Courtesy the Washington Examiner

(March 21, 2011) The voice of Bob Wolff may sound familiar to people in Washington, where he worked for the Senators from 1947 to 1960. Wolff was famous here for his ability to craft great stories and get big-time politicians to join him on his broadcasts -- including then Vice President Richard Nixon.

Wolff, who is 91, has the distinction of being America's longest running sportscaster with a career that has spanned nearly nine decades. He was the play-by-play voice of Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series and called the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the Giants and Colts.

I spoke to Wolff recently about his new book "Bob Wolff's Complete Guide to Sportscasting" -- an informative breakdown of how the business works.

Wolff on being a homer » If you are lucky enough to become the voice of a team like I was with the Nats in Washington, to the fans you are almost a member of the family. They listen to you talk about their team, and fans want honesty above all things, but they also want to be entertained. You have been entrusted with the right of telling them about their favorite team, and so broadcasters need to have a balance of passion for the team and objectivity. They need to be as happy as the fans when the team wins and as upset, in a professional way, about a loss as the fans are.

Wolff on his working in Washington » I loved my time in Washington and being the voice of the Senators was great. I know that many people loved that I had Vice President Nixon as a guest color analyst and I would send him game notes and prep him on the players so that when he worked with me he would really sound good. I also loved doing the Redskins in the '50s, I can say that Washington was where I became a local fan favorite and a national broadcaster so I will always have a special place in my heart for the city.

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