HARRY CARAY, who spent 53 years as a MLB broadcaster,
the last 16 with the Cubs, died Wednesday in a CA hospital
after being removed from life support. Caray suffered a
heart attack on Saturday. Caray was 78. In Chicago, Ed
Sherman writes Caray's "death brings an end to a remarkable
53-year career ads a baseball play-by-play man, raconteur
and bon vivant" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/19). Also in Chicago,
Neil Steinberg writes Caray "was a beloved figure whose
reputation was only enhanced by the many dust-ups he had
with management and athletes -- but significantly, never
fans -- over his long career" (SUN-TIMES, 2/19). USA
TODAY's Rod Beaton called Caray "a near-mythical figure in
Chicago" (USA TODAY, 2/19). In Philadelphia, Jayson Stark:
"[T]here wa something about this man that was -- or is --
America" (INQUIRER, 2/19). NBC's Anne Thompson: "Caray
became one of the reasons why Americans love baseball. He
was the fan's broadcaster" ("Today," 2/19). NBC's Bob
Costas: "He was equal parts baseball play-by-play man in
terms of craft and P.T. Barnum trying to get the people into
the tent" ("GMA," 2/19). In L.A., Mike Downey: "Holy cow,
he's gone. Cubs lose. We all do today" (L.A. TIMES, 2/19).
