Connie Desmond

Cornelius "Connie" Desmond (January 31, 1908 - March 10, 1983)^[1] was an American Major League Baseball radio broadcaster, primarily for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Desmond began hiscareer in 1932 as the voice of the minor league Toledo Mud Hens. In 1940, he was promoted to broadcasting the games of the AAA Columbus Red Birds.

Mel Allen was impressed enough with Desmond that he asked him to come to New York City as his sidekick on the home games of the Yankees and Giants in 1942. After one year, he left and joined with Red Barber on the Dodgers broadcasts, replacing Al Helfer. During the 1943 season, Barber and Desmond were the only voices of baseball in New York; the Giants and Yankees suspended broadcasts that year for unknown reasons. Desmond remained with the Dodgers until 1956, teaming with Barber (1943–1953), Ernie Harwell (1948–1949), and Vin Scully (1950–1956). Desmond also teamed with Barber to call college football and New York Giants football in the 1940s.

Desmond battled alcoholism for many years, and frequently missed games because he was too drunk to go on the air. Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley finally lost patience with him and fired him before the 1955 World Series--thus missing a chance to call the Dodgers' only world title on the East Coast. Desmond asked for and got another chance in 1956, but was fired for good after several more absences. He was succeeded by Jerry Doggett.^[2]

Desmond was a fairly accomplished singer; in the early 1940s hosted several music shows on WOR, with himself as the featured singer.^[3]

Desmond died March 10, 1983 in Toledo, Ohio at the age of 75.

References

1. ^ "Connie Desmond". The New York Times. March 13, 1983. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402EED61439F930A25750C0A965948260. 
2. ^ Smith, Curt (2005). Voices of Summer. New York City: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0786714468. 
3. ^ http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/designated_hitter/002425-print.html

External links

• "Golden Voices of Baseball" book excerpt
• obituary
• Dodgers Encyclopedia

Persondata
Name	Desmond, Connie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 31, 1908
Place of birth
Date of death	March 10, 1983
Place of death	Toledo, Ohio