Joe Tait | |
|---|---|
 Tait in 2012 | |
| Born | (1937-05-15)May 15, 1937 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 2021(2021-03-10) (aged 83) Lafayette Township, Ohio, U.S. |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team(s) | Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Indians Mount Union Purple Raiders Ohio Bobcats Indiana Hoosiers |
| Genre | Play-by-play |
| Sport(s) | Basketball (NBA,WNBA) Baseball (MLB) |
Joseph Tait (May 15, 1937 – March 10, 2021) was an Americansports broadcaster who was theplay-by-play announcer on radio for theCleveland Cavaliers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA) and both TV and radio for theCleveland Indians ofMajor League Baseball. With the exception of two seasons in the early 1980s and illness during his final season, he was the Cavaliers' radio announcer from the team's inception in 1970 through the 2010–11 season. He won theBasketball Hall of Fame 2010Curt Gowdy Media Award.[1]
Tait was born inEvanston, Illinois, and was raised inAmboy, Illinois.[2] Growing up, he played basketball, football and soccer, and also enjoyed writing.[2] He attendedMonmouth College in westernIllinois, where he began his radio career. He worked various jobs, including play-by-play on a local radio station in Monmouth (WRAM), sports reports, and operations manager.[3] He graduated in 1959. After college, Tait spent three years in theUnited States Army Security Agency.[3]
After the Army, Tait bounced around, spending time inDecatur, Illinois. From 1966 to 1968 he was the official voice of theOhio Bobcats, served as sports director forWOUB, and taught sportscasting at the Athens institution. He next served as the network voice ofIndiana University football, and was the pre-game host for theIndiana Pacers in 1969, in addition to being the station manager and morning host atWBOW (1230 AM) inTerre Haute, Indiana.[4]
In 1970, Tait began his longtime association with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were in their first year of existence. The games were broadcast onWERE for the first two years. After then-ownerNick Mileti, who also owned the Cleveland Indians, bought Cleveland's most powerful radio station, WWWE (nowWTAM) in 1972, he moved both teams' radio broadcasts to WWWE. Tait was the radio announcer for the Indians from 1973 through 1979 along withHerb Score, and their TV announcer with a variety of partners from 1980 through 1987.[5] However, prior to the1980-1981 season, new controversial Cavs' team ownerTed Stepien had a disagreement with WWWE. Consequently, the station gave the broadcasting rights back to Stepien, and Tait was released from his job as a result.[3] Yet, many Cleveland fans mistakenly believe that Tait was fired by Stepien, organizing a "Joe Tait Night" during the final home game of the season. The game had the highest attendance of any game in the prior four seasons, and during the game, fans led chants of "Let's go, Joe. Ted must go."[2]
In the interim, Tait was the radio announcer for theNew Jersey Nets for the 1981–1982 season.[6] The following year, he switched to television, calling play-by-playChicago Bulls games onSportsVision, the team's cable-TV station.[6] He also broadcast theCBS Radio College Game-of-the-Week.[7] When new ownersGordon andGeorge Gund III bought the team, Tait returned to the Cavaliers for the1983-1984 season, and remained until his retirement in 2011.[6] In 1987, he was named vice president of broadcast services, a job that he held until his retirement.[2][8]
On March 26, 2008, Tait announced his 3000th game for the Cavaliers, against theNew Orleans Hornets, where he sat at half court. The radio broadcast location atThe Q, at section C126,[9] was renamed "The Joe Tait Perch" in honor of this achievement.[10] In November 2008, Tait signed a two-year contract extension, ensuring that he would be the team's radio voice until at least the 2010–11 season. However, he had a lifetime agreement with the team to serve in some capacity.[10]
In May 2010, theBasketball Hall of Fame announced that Tait would receive the 2010 Curt Gowdy Media Award, which was presented on August 12–13, 2010.[1] On May 17, 2010,WTAM announced that he would retire from broadcasting at the end of the 2011 season. During the 2010 preseason, Tait was hospitalized withpneumonia, and further testing showed he needed heart surgery. This would cause Tait to miss most of the 2010–2011 season. Mike Snyder andJim Chones were announced as the interim radio team during Tait's recovery. On March 25, 2011, it was announced that Tait would return to call the remaining home games of the season.[11]
On April 8, 2011, in a game against the Chicago Bulls, the Cavaliers honored Tait by having Joe Tait Appreciation Night and by raising a "commemorative banner" with Tait's name, his years as a Cavaliers broadcaster and a microphone next to the other Cavalier retired numbers.[12][13][14][15] Tait's final game was the April 13, 2011, contest between the Cavaliers andWashington Wizards. The Cavaliers sent Tait out as a winner, defeating Washington 100–93.[16]
For fifteen seasons (during the basketball off-season), Tait was also a play-by-play voice for the Cleveland Indians (on the radio from 1973 to 1979, then switching to television from 1980 to 1987).[17] In 1992, he was inducted into the Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame of Ohio.[18] From 1997 to 2004, Tait also served as the radio play-by-play voice of theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA)Cleveland Rockers.[7] In 2004, Tait was selected as a founding member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame.[19] Beginning in 2008, Tait did play by play for theMount Union College Purple Raiders, a Division III college football team, on regional cable-TV sports networkSportsTime Ohio.[20] He was on the school's board of trustees. He also called high school basketball games forWEOL-AM 930.[21]
In 2011 Tait co-authored his memoir,Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball with sports writerTerry Pluto. The book covers his early years in broadcasting, his time with covering the Cleveland Indians and his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.[22] In July 2019,WEOL-AM 930 launched a weeklypodcast with Joe Tait entitledOver the Timeline that served as an overview of his career, and also included audio from Tait's extensivereel-to-reel tape collection.[23]
Tait married his first wife in 1963. They were married 18 years and had three children, Christina, Karen and Joe. In 1983, he married his second wife, Jean.[3] He and Jean resided inLafayette Township, Medina County, Ohio.[7]
Tait died in his home under hospice care March 10, 2021, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 83.[27]
A commemorative banner was unveiled in the rafters next to Carr's retired No. 34. It reads '39 seasons Joe Tait Voice of the Cavaliers.'
Tait, Joe; Pluto, Terry (2011).Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball. Gray & Co.ISBN 978-1-59851-070-6.
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