Ballplayer Who Was Traded for Announcer -- RIP; TheBocX.com on ITunes

Believe it or not, a baseball player was once traded even up for a baseball announcer. I didn't know this until I noted Cliff Dapper's obit in today's LA Times.

Dapper, a catcher in the Brooklyn Dodger organization, had an espresso with the flagship club. His moment in history emerged in a way only baseball could conjer. According to the obit, Brooklyn's radio announcer Red Barber was in poor health, and the franchise needed a pinch voice. Available was the Atlanta minor league franchise's play-by-play man Ernie Harwell (who went on to a Hall of Fame career as the voice of the Detroit Tigers). Flesh, rather than cash, was required to consummate the deal. Dapper was tapped, and into baseball lore he stepped.

It would be very interesting to make similar deals today. What player or package of players would be worth, say, Bob Costas, Jim Nantz, or Al Michaels? Those who claim that Vin Scully is worth more than the entire LA Dodger roster would find agreement here. He remains without contemporary peer as a broadcaster. One of the charms of Los Angeles, a city I like visiting, is to hear Scully broadcast Dodger games.

On a side note, my friends at the Internet music station TheBocX.com are now accessible via ITunes. You'll find them in the "jazz" category. Their fresh musical mix goes well beyond jazz, into funk, r&b and contemporary electronic music with a nod toward dance, house, etc. If you're ever curious about what music I enjoy, tap into TheBocX.com, and you'll get an idea. I recommend clicking in and checking them out.