Remembering the Great Broadcaster Lon Simmons

Lon Simmons was one of the greatest sports broadcasters ever and a true legend in the Bay Area of San Francisco/Oakland. He died this week at age 91.

His football play by play was on the mark, with explosive, breathtaking calls such as when Jerry Rice broke loose for extra yardage on the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl winning drive vs the Cincinnati Bengals after the 1988 season.

Mr. Simmons called so many great moments including Joe Montana’s touchdown pass to John Taylor to win that Super Bowl.

Lon also broadcast for both the baseball Giants and Oakland A’s.

There are so few radio sportscasters with any real ability left. They were not weened on radio.

Simmons was superb, using “tell it good bye” on his home run calls including #600 for Willie Mays, who by the way pinch hit for George Foster when he hit that historic home run. Each man hit over 50 home runs in a season.

So I say good bye to Lon Simmons remembering the great calls and his superb ability–which I hope to emulate in my broadcasting career.

I wish I had a reel of his work but at least my mind does: Lon when Jim Marshall ran the wrong way and scored a safety for the other team, John Brodie to Bill Tucker as the 49ers finally won a division title in 1970, Juan Marichal’s no hitter, which the great Russ Hodges, the Giants’ lead announcer at the time, was kind enough to let Lon call and so many others.

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Willie Mays with Lon Simmons