![]() “We are thrilled to be adding such a dynamic personality in Stephen,” Dodgers chief marketing officer Lon Rosen said in the club’s release announcing Nelson’s hire, “and think he will fit in seamlessly with our incredibly talented broadcast team.” It’s a responsibility that comes with a dream fulfilled. That’s something that I do not approach lightly at all. “To be in a position where I can help further pave the way for the next wave of AAPI broadcasters or minority broadcasters - because if you look around the sport, and sports in general, it’s pretty embarrassing, to be frank. “It means everything to me,” Nelson said. “You’ve opened that door,” Sims told Nelson. ![]() (Sims and Nelson spoke to The Athletic in 2020 about the lack of diversity in baseball broadcasts.) Nelson cited a conversation he had with Mariners play-by-play man Dave Sims, one of the few Black broadcasters in baseball. “That sits heavy on me,” Nelson said, mentioning the names of local Asian American broadcasters Rob Fukuzaki, Frank Buckley and David Ono. Now, he embraces his role in diversifying the broadcast booth. Every single night you could listen and watch broadcasting greatness … even though they weren’t teaching a class directly, I still went to their school.” ![]() ![]() “If you grew up a fan of sports in Southern California, you had Vin Scully, you had Jaime (Jarrín), had Chick Hearn or you’re listening to Ralph Lawler on the Clippers. “It’s a different challenge than I’ve ever had,” Nelson said. Calling games as the team’s play-by-play voice remained his hope, particularly as the Chapman University graduate spoke to teams about roles in recent years. The network named Nelson as its co-host for “Intentional Talk” - perhaps its most notable original programming - last March after hosting various shows across MLB and NHL Network. It’s the first full-time play-by-play role for Nelson, who called games for Apple TV+’s national baseball package last season along with his MLB Network duties. Nelson said details of his schedule haven’t been finalized and said they will ultimately depend on Davis’ schedule. The 33-year-old will take on play-by-play duties for games when lead play-by-play man Joe Davis is called away due to his increasing national workload as FOX’s lead baseball broadcaster and as a regular on FOX’s NFL programming. Jfor Japanese Community Night-“Passing the legacy of baseball to the youth of today.” 25 years later, I was back home in LA on the same field sharing baseball with my son. I have a plaque from the first time I was on the field at Dodger Stadium. “Understanding the weight and responsibility that comes with being on the Dodgers broadcast was just yet too special to walk away from or pass up,” Nelson told The Athletic. Nelson, according to the Dodgers, will call at least 50 Dodgers games on SportsNet LA next season, becoming the only Asian American play-by-play announcer working for a Major League Baseball team. Now, that moment comes with extra significance. On hand for All-Star duties in 2022 as part of his work for MLB Network, including co-hosting the popular show “Intentional Talk,” he stepped back out onto the field he once dreamed of playing on. And for Nelson, a Japanese American, his return visit to the field resonated. Nelson was a White Sox fan who grew up in Southern California, so Dodger Stadium became his home on plenty of summer nights.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |