For many of us who grew up at Crosley Field and for many who visited Riverfront Stadium, the voice of Reds baseball, at the ballpark, was Paul Sommerkamp. In 1951, Mr. Sommerkamp took over the public address announcer position at Crosley Field. For the next nineteen years he was the voice of Crosley Field. For the next nineteen years, through rain, cold, an occasional snow, and even illness, Paul Sommerkamp did the announcing from his seat next to the visitor's dugout without ever missing a single game.     In 1970, when the Reds moved to Riverfront Stadium, Paul Sommerkamp went with them and continued as the public address announcer until 1985. For thirty-four years there was no other voice better known at the ballpark than that of Paul Sommerkamp.    Think back to those days, if you ever attended a Reds home game between 1951 and 1985, and you will hear Mr. Sommerkamp as clearly as if it were yesterday: "Batting fourth, Ted Kluszewski....... Kluszewski".

Paul Sommerkamp developed the method of repeating the player's last name, after a momentary pause. I am told it was to give fans time to write the players names onto their scorecards. Whatever the reason, and that is a viable one, it was distinctly Paul Sommerkamp. Other public address announcers throughout baseball have copied his method over the years.

Photo:   Courtesy of Tim Jeffries

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