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James Randolph Dudley (September 27, 1909 – February 12, 1999) was an Americansportscaster, best known as the radioplay-by-play voice ofMajor League Baseball'sCleveland Indians for nearly two decades.
A native ofAlexandria, Virginia, Dudley majored inchemistry at theUniversity of Virginia. He turned to broadcasting in the late 1930s, starting out at aCharlottesville radio station. He moved up to callingPittsburgh Pirates games in1937 andChicago Cubs andChicago White Sox games from1938–1941 before serving as apilot in the U.S.Army Air Forces during World War II.
Dudley was the Indians' lead radio announcer from1948 until his dismissal by the club in January1968. In1969, Dudley broadcast for the expansionSeattle Pilots; when the club moved toMilwaukee and became the Brewers the following year, he did not join them. Dudley broadcast for a number ofminor league teams in the 1970s before retiring. As an announcer, Dudley was known for his friendly, homespun style and his signaturecatchphrases: "Hello, baseball fans everywhere" (to start a broadcast), "The string is out" (describing a full count on a hitter), "A swing and a miss, he struck him out," "That ball is going...going...gone!" (to describe a home run), "Mighty close, mistah ump!" (describing an umpire call that he found questionable) and "So long and lots of good luck, you hear?" (signing off at the game's end – "you hear" sounded more like "ya he-ah?" in Dudley's vocal inflection).
Dudley was also a popular advertising pitchman in Cleveland, remembered primarily for his radio and television commercials for the Aluminum Siding Corporation (Garfield 1–2323) and Kahn's Hot Dogs – "the wien-ah the world awaited," in Dudley's unique parlance.
Dudley called the1954 World Series andAll-Star Game for theMutual network, and1961's first All-Star Game forNBC Radio.
In addition to baseball, Dudley also broadcastfootball at various times for theOhio State University, theUniversity of Washington, and theNFL'sCleveland Browns,Detroit Lions andBaltimore Colts.
Dudley was presented with theFord C. Frick Award from theBaseball Hall of Fame in1997. He died at age 89 inTucson, Arizona.
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