Yankees booth wonder: WFAN’s epic Jazz call, Michael Kay’s historical blunder
Sara Molnick
More Stories By Sara Molnick
- Mother’s Day: How Anthony Volpe’s mom molded him into a Yankee phenom
- Blake Snell to Yankees? Weighing the pitching powerhouse’s worth in the Bronx
- Aaron Judge refutes interference in Yankees’ offer of bigger AAV to Juan Soto
- Yankees, Grisham agree on one-year extension for $5M plus incentives
- Yankees keen to sign Buehler, who won 2024 championship with Dodgers
Table of Contents
The Yankees’ latest addition, Jazz Chisholm Jr., is already turning heads in the Big Apple. Since joining on Saturday, Chisholm has quickly made his presence felt. In a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Phillies on Tuesday night that stretched into 12 innings, the infielder made a significant impact on the game and on the airwaves.
Chisholm started his standout performance with an RBI fielder’s choice in the first inning. However, it was his back-to-back home runs in the sixth and seventh innings that truly ignited the crowd and commentators. WFAN’s play-by-play announcer, Rickie Ricardo, delivered an electrifying call for Chisholm’s second homer, perfectly capturing the excitement surrounding the newcomer’s effect on the Bronx Bombers.
In the following inning, Chisholm seized a pivotal moment with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto on base. He connected with an 82 mph slider from left-handed reliever Matt Strahm, launching it towards the right field foul pole. The ball barely stayed fair, resulting in a game-changing three-run homer that put the Yankees in the lead.
Ricardo’s excitement peaked as he narrated Castellanos’ unsuccessful attempt to catch the ball at the wall. The announcer jubilantly confirmed the home run, celebrating it with a spirited farewell to the baseball in Spanish.
Channeling John Sterling’s flair, Ricardo coined a catchy nickname for Chisholm: “Smooth Jazz.” He highlighted Chisholm’s Bahamian heritage, dubbing him a genuine Bronx Bomber and noting it was his fourth home run of the series.
On the YES Network broadcast, Michael Kay’s commentary soared to new heights as he described Chisholm’s thunderous hit to right field. Kay’s voice rose with anticipation, eagerly wondering if the ball would clear the fence before confirming it as a three-run homer. He marveled at Chisholm’s impact, highlighting the Yankees‘ new lead and expressing amazement at the player’s impressive debut with the team.
Chisholm’s performance made history, as he became the first player to hit four home runs in his first three games with the Yankees.
In a post-game interview, Chisholm shared his enthusiasm for high-pressure moments. He spoke about his love for the spotlight, large crowds, and the thrill of big occasions.
With this latest accomplishment, Chisholm’s home run count for the season climbed to 17, combining his contributions from both his time with the Marlins and his recent games with the Yankees.
Yankees’ Michael Kay makes historical blunder
During a recent Yankees-Phillies game broadcast, commentator Michael Kay made a historical mistake. While discussing a statue of Benjamin Franklin at a printing press, Kay inaccurately credited Franklin with inventing the printing press. He suggested that this invention was crucial for the creation of newspapers and connected it to the dissemination of news about the Yankees’ performance.
Kay commented that Franklin’s supposed invention of the printing press was a lucky break, as it allowed for the production of newspapers. He then pondered if this advancement could somehow relate to the Yankees potentially overcoming their recent slump.
In reality, Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable-type printing press in the 15th century, well before Franklin’s time. Kay’s commentary, while historically incorrect, aimed to link early printing technology with modern sports journalism.
Benjamin Franklin, a key figure in American history, made substantial contributions to the nation’s founding documents and early printing advancements in the colonies. However, contrary to a recent misattribution, he did not invent the printing press.
The true inventor of this groundbreaking technology was Johannes Gutenberg, a German innovator who developed movable-type printing in Europe more than two centuries before Franklin’s time. Gutenberg’s invention transformed the dissemination of information and laid the groundwork for modern printing techniques.
A recent error by a prominent sports commentator mistakenly credited Franklin with the invention of the printing press. This amusing historical mistake quickly caught the eye of attentive viewers, who noted the inaccuracy during the live broadcast.
Such misconceptions underscore the importance of maintaining historical accuracy, even in casual contexts, and illustrate how easily misinformation can spread if not corrected.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
- Categories: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Michael Kay, Yankees booth
- Tags: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Michael Kay, Yankees booth
As a professional writer, I did a double-take & chuckled when Kay incorrectly attributed the invention of the printing press to the great Benjamin Franklin, instead of Johannes Gutenberg, who used his invention to print his famous Gutenberg Bible. (A a complete original of the Gutenberg Bible is worth as much as $35 million.)
Benjamin Franklin is right up there with Washington, Jefferson, and Adams in his historical importance to the development of democracy & the creation of the United States.
Franklin was a genius who possessed a fabulous wit, and he was a great inventor. Few men in history have accomplished more in their life than Benjamin Franklin, so he doesn’t need Kay crediting him with something he didn’t do.
Historical blunder ? Or a historical click bait
Headline ? I’d vote for the later ….