Marty Brennaman, the radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds for the last 46 seasons, broadcast his final game Thursday in the last game of the 2019 season at Great American Ball Park.
The Reds dropped a 5-3 decision to the Brewers as Milwaukee swept the three-game series. Brennaman won’t broadcast the Reds final three games of the season this weekend in Pittsburgh.
Brennaman started the broadcast by saying, “It’s been a very emotional day for me, and I’m sure it’s going to be that way throughout the entire afternoon and into the night.”
The 12:35 p.m. game came on what Brennaman described as a “very, very unseasonably warm” day. The Reds played the Milwaukee Brewers, who clinched a wild-card spot Wednesday. While the Reds fell out of contention long ago, fans filled Great American Ball Park to say goodbye to Brennaman.
The day was all about Brennaman, who shared a moment with his partner in the booth, Jeff Brantley, early in the broadcast.
“As far as yours truly is concerned, I’m sure many of you know after 46 years, this wraps up my career.,” Brennaman said. “It’s here at home as it started back in April of 1974, and Jeff Brantley, right out of the chute, 13 years together, and they have absolutely been a labor of love.”
“We’ve had a lot of laughs, big boy,” Brantley said.
“We’ve had a lot of laughs,” Brennaman said. “I’m afraid today there are going to be a lot of tears. This is a very emotional day for me. Having spent all the time I have with you and with Yiddy (Dave Armbruster) and Thom (Brennaman) and Chris (Welsh) and Jim Day and Jeff Piecoro and Brian Giesenschlag and the list goes on and on, it’s going to be very difficult for me in the months ahead.”
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