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| (Photo: Omaha Royals) |
We’ll begin with McNabb. In addition to being a broadcaster, he’s also the director of media relations for the team.
McNabb joined the Omaha Royals in 1994 as the #2 guy to Frank Adkisson who called games from 1994-97. From 1998-2000, McNabb was the director of broadcasting for the team and he called the games solo. In 2001, Nasser joined the organization and McNabb slipped comfortably back into the #2 role. The two of them have been calling games together ever since.
Prior to joining the Omaha Royals, McNabb called games for the Jacksonville Suns (Seattle’s Double-A affiliate at the time) in 1992-93. He was the director of broadcasting for the Columbus (GA) Indians in 1991. And he began his career as a part-time #2 announcer (on weekends) for the Colorado Springs Sky in 1988.
In 2000, you were selected as the play-by-play announcer for the radio broadcast of the Triple-A All-Star Game in Rochester, NY. That must have been a thrill for you. What do you remember about that game? And do you remember who represented the Omaha Royals?
It was an honor and a lot of fun. Anthony Medrano represented the Omaha Royals quite well, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles as the PCL defeated the IL 8-2. Joe Vitiello, who had played with Omaha from 1994-99, played for the PCL representing Las Vegas in that game and was 3-for-3 with a single, double and triple, scoring three runs. If I remember right, he won the Star of Stars Award.
What is your favorite moment in the broadcast booth since you’ve been with Omaha (can be funny, serious, dramatic, anything that comes to mind)?
It’s a tie. On July 12, 1996, the Royals staged a promotion called “Blast for Cash” Night where if one Omaha batter hit two home runs in the game, five fans would each win $1,000. Ramon Martinez started that game at second base, batting second. He entered the game having hit four homers on the season. In his 12 seasons so far in the big leagues (1998-2009), he has hit a total of 29 round-trippers. But, he must have had his Wheaties that day. His first time up, he hit a two-run shot to left. The Royals batted around in the first inning and he came to the plate again and – you guessed it – he hit a three-run homer to left, probably making him the new favorite player of five fans here.
The next season, on April 17, 1997, Jim Converse and Allen McDill combined to toss a no-hitter, so that was cool too.
Do you have a “most embarrassing moment” in the booth?
I think back in 1991 when I was announcing a game in Columbus, Georgia, I combined phrases to say a reliever was “throwing up” in the bullpen.
How much time do you spend preparing to call a game?
Usually a couple hours. I’d like to do more, but have a lot of other duties here that keep me running around the ballpark most of the afternoon.
What do you enjoy most about calling a game?
Everything. It’s the best part of my job.
Name something about your job that the average fan might not know about or expect.
Either the hours (13-14 per day for night game days), or the fact that we are advertising and ticket sales representatives in the off-season.
What do you like to do when you aren't calling games?
Love to golf. Watching movies is a hobby too.
What are you favorite movies? Books? Bands?
Field of Dreams is #1 (I know, need to diversify). Have to be honest, the only books I read are baseball-related like media guides. As far as music, I really like Green Day, Pearl Jam and Everclear (miss the 90s) and a lot of stuff from the 70s when I was growing up. I used to really get into the local music scene too ... liked Five Story Fall and Anonymous American ... but I’m slowing down now as I get older. Oh, and Martie Cordaro [the vice president and general manager of the team] would kill me if I didn’t say he’s my favorite drummer!
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Many thanks to Kevin McNabb for taking the time to answer my questions.
The "Getting to Know You" series will continue with a Q & A interview with Mark Nasser in the days to come.
If you haven’t listened to a Royals’ broadcast for a while, games can be heard on KOIL-1180 AM and they are also streamed live at oroyals.com. Opening Day is April 8 at 7:05 pm.
