It was in October 1969 when Harry Caray was fired as the Cardinals' lead broadcaster, one of the most controversial — if not the most controversial — moves in St. Louis sportscasting history. The dismissal of the immensely popular broadcaster who didn't hesitate to speak his mind, after 25 years on the air, never was fully explained. But it was well documented that he had a falling out with Gussie Busch, head of the Anheuser-Busch brewery that owned the team.
Now, more than half a century later, another Harry Caray is set to carry the load in one of the team's broadcast booths. It was announced Monday afternoon that the team's telecaster, Bally Sports Midwest, has finalized an agreement to hire Harry "Chip" Caray III — grandson of the broadcasting icon and son of well-known baseball announcer Harry "Skip" Caray Jr. — as its Cardinals play-by-play announcer. The deal has been in the works for more than a week.
He replaces Dan McLaughlin, who left by "mutual decision" last month following his third drunken-driving arrest in a little more than 12 years.
