Courtesy Carroll County Times

(April 20, 2010) If a young Michael Gillispie had been asked about his dream job, the kid who grew up listening to Chuck Thompson and Jon Miller doing radio play-by-play of Baltimore Orioles games wouldn't have hesitated in saying professional sports broadcaster.

"They did such a good job, and I knew that was what I wanted to do," Gillispie said.

These days, the Westminster High School graduate is living his dream, calling games for the Southern League's Tennessee Smokies, the Class AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

Like everyone in minor league baseball, Gillispie's goal is to one day make the major leagues. Nicknamed "Mick" by friends, Gillispie initially hoped to make the majors in a different way.

"Of course I wanted to play," said Gillispie, "but I wasn't a great athlete."

Even then, he was thinking about a future as a broadcaster.

"We would go play stick ball together in his neighborhood and he would always do play-by-plays of the games," said Patrick Shuck, a high school friend of Gillispie's. "It was pretty funny."

Shuck said calling games was a passion of Gillispie's, and "something that Mick definitely focused on."

Gillispie played baseball in high school and went on to play semipro ball in Birmingham, Ala. It was during this time, he said, that he learned most of the terminology he uses to call games now.

After graduating from Westminster in 1993, Gillispie attended the University of Maryland and applied for an exchange program which landed him in Hawaii. He didn't like being there, and decided to transfer to the University of Alabama. While at Alabama, Gillispie practiced his broadcasting skills for the college's radio station.

"There were no teachers; I learned on my own," he said. "We made with it what we could."

After receiving his degree, Gillispie interned for Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett in Washington. While there, he realized that politics were not for him. He returned to Alabama and his broadcasting career.

Gillispie works for both the Smokies and the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide sports network. He also recently called a few spring training games for the Chicago Cubs, his first Major League Baseball broadcasts.

"I enjoy broadcasting just about every sport," he said. "But the game of baseball is my love."

When asked if he feels that he is close to reaching his goal of broadcasting for the majors, Gillispie said, "yes and no."

Yes, because he is beginning to see his hard work paying off. He says people are starting to notice his broadcasting.

And no, because, "Until you are out of the minors, you are still in a minor league."

Getting to the big leagues provides ample incentive as he hones his craft.

"It's motivation for me to work hard and prepare everyday like I'm going to a place like Camden Yards or Wrigley Field for work," Gillispie said.

Although his main objective is to make the majors, the Crimson Tide games that Gillispie calls hold a special place in his heart.

"I'm a very proud Crimson Tide alumni," he said. "And that makes broadcasting their games special."

Traveling, however, is Gillispie's least favorite part of the job. Being on the road constantly causes him to often be away from his family.

"Staying in hotels sounds like fun," Gillispie said. "But not when it's all the time. There's no time to relax."

In spite of all the travel, Gillispie loves his job. He likes that he gets to be part of the team and entertain an audience.

"My office is the place I like to be the most," Gillispie said, noting that it took detours to Hawaii and Washington for him to focus on making the dreams of his youth come true. "I realized I just want to do what I love."

blog comments powered by Disqus