Roche: Fenway Park Won't Be The Same Without Carl Beane
BOSTON (CBS) - Let me start by saying that one of the things I love about the game of baseball is the people.
Not the well-paid athletes that play the game; the people I'm talking about are the people at the park on a daily basis.
I love talking with the people who run the lot where the players park... the concession stand folks... the ushers... the PR folks... the clubhouse attendants... the grounds crew... the people at the ticket office... the security crew... and the coaches.
They are the ones who make the game go. They are the ones who have a pulse on what's going on in and around a team. And, they're regular people. Nothing fancy, just people who love what they do.
Carl Beane was one of those people.
The day Carl Beane began his job as the Public Address Announcer for the Boston Red Sox was like Christmas to him. That stayed true every day after that as well.
Read: Fenway Park PA Announcer Carl Beane Killed In Car Crash
I have known Carl for nearly 30 years. I began covering the Boston pro teams in the early 1980's. I would see Carl at many Boston sporting events and he was always as nice as can be to me. He knew that I worked for Curt Gowdy Broadcasting and he loved Mr. Gowdy.
Over the years we would work together at WBZ NewsRadio 1030. I was in the studio sending it out to Carl at Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, BC, Harvard and many other games. We would talk when I would see him in person about our families too. He would always bellow out, "How's Harry?.....or, How's Tori?" as he inquired about my kids.
And, he would always offer words of encouragement too. Keep working hard, keep up the good job, etc...stuff like that.
We would also talk baseball; his passion. We would talk everything from Williams to Yaz to Rice to Boggs to Ortiz to Manny to Pedro to Lester to Francona. Non-stop.
And, after he got the PA job I don't think I ever saw him unhappy. When he was in that booth, he was both the happiest and the luckiest man on the planet. There was no better job for him than being "The Voice of Fenway Park."
Duarte: Remembering Carl Beane
Carl and I would laugh as we fondly recalled the days of the late, great Sherm Feller. Carl paid tribute to Sherm each and every game by bellowing out the signature, "Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park......"
Carl also loved how his voice touched Red Sox fans all over the world. He would do wedding announcements, voice mails, and more. He was beyond thrilled that someone would ask him to do that stuff.
He also loved the two World Series rings bestowed upon him by the Red Sox for a job well done.
Carl Beane had his share of problems like the rest of us, but the one thing I will always remember about him was his passion. It's what I admire the most in people from Bob Ryan to Mayor Menino to my wife and kids: passion. If you don't have that in life, you're missing out.
Carl Beane didn't miss out, I can tell you that. He loved every minute of it. And, Fenway Park just won't be the same because we've listened that voice.
Read: Dan Roche's Sports Blog
God Bless you Carl, we'll miss you. Thank you for enhancing the lives of millions of Red Sox fans every time they stepped into Fenway Park...
Follow WBZ-TV's Dan Roche on twitter @RochieWBZ
