Josh Caray, Whose Grandfather and Father Were Famous Broadcasters, Will Be ODU Baseball Radio Voice This Weekend
By Harry Minium
If the name Josh Caray sounds familiar, then perhaps you’re a baseball fan with an affinity for the Chicago Cubs or Atlanta Braves.
Harry Caray, long-time TV voice of the Chicago Cubs and before that the St. Louis Cardinals, was Josh’s grandfather. Skip Caray, longtime TV voice of the Atlanta Braces, was his father.
His older brother, Chip, is the TV voice of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Josh, 43, has carried on the family tradition and beginning this weekend, he will temporarily be the radio voice of Old Dominion baseball.
Josh will be behind the microphone when ODU opens the season at Georgia Tech Friday and then again on Sunday when the Yellow Jackets and Monarchs conclude the three-game series. He will also call ODU's three-game set at Auburn on March 7-9.
The games will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1310 AM.
Because Bud Metheny Ballpark is undergoing a $24 million renovation, ODU won’t play any games on campus this season. The Monarchs will play their first 18 games on the road and 35 in all. ODU will host 16 games at either Harbor Park or War Memorial Stadium in Hampton.
Caray is the director of broadcasting for the Rocket City Trash Pandas, a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, in Huntsville, Alabama. Huntsville a major center for NASA and the missile defense industry, hence the name “Rocket City.”
Trash Panda is a slang word for raccoons made famous in the movie, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, in which a raccoon named Rocky is a character.
Growing up with Caray as a last name was challenging for Josh, who was a two-way starter on his high school football team but acknowledges he wasn’t a good baseball player. He threw the shot put and discus for Oglethorpe’s Division III track and field team and was already a broadcaster in college.
“When I was younger, I didn’t know how to handle (being a Caray). Now I don’t worry about it and focus on things I can control,” he said.
“Growing up in Atlanta was great. I loved the Braves. I have such fond memories of my father working with the Braves.”
Like many broadcasters, Caray hustles. During the offseason he mans the mic for Alabama, UAB and Samford athletic events on ESPN+.
He’s been doing his homework on ODU and the program built by Head Coach Chris Finwood.
“I’m impressed with what I’ve learned,” he said. “Norfolk is a great baseball city and the Sun Belt is an outstanding baseball league.
“Playing at Georgia Tech and Auburn are great opportunities for ODU. It will be a memorable experience for the players.
“It will be fun to watch and be a part of ODU’s program for a short while.”