HOF broadcaster Dick Enberg yesterday "announced plans to return" to the FS San Diego booth in '16 "for a seventh and final season as the Padres’ primary play-by-play TV host," according to Jeff Sanders of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Enberg in a release said, "While I have decided that 2016 will be my last as the primary play-by-play announcer, I will always be a Padre, and look forward to a continuing role." One of two individuals to gain entry into the baseball, football (Rozelle Award) and basketball (Gowdy Award) HOFs, the 80-year-old Enberg "checked off the one he held most dearest to his heart this summer as this year’s Ford C. Frick Award winner." Enberg joined the Padres in '10 "as the play-by-play voice after more than four decades in broadcasting." His resume includes "calling 42 NFL seasons, 28 Wimbledons, 10 Super Bowls, nine Rose Bowls, four Olympic Games, three heavyweight boxing championships and a World Series." He has also "won 14 Emmys and nine Sportscaster of the Year awards." He has been inducted into the National Sports Broadcasting HOF, National Sportscaster & Sportswriters HOF and Rose Bowl HOF and "even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame." Padres President & CEO Mike Dee in a release said, “Dick is the greatest storyteller the sports world has ever known, and we have been fortunate to have heard his legendary voice and signature calls on our Padres telecasts since 2010." Sanders noted Dee’s Boston connections "have led to industry-wide speculation" that outgoing Red Sox play-by-play broadcaster Don Orsillo "could ultimately land in San Diego as a replacement for Enberg" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/24). The AP noted Enberg "made the announcement" just before the Padres played the Giants last night. Enberg also recently "has cut back on his road schedule" (AP, 9/23).
