My Baseball Journey: A Sportscaster's Story Abreu, Bobby, 249 Acosta, Mike, 217 Adams, Bud, 212, 216 Adkins, Pete, 49-50 Afghanistan, 237 Air Force One, 237-38 Alan (Brown’s grandson), 158 Alaskan Forces Network, 77 Alcindor, Lew, 213 alcohol abuse, 131 Alexander, John, 47 Alexander, Shana, 47 Alfonzo, Edgardo, 215 Ali, Muhammad, 213 Allen, John, 17 Allen, Kevin, 259 Allen, Mel, 76 Allen, Richie, 218 All-Star Game (1942), 21; (1961), 277; (1975), 267; (1982), 142; (2001), 3; (2004), 31, 284 Alou, Moises, 79, 86, 229 Altuve, Jose, 324, 331-32 Alzheimer’s disease, xiii-xiv Amazing Grace, 86, 87 Amazing Sport Stories, 273, 279 American Football League, 152, 212 American Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN), 67-69, 71, 75, 77, 108 American League Championship Series (2008), 204 American League Divisional Series (2008), 204 American Professional Baseball Association (APBA), 19-20 Anchorage Northern Knights, 77 Anderson, Larry, 244 Anderson, Sparky, 138, 241 coping with losses, ix fired by Reds, 136, 152-53 hired by Tigers, 136 manages Reds, 127-29, 130, 141, 145 nicknamed Captain Hook, 119-20, 136 Anheuser-Busch, 162 Antique Rose Emporium, 197, 205 Aparicio, Luis, 144-45 Archibald, Tiny, 113 Arizona, 163 Arizona Diamondbacks, 88-89 Arledge, Roone, 256 Armed Forces Network, 68-69 Armed Forces Radio and Television Services, 77 Art of Sportscasting, The (Hedrick), 114 Ashby, Alan, 233 Aspromonte, Bob, 215, 218, 270-71, 273-81 Associated Press, 29, 187 Association of Tennis Professionals, 112 Astrodome broadcast from catwalk of, 215 Brown auditions at, 171-74 Browns visit, 210-11 curiosities in, 211, 216, 217 current state and future of, 210, 212, 220-21 events at, 212-15 final game in, 218, 224-25 firsts in, 218 as Hofheinz’s brainchild, 170, 194, 222-24 initial impression of, 210-12 Mantle hits HR in, 218 pitching in, 216 public address speaker of, 216-17 used for refugees of Hurricane Katrina, 220 Astros in Action Foundation, 334 Astros Wives Organization, 200 Astroturf, 211 AT&T Park, 189 Atkins, Garrett, 8-9 Atlanta Braves, 149-50, 200, 215, 287, 290-95 Auburn Astros, 148 Auburn University, 69-70 Ausmus, Brad, 79, 286, 310 on Brown’s All-Time Astrodome team, 249 plays in: Biggio’s 3000th hit game, 8, 10; the “Miracle at Minute Maid,” 290, 292, 295 Austin American, 211 Avco Broadcasting Corporation, 98, 105, 135 Avondale Athletic Club, 110 Awty International School, 217 Ayala, Luis, 285 Backe, Brandon, 286, 291 Baghdad, Iraq, 58 Bagwell, Jeff, 79, 86-87,195, 225, 228, 310 on Brown’s All-Time Astrodome team, 233 elected to Astros “Team of Honor,” 232 injuries and recovery, 186, 283, 292 as member of Killer B’s, 249-50 records hole-in-one, 7, 312 travels to see Biggio’s 3000th hit, 7, 10 wins NL MVP, vii, 185 Bannister, Brian, 127 Bannister, Floyd, 127 Barker, Glenn, 228 Barrow, Robin, 250, 260 Baseball Hall of Fame Veteran’s Committee, 145 Baseball Writers Association of America, 144, 235 Bass, Kevin, 185, 244 Battle of Mogadishu, 238 “Battle of the Sexes,” 214 Baylor University, 273-74 Baytown Sun, 334 Beane, Billy, 207-9, 221 Bell, Buddy, 127 Bell, David, 127 Bell, Derek, 225, 249 Bell, Walter, 35 Beltran, Carlos, 283, 287 Ben & Jerry, 235 Bench, Johnny, 123-24, 127, 131, 144, 156-57, 264 Benes, Andy, 186 Benny, Jack, 115 Berkman, Lance, 86, 310 as a Christian, 183 comments on 9/11, 85 hits HR into McCovey Cove, 192 injuries and recovery of, 283, 288 as member of Killer B’s, 250 plays in: Biggio’s 3000th hit game, 11; the “Miracle at Minute Maid,” 291, 293, 295 wins NL Comeback Player, 167 Berra, Yogi, 45, 298 Berry, Sean, 249, 298 Best of Waite Hoyt in the Rain, The, 116 Best of Waite Hoyt in the Rain, The, Volume 2, 116 Betancourt, Rafael, 332-33 Bible, 167, 183, 335 Big Red Machine. See Cincinnati Reds coined by Rose, 123 Biggio, Cavan, iii, 9-11, 318 Biggio, Conor, iii, 9-11, 318 Biggio, Craig, 31, 185, 195 on Brown’s All-Time Astrodome team, 233, coaches baseball, 318-19 comments on Brown, ii, 2-3, 6-12 eulogizes Caminiti, 219 last Astrodome game exploits, 231-32 leader in doubles, 7, 10-11 as member of Killer B’s, 249-50 named to All-Star team, vii plays in the “Miracle at Minute Maid,” 291, 293 pursuit of 3000th hit, ii, 2-3, 6-12, 255-56 replaced by Kent, 33 Biggio, Patty, 8, 10-11 Biggio, Quinn, 8, 10-11 billy goats, 298 Bixler, Brian, 333 Black Hawk Down, 238 Blancas, Jerry, 250 Blass, Steve, 161 Blatner, Buddy, 93 Blind Side, The (Lewis), 207 Blum, Geoff, 295 “Bobbi the Weather Girl.” See Keith, Bobbi Bogusevic, Brian, 324, 332 Bonds, Barry, 31, 79-80, 87-88, 127, 189-90, 192 Bonds, Bobby, 127 Boone, Aaron, 127 Boone, Bob, 127 Boone, Brett, 127 Borbon, Pedro, 119, 127 Borbon, Pedro, Jr., 127 Boston Red Sox, 128-29, 131, 132, 204, 208 Boswell, Tom, 183 Boudreaux, Emily, 260 Boudreaux, John, 260 Boudreaux, Julie, 260 Boudreaux, Phil, 250, 260-61 Boy Scouts of America, 87, 266, 320, 326 Boyer, Ken, 91 Bradley, Billy, 271-80 Brady, Carole, 260 Brady, Mike, 250, 259 Brazil, 258 Bremer, Dick, 159, 324 Brewster McCloud, 213, 218, 229 Brinks Hotel (Saigon, Vietnam), 75 broadcasting anchormen, 106 associate producers, 251, 255 audio unit, 254, 259 before on-screen graphics, 107 booth announcers, 105 camera operators, 253, 257-60 camera placement, 253-54, 255 catchphrases, 67, 93, 172 color commentators, 178 director, 256 discrimination in, 106 engineers, 256 film processors, 53 floor managers, 252, 260 garbage time, 184 graphics department, 255 lead producer, 53-54, 251-56 predicting outcome, 182 production trucks, 250, 252, 254 replay operators, 254 rooting for team, 5, 8, 114, 177 roving reporters, 252, 256, 332 scripting calls for, 3, 10, 12 stage managers, 256 statistician, 252, 256, 260 studio recreations, 116 tape operators, 257 use of silence in, 5-6, 10 utilities, 256 video technicians, 256 Broadway Lanes, 23-25 Brocail, Doug, 57-58 Brooklyn Dodgers, 20, 271 Brower, Jim, 293 Brown, Allison birth of, 154-56, 158 in car accident, 180-81 celebrates father’s 25 years with Astros, 325 Christian faith of, 187 effect of Los Angeles on, 169, 174-75, 242 experiences earthquake, 302-3 father’s job changes and, 161, 163, 165-66 marriage of, 217 mentioned, xiv, 161, 168, 236, 335 relationship with father, 158-59 Brown, Bill, xii advice for aspiring sportscasters, 330 auditions for Astros, 171-73 basic training, 61-64 birth of Allison, 154-56, 158 booth announcing, 103, 105, 325 briefcase debacle of, 41-45 broadcasting philosophy of, 1-2 broadcasts: amateur sports, 49-50; Astros games, iv, vii, 1-12, 175, 177-80, 225-29, 238-243, 245-47, 250, 253, 305-6, 307-8, 322-33; basketball, 135; football, 113, 135; hockey, 135, 248; Reds games, x, 5, 29, 117-21, 124, 128-29, 132-33, 137-38, 144, 179, 242, 323, 329; tennis, 111-12, 135; while ill, 217, 246-47 calling: Biggio’s 3000th hit, 3-12; Bonds’s 70th HR, 88, 192 celebrates pennant win, 296-97 Christian faith of, 176, 183, 186-88, 193 college experiences of, 36-38, 46, 48, 50, 51, 75 criticism leveled against, 132-33 desire to be baseball announcer, 18, 22, 25, 38, 117, 134, 335 emulates Buck, 91-92 exchange student experience, 33-35, 36 fired by Reds, 137-38, 151-54, 159, 324 first opportunity to broadcast, 38 Fred Hartman Award presented to, 334 friends of, 188-89, 195, 319, 326 golfing as hobby, 80, 312 haircut fiasco of, 98-102 heroes of, 236-38 honored for 25 years of service, 325-26 hosts: Redscene, 126, 128, 193, 235, 264; SCORE, 164-65, 168 idolizes Fox, 28-30 ignored by Kent, 31-32 induction into Army, 51-52, 55-56, 58-59, 60-61 internship, 51, 53-56 interviewing for jobs, 98, 102, 159, 168, 324 journal entries for 2004 season, 284-85 kayaking adventure, 190-92 keeping distractions down, 256 keeping the game interesting, 1-2, 182, 184 kept out of post-season broadcasting, 289-90 marriage of, 51-52 military services of, 64-72, 74, 97-98, 229 nicknamed by Seaver, 235 opening day jitters, 323 playing sports, 13, 18-19, 20-21, 111, 154-56, 193, 312 practicing with tape recorder, 25, 117, 119-20 preparedness of, 41-42, 45, 242, 245-46, 254, 322-23, 326-29 reflections on father, x-xv relationship with daughter, 158-59 reporting weather, 107-8 on rotating announcers, 177, 179 sports director with HSE, 159-61 sports reporting with: Financial News Network, 163-66, 168; Sports Time Cable Network, 162 suggested for undercover work, 55-56 takes over for Waite, 117-18 visits Astrodome, 210-11 voice care of, 217 weathers natural disasters, 301-3 working in Astrodome, 216 youth of, 13-25, 33-36, 38-45, 61-62, 90, 173 Brown, Bill (father), viii and briefcase debacle, 41-45 hosts exchange student, 33-34 life of, x-xv, 15-16 mentioned, 23, 25, 165 sends his son to baseball camp, 20 supports Symington, 22 taught Sunday School, 186 works to desegregate, 35 Brown, Dianne (née Dugan) birth of Allison, 154-56, 158 in car accident, 180-81 celebrates husband’s 25 years with Astros, 325 Christian faith of, 186, 193 dates Brown, 39-41, 51 friends of, 188-89, 319, 326 gives husband advice, 99-100, 133-35 and husband during Vietnam War, 60, 64, 97 keeps scrapbooks, 121 marriage of, viii, 51-52 mentioned, 4, 16, 176, 196, 199, 215, 238, 290, 296, 325, 328 moves due to Brown’s position, 55, 64, 98, 102-3, 162-66, 168-69, 335 and 9/11, 80-82 not passionate about sports, 282, 326 positions held by, 55, 103 school open house story of, 159, 161 Trim-comb warning of, 99-102 visits Astrodome, 210 weathers natural disasters, 300-3 Brown, Hazel (née Colvin) (mother), viii, 25, 41-42, 43-44, 165 athletic prowess of, 15-16, 302 hosts exchange student, 33-34 life of, xi-xiv, 15-16 Brown, Jessica (sister) 20, 25, 99, 189 youth of, viii, x-xiv, 15-16, 33-34, 41 Brown, Murphy, 250, 251, 256 Brown, Paul, 113, 151 Buck, Jack, vii, 25, 85-86, 88, 90-96 Buckner, Anthony, 35-36 Buckner, Bill, 20, 138 Buff Stadium, 223 bulletin-board material, 287 bullfights, 213 Burger Brewing Company, 115 Burke, Chris, 293-95 Burnett, Arthur, 68-72 Burns, George, 115 Busch Stadium, 42, 91 Busch Stadium (II), 32, 95 Busch, Augustus, 90, 162 Bush International Airport, 305 Bush, George H.