Jim Tocco

Jim Tocco (born September 3, 1976) is a minor-league baseball announcer. Tocco grew up in North Olmsted, Ohio and attended North Olmsted High School before moving on to Bowling Green State University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Journalism in 1998.

After stints with the Charleston (SC) RiverDogs, Wilmington (DE) Blue Rocks, Charleston (WV) Alley Cats, and Lansing (MI) Lugnuts he is currently the announcer for the Montgomery (AL) Biscuits.

Tocco founded CalloftheGame.com in 2001 to serve as a medium for fellow broadcasting professionals to network within the industry [cite web|title=Lugnuts tab Tocco as new "Voice of the Lugnuts" |url=http://www.lansinglugnuts.com/press_box/press_release_archive/12_19_02.htm |date=2002-12-19 |accessdate=2008-01-30 | author=Lansing Lugnuts]

While with the Lugnuts, Tocco took on a who disagreed with Tocco's assessment of Chicago Cubs' prospect Felix Pie who played for the Lugnuts at the time. The blogger, Andy Dolan, had seen Pie play four times against the Beloit Snappers and believed Tocco's assessments were incorrect. After reading Dolan's opinion -- which included an insult -- two months after it had been published, Tocco responded with a letter. "You are way, way out of your league when talking about Cubs prospects, pal," he wrote. Tocco claimed that the fact he had seen Pie play 100 times in 2003 compared to Dolan's four qualified him as an expert. [cite web|title=I get the damndest mail |url=http://www.desipio.com/archives/00000207.htm |date=2003-08-07 |accessdate=2008-01-30 |first=Andy |last=Dolan]

In 2003 and 2004, Tocco served as a guest announcer for MLB's Montreal Expos [cite news|title=Jim Tocco named Southern League Radio Broadcaster of the Year |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3375122 |date=2006-09-07 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ] , and in 2006 was named the Southern League Broadcaster of the year [cite news|title=Jim Tocco named Southern League Radio Broadcaster of the Year |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3375122 |date=2006-09-07 |accessdate=2008-01-30 ]

In addition to baseball, Tocco's on-air credits include Division I college football, basketball, hockey and soccer as well as occasional work in the television and print media. [cite web|title=Biscuits Baseball |url=http://www.biscuitsbaseball.com/radio.html |accessdate=2008-01-31]

During the days of November 9 and November 10, 2006, Tocco and 2 others visited all 88 Ohio counties in under 24 hours. Starting in Monroe County, the trio wound their way through the state, ending up in Preble County a mere 23 hours, 34 minutes and 34 seconds later. [cite web|title=EFC Ohio Table of Contents |url=http://everywhatever.blogspot.com/2007/12/efc-ohio-table-of-contents.html |date=2007-12-20 |accessdate=2008-01-30 |first=Dan |last=Miller]

ee also

* List of Montreal Expos broadcasters

References