Best sportscaster you never heard of (association, horse, radio)

[Charles]

Southern California sports fans have been lucky to have guys like Chick Hearn, Vin Scully, and Bob Miller call the plays over the years. But there's one guy who is in their ranks that I'd bet you've never heard of.



For more than 34 seasons, Joe Hernandez was the voice of Santa Anita racetrack, calling 15,587 races in a row before he collapsed at the microphone Jan. 27, 1972. On the late Jim Healy's radio show, Healy once played the audio of Joe's last race. Joe had been kicked by a horse earlier in the day on January 27th, 1972. Later that day while calling a race, Joe realized he was going to pass out and on Healy's audio tape you can actually hear him have the foresight to click the microphone off before he collapsed.

The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita


Jim Healy Tribute Site

[Rudolph Alvarado]

Dear All, I just wanted to mention that my biography on Joe Hernandez will be coming out in mid, or late March. As many of you know, I have been researching Joe's life since 2002 with the assistance of his son, Father Frank Hernandez. The book comes with a CD featuring Joe's famous calls, as well as Joe's Last Call. A website accompanying the book can be found at www.voiceofsantaanita.com. Please check it out, and tell your friends about it. I think everyone will be surprised by what I was able to uncover. Advanced copies were made available to select readers and all of them gave the book high marks. Pete Pedersen, the long time steward at Hollywood Park who was the winner of the Eclipse of Merit and Joe H. Palmer Award of Merit from the New York Turf Writer’s Association wrote that, “This biography stands as a remarkable work of research . . . . The romance of horseracing, the source of so much of its appeal, is given full marks . . . . But it’s the subject, Joe Hernandez, who emerges as a catalyst . . . . The book is a great read. For anyone who wants to know what horseracing was—and is—it’s a keeper! Joe Hernandez was larger than life. This rendition paints the portrait.”
Alan Balch, the Executive Secretary and Registrar, American Saddlebred Horse Association and Registry, as well as a one time co-worker of Joe's wrote, “When I read Dr. Alvarado’s inspiring story of Joe Hernandez, a torrent of memories came flooding back to me. He brings the original Voice of Santa Anita back to life, with all his charisma joined with a personal, deep love for horses and racing born of unique experiences.” I hope that everyone enjoys the book and that they will feel it is a worthy addition to the history of thoroughbred horse racing.

I also wanted to let everyone know that I will be having a book signing at Santa Anita on April 5, 2008, Santa Anita Handicap day. I'll see you there.
Repsectfully yours,
Rudolph Alvarado

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Rudolph Alvarado

Dear All, I just wanted to mention that my biography on Joe Hernandez will be coming out in mid, or late March. As many of you know, I have been researching Joe's life since 2002 with the assistance of his son, Father Frank Hernandez. The book comes with a CD featuring Joe's famous calls, as well as Joe's Last Call. A website accompanying the book can be found at www.voiceofsantaanita.com. Please check it out, and tell your friends about it. I think everyone will be surprised by what I was able to uncover. Advanced copies were made available to select readers and all of them gave the book high marks. Pete Pedersen, the long time steward at Hollywood Park who was the winner of the Eclipse of Merit and Joe H. Palmer Award of Merit from the New York Turf Writer’s Association wrote that, “This biography stands as a remarkable work of research . . . . The romance of horseracing, the source of so much of its appeal, is given full marks . . . . But it’s the subject, Joe Hernandez, who emerges as a catalyst . . . . The book is a great read. For anyone who wants to know what horseracing was—and is—it’s a keeper! Joe Hernandez was larger than life. This rendition paints the portrait.”
Alan Balch, the Executive Secretary and Registrar, American Saddlebred Horse Association and Registry, as well as a one time co-worker of Joe's wrote, “When I read Dr. Alvarado’s inspiring story of Joe Hernandez, a torrent of memories came flooding back to me. He brings the original Voice of Santa Anita back to life, with all his charisma joined with a personal, deep love for horses and racing born of unique experiences.” I hope that everyone enjoys the book and that they will feel it is a worthy addition to the history of thoroughbred horse racing.

I also wanted to let everyone know that I will be having a book signing at Santa Anita on April 5, 2008, Santa Anita Handicap day. I'll see you there.
Repsectfully yours,
Rudolph Alvarado

Sounds like a great book. I look forward to reading it.