Play-by-Play Broadcasters Hit a Home Run
Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, & Giants broadcasters shared game stories during the Steiner Symposium
12/01/2016 5:30 PM
By Joshua McGhee, Sports Communication, ’17
The 2nd annual Charley Steiner Symposium on Sports Communication was held on the campus of Bradley University on Tuesday, November 15, 2016.
A series of six different panels were open to students and the public, ranging from topics such as Women in Sports Media, The Evolution of ESPN’s Sportscenter, and panels covering disability in sport and the Paralympics.
The most anticipated session of the day was the one titled, “MLB Play-by-Play.” A mixed crowd of students, faculty, and media outlets from several different stations filled the David C. Horowitz Auditorium to capacity in an effort to hear four legendary broadcasters tell the stories of their careers and offer advice to the next generation of broadcasters.
Charley Steiner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jon Miller of the San Francisco Giants, John Rooney of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Len Kasper of the world champion Chicago Cubs took turns trading stories from their time in the big leagues and what they have learned along the way.
“Getting the chance to listen to some of the top broadcasters in the industry and hear their stories was one of the best experiences I’ve had at Bradley,” said senior sports communication major Ethan McConkey. “Hearing the voices of Len Kasper, John Rooney, and the legendary Jon Miller in person will be an experience I’ll never forget.”
Student and faculty turnout was higher this year for the annual symposium. There were several changes to this year’s symposium as opposed to the first one last year. The event was held on Tuesday, instead of having the panels span the course of a week. In addition to the different topics and speakers, some of the panels were hosted outside of the GCC in the Hayden Clark Alumni Center.
“The feedback we have received so far today has been excellent,” said Department of Communication chair Dr. Paul Gullifor. “The changes we made this year have been great improvements. It takes time to establish a brand, but as we establish the routine of the symposium each year, the Charley Steiner School of Sports Communication will soon become a nationally recognized brand.”
Bradley University and the Department of Communication continue to plan on having the symposium on campus each year around the middle of November.