard came in to MRT on a January afternoon to record. “I have been such a fan of MRT for a long time,” he says. “My wife and I and two of our friends have been subscribers for almost fifteen years. The quality of the productions, the writing and the acting have been consistently outstanding. The thought that I might screw it up, even in a small way, gave me pause.”
But no need to fear. Carter Miller, our Lighting and Sound Supervisor, put Richard at ease, and the recording came out great.
So come check it out. And mark your calendar for this spring’s auction on May 16; you just might find an opportunity to get in an MRT production yourself!
