In the mid- to late 1950s, legendary sportscasters Harry Caray, Ernie Harwell and Bob Prince took to their broadcasting booths to narrate baseball games for their respective teams.

Each became a staple for kids nationwide who grew up fans of the sport. But for George Blaha — a 10-year-old boy listening to the radio in Iowa — the voices of Caray, Harwell and Prince inspired a five-decade broadcasting career.

“Listening to baseball games at night, I could just imagine the guys in the booth having a good time while broadcasting the game,” Blaha told The Detroit News. “The excitement of being there, bringing the excitement to the fans. I used to think, ‘If I could do this for the rest of my life, I’m in.’ I’ve always wanted to do this.”

With the belief of his mother (Margaret Blaha) and father (Dr. Vernon Blaha), Blaha grew from a young boy listening to baseball games in his bedroom to establishing himself as a legendary broadcaster in his own right. The 2024-25 season marked Blaha’s 49th year as the Detroit Pistons’ play-by-play announcer. Dubbed “The Voice of the Pistons,” he has called more than 3,700 regular-season games and more than 260 playoff games.

In September, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will induct Blaha as the 2025 Curt Gowdy Media Award honoree.

2025 Detroit News Michiganian of the Year George Blaha

2025 Detroit News Michiganian of the Year George Blaha at Pudges Place Deli and Cafe in Troy, Michigan on April, 30, 2025.

Blaha’s contributions to Michigan sports have gone beyond the microphone. In the late 1980s, he was part of a committee that saved Wayne State University’s football program. Blaha and his group collaborated with then-Detroit Mayor Coleman Young through several board meetings and fundraisers to address the financial issues.

About 30 years later, Blaha’s contributions have allowed Wayne State University to provide scholarships for hundreds of students throughout Detroit.

“It’s probably one of my proudest achievements,” Blaha said. “I did not do it by myself. But, our group decided the only guy who could help us was Coleman Young, and I knew who I was, so I got in touch with him, and he got back to me, and we got it done.”

Blaha’s broadcasting career began in Adrian, but his significant break came after moving to Lansing in 1971. He was a news and sports broadcaster, covering high school basketball and Michigan State football for WJIM-AM (1240). However, it was in Lansing that Blaha learned about a broadcasting job for the Pistons at WJR-AM (760) through friend Tom Campbell.

Blaha’s first game was in October 1976, when Bob Lanier’s Pistons lost 98-97 to Wes Unseld’s Washington Bullets. Blaha sat at the scorers’ table at Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit in awe of the game’s speed and the players’ stature.

Feeling nervous about his performance after the game, Blaha drove an hour in the wrong direction from his home in Lansing.

“I said to myself at the time, ‘I better buckle up my seat belt. This is a grown man’s league; I better be up to it,’” Blaha recalled.

Since his debut, Blaha has become a prominent figure in Michigan’s sports history. He is a two-time Michigan Sports Broadcaster of the Year from the National Sportscasters and Sports Writers Association (2003 and 2007). In 2008, Blaha — who still calls Michigan State football games — was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

Witnessing the Pistons’ resurgence this season in year 49 has become one of Blaha’s best memories during his illustrious career and one of the reasons he intends to return for a 50th year behind the mic.

“Fifty is in the bag; you can count on that,” Blaha said. “Count that baby and a foul. But no foul in this case.”

Coty.Davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24

George Blaha

Age: 80

Occupation: Play-by-play broadcaster

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Notre Dame; MBA, University of Michigan

Family: Wife Mary Blaha

Why honored: For being an iconic figure in Michigan sports broadcasting