Remembering Andy Musser

By Richard Summers, site administrator

This week the Phillies family suffered the loss of longtime announcer Andy Musser. Musser, 74 at the time of his death, was a Phillies announcer from 1976 through the 2001 seasons.

Not solely the property of the Phillies, Mr. Musser also performed announcing duties for the 76ers, the Eagles and the Villanova Wildcats during his tenure in Philadelphia. He also did a stint as lead broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls of the NBA before joining the Phillies’ broadcast booth.

For his long, distinguished career in calling Philadelphia sports, Musser was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2011. The entirety of that career with the Phils was in the shadows of two of the giants of Phillies – and baseball broadcasting – history: Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn.

I know that for many, myself included, Harry Kalas was THE voice of the Phillies – the one we all think of when we reminisce about our childhood, playing wiffleball and listening to “Harry and Whitey” on the radio with our grandpas. Hardly ever do we think of Andy Musser – the career backup to the Hall of Fame broadcasting duo.

And yet…

Perhaps my one favorite call of all time – the one that ultimately led me to a lifelong passion for all things baseball and the Phillies – was from one Andy Musser. That wet, frigid October day in Montreal, when the Phils and the Expos bumbled their way through to the tenth inning, the Phils trying to clinch, the Expos dearly hanging onto that thin thread of hope, Andy Musser stepped from beyond the shadow of His Whiteness and Harry, and made perhaps the call of his career:

“He buried it! He buried! Way outta here! Home run Mike Schmidt! Puts the Phillies up six to four! What a drive by Schmidt! Unbelievable!”

Musser, the ultimate professional, had the announcing spotlight in that most glorious of moments, when Schmidt, and the Phillies themselves, shed the moniker of “choker” and took that important first step towards immortality. It was a moment for Schmidt to shine – and for Musser to provide the sun.

Mr. Musser, thank you for a long, steady career of broadcasting my favorite baseball team. Thank you for narrating such an important even in Phillies history. And, most of all, thank you for providing part of the framework on which the tapestry of my childhood can rest.

Rest in peace, Andy.

The 1980 edition of the Phillies may not have been the best team, talent-wise, in Phillies history. Both the 1976 and 1977 Phils won more games. The Phillies also won pennants in 1915, 1950, 1983, and 1993. In fact, it took a near miracle (and a six-game winning streak at the end of the year) for the Phillies to even win the division crown over the powerhouse Expos in 1980. Then the Phillies looked at baseball's version of the Grim Reaper against Houston, coming back in the 8th inning of games 4 and 5, winning both in extra innings to go to the World Series. And against the Royals, the Phillies just would not be denied, winning the FIRST World Championship in Phillies history in six games. Yes, other Phillies teams may have had more talent. Other Phillies teams may have won more games. But the 1980 Phillies won, with grit and determination, what no other Phillies team could achieve until 2008: The right to call themselves WORLD CHAMPIONS.