Byrum F. Saam, Jr. was a sportscaster
whose primary focus was announcing baseball and football games in
Philadelphia.
It is said by many that By Saam called more losses than any broadcaster
in baseball history. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he began his career
broadcasting football at Temple University. He was soon noticed by the
owners of both major league ballclubs in Philadelphia, the A's
and the Phillies.
In 1938, Saam called A's and Phillies home games. He would continue
this double duty for 12 seasons. Saam called just A's games from 1950
until the club moved to Kansas City after the 1954 season. Ironically,
after so many losing seasons, Saam worked exclusively for the A's the
season the Phillies won their first pennant in 35 years.
After the A's moved to Kansas City, Saam returned to the Phillies in
1955. He teamed first with Bill Campbell. The pair was joined by former
Phillies outfielder Richie Ashburn in 1963. After Campbell left the
Phillies in 1970, this created the Hall of Fame broadcasting team of Saam,
Ashburn, and Harry Kalas. They broadcast Phillies games until Saam's
retirement in 1976.
In 1990, Byrum Saam was awarded the Ford C. Frick award
by the Baseball Hall of Fame for excellence in broadcasting. Ashburn was
later honored by the Hall of Fame as a player, and Kalas would win the
Frick Award in 2002.
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