KSFO Tribute to Russ Hodges

Russ Hodges (1910-1971) was an iconic sports broadcaster, remembered for his excited 1951 call when Bobby Thomson's home run gave the New York Giants a playoff win over the rival Brooklyn Dodgers. Hodges' "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!" is an unforgettable part of radio history.

When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Hodges came along. His trademark "Bye-Bye Baby" home run call remains a key part of Giants history.

Hodges died of a heart attack at his Marin County home on April 19, 1971. The next day, his longtime broadcast partner Lon Simmons devoted his afternoon Lon Simmons Sports Roundup to Hodges. A few hours later, the Giants took on the St. Louis Cardinals at Candlestick Park.

This audio file includes the Lon Simmons Sports Roundup show and the beginning of the game broadcast, as well as a segment by Bob Hansen, whose KSFO career dated back to the mid-1940s. Hansen served at various times as an announcer, program director, and operations director. The tape was digitized by volunteer Andrew Welburn.