Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
An emotional Lanny Frattare, speaking for the first time since it was announced last week he was retiring after 33 years as Pirates broadcaster, denied he was forced out by the team but admitted it was a difficult decision and one with which he continues to struggle.
In a phone interview yesterday, Frattare, 60, talked about the process of considering retirement and admitted, just a few days after the announcement, he was second-guessing himself.
David Arrigo/Pittsburgh Pirates
Lanny Frattare -- "... I'm deeply indebted to the fans for giving me a chance."
"It was a somewhat numbing experience," he said. "It's something I thought about for a long time. I hope I haven't made the wrong decision. If I did, it's something I have to live with."
He strongly denied he was forced out by Pirates president Frank Coonelly.
"I was not," he said. "The ball club and I had some conversations about my future for some time. Frank Coonelly has been tremendous with me."
Frattare joined the team after the 1975 season after having worked with the Pirates' Class AAA affiliate in Charleston, W.Va. He was teamed with veteran announcer Milo Hamilton, who had been working for the Atlanta Braves. The opening existed when the Pirates fired legendary announcer Bob Prince, in a move that brought down a firestorm of protest against the team, and Nellie King.
Asked if there was anything he wanted to say to Pirates fans, Frattare responded this way:
"I hope this doesn't sound trite, but I'm deeply indebted to the fans for giving me a chance. When I first joined the team after the firing of Bob, it was difficult. But the fans gave me a chance and that means the most to me.
"I hope I haven't let them down. I hope through these 33 years I gave them what they wanted even though my style was so different from Bob's."
Frattare -- who was selected Monday as a finalist for the Ford Frick Award, which is given by the Hall of Fame for excellence in broadcasting -- said he has many thoughts about what he wants to do with his future and some of them include broadcasting.
"It's really been hectic, and everyday I think of something else I might want to try," he said. "I think of teaching. I've always enjoyed speaking in front of classes. Whether I'm capable of teaching on a regular basis, I don't know.
"I'm not throwing away any options. MLB has a network that is being formulated. Maybe I could work one day a week or something along those lines. I thought of so many things. Tons of ideas are running through my mind."
The toughest part of leaving the Pirates will come in a few months when the team readies for spring training and the start of the 2009 season, Frattare said.
"It's going to be awkward to think about spring training and not going down to Bradenton with the team and not thinking about getting ready for another baseball season," he said.
Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on October 8, 2008 at 12:00 am
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