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

• Hooters suddenly closed two Michigan locations June 4, leaving just one open in the state.
• The restaurant chain has faced financial struggles, filing for bankruptcy in March 2025.

Hooters is near the end of an era in Michigan — abrupt closures this week have left just one location open in the state.

The sports bar and grill chain closed more than 30 locations across multiple states Wednesday, June 4, including two in Michigan, USA TODAY reported. The restaurants in Flint and Taylor were among the closings. A Saginaw location is Michigan’s last one remaining restaurant.

The move comes several months after the restaurant chain filed for bankruptcy in late March 2025, though it had said no locations would close at the time.

Here’s what to know.

Which Michigan Hooters restaurants closed?

In Michigan, the Flint and Taylor Hooters closed June 4, USA TODAY reported, leaving just one Hooters location open in the state.

The restaurant chain, known for its chicken wings and servers wearing orange shorts and low-cut tank tops, began in 1983 and expanded to 29 countries before its decline, closing numerous locations in recent years.

Where else did Hooters close?

The following Hooters in other states also closed, per USA TODAY:

• Sanford, Florida
• Orlando, Florida – Kirkman Road
• Kissimmee, Florida – Osceola Parkway
• Melbourne, Florida
• Atlanta, Georgia – Downtown
• Douglasville, Georgia
• Gwinnett, Georgia
• Valdosta, Georgia
• Greenwood, Indiana
• Rockford, Illinois
• Newport, Kentucky
• St. Louis, Missouri – Downtown
• Charlotte, North Carolina – South Boulevard
• Columbia, South Carolina
• Rock Hill, South Carolina
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
• Memphis, Tennessee – Downtown
• Nashville, Tennessee – Harding Place
• Grapevine, Texas
• Houston, Texas
• San Marcos, Texas

Why did the locations close?

Hooters said in a statement to USA TODAY that the closed stores were company owned and called the closures a “difficult decision.”

“Hooters will be well-positioned to continue our iconic legacy under a pure franchise business model,” the company said. “We are committed to supporting our impacted team members throughout this process and are incredibly grateful to our valued customers for their loyalty and dedication to the Hooters brand.”

The company did not respond to a followup inquiry on a list of closed locations or when employees were notified of the closures.

How many restaurants did Hooters have?

There were 305 Hooters locations, including 151 owned and operated by the company itself and a separate 154 operated by franchisees. The company has been closing locations suddenly since at least 2024.

What’s happening at Hooters?

The company filed for bankruptcy in late March 2025 amid financial challenges. The Atlanta-based restaurant chain was then $376 million in debt and looking to sell 151 of its corporate-owned restaurants to a buyer group comprised of two existing Hooters franchises.

At the time, no locations were expected to close and Hooters said it would “continue providing customers with the guest-obsessed hospitality experience and delicious food they have come to expect over the past 40 years.”

Are any Michigan Hooters still open?

The closures leave one Hooters open in Michigan, at 5538 Bay Road in Saginaw.

USA TODAY contributed.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.

BROOKLYN, MI – Up-and-coming country music artist Nate Smith has canceled all of his shows for June, including his prerace concert scheduled for Michigan International Speedway.

Smith was supposed to lead a concert at MIS on Sunday, June 8, prior to the FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR race. The show was part of the Busch Light Summer Music Series.

Smith’s doctors put him on “strict vocal rest” through the end of June.

“We’ve all come to the decision that the best way to get my voice fully back is to rest it for the first time in almost five years,” Smith wrote in a Facebook post. “This is the part that is so hard for me, because I have multiple bucket list shows coming up this month (including CMA Fest) and it breaks my heart knowing I won’t be there to see all of you.”

MIS officials couldn’t be reached Wednesday afternoon to say whether there will be a different performer for the show, prior to Sunday’s race.

The concert was supposed to last for an hour on the grass field near the start/finish line. Fans didn’t need to purchase a separate ticket – anybody with Sunday tickets could watch the show.

Smith is a multi-platinum, award-winning country music artist. In 2024, he was named Billboard’s Rookie of the Year and Amazon’s Breakthrough Country Artist.

His most famous songs include “Whiskey on You,” “World on Fire,” “Wildfire” and “Bulletproof.”

Smith is scheduled to tour this summer on Jason Aldean’s Full Throttle Tour.

No Faster Horses

Smith isn’t the only country music cancellation at MIS in 2025. The annual Faster Horses music festival was canceled for this summer. Organizers said they were “taking the year to make plans for a bigger and better Faster Horses.”

Track officials hope to have Faster Horses return in 2026.

Campground owner plans her own ‘mellower’ festival after Faster Horses cancellation

“Obviously we would rather have the event if we could. But it’s a pause year,” MIS President Joe Fowler said. “We have so many things that happen throughout the year here, especially in the summer, event-wise, that we’re going to keep a pretty busy schedule.

“I have no reason to believe that Faster Horses won’t be back next year.”