Courtesy the Dallas Morning News

(October 15, 2010) During a press box dinner before Tuesday night's Rangers-Rays game, I asked Eric Nadel if he had planned a game-ending radio call if the Rangers won the ALDS. He said he did not.

But after Ian Kinsler's home run in the top of the ninth propelled the Rangers to the brink of their first playoff series victory, Nadel got an e-mail from his friend, Pete Alexis, back in Dallas. The subject line read: "Why don't you say 'Hello, win column' as a tribute to Holtzie." There was no message below.

Alexis, of course, was referring to Nadel's longtime Rangers radio partner Mark Holtz, who died in September 1997 at age 51.

Nadel said he mulled over the idea between innings and decided it was "brilliant."

And so after shortstop Elvis Andrus caught a pop-up for the final out, Nadel used Holtz's signature call:

"And the Rangers are on their way to the American League Championship Series. Hello, win column," he said on KRLD-FM (105.3)

It was the first time Nadel has borrowed his old partner's call.

"That was in tribute to Mark Holtz, who is undoubtedly smiling right now," Nadel said Thursday, repeating what he told listeners on the postgame show.

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