Phillies: 5 Unexpected-but-deserving Wall of Fame candidates

2. Phillies public address announcer Dan Baker

Public address announcers are also not on the Phillies’ criteria for Wall of Fame eligibility. But, for someone who will celebrate their 50th season behind the microphone in 2022, there is no doubt that Dan Baker should be honored.

This season would have been Baker’s 50th, however he addressed some health concerns during the shortened, fan-less 2020 season. In 1972, the area native secured a job with the Phillies as their public address announcer and has held the role ever since.

In a fall 2015 interview, Baker told me that he just loves his job so much, since it is fun — adding that when he was hired, he knew he found a home.

Baker takes pride in being the longest-tenured public address announcer in Major League Baseball, a distinction he has held since Bob Sheppard, formerly of the New York Yankees, retired after the 2007 season.

Only two other public address announcers in the majors have announced a team’s games for 50 years or more, according to Baker— Sheppard (1951-2007, 57 years) and Pat Pieper of the Chicago Cubs (1916-1974, 59 years).

Not planning to go anywhere anytime soon, Baker hopes to still fulfill public address announcer duties come the 2026 season, when Citizens Bank Park will host its first-ever All-Star Game. That year would be Baker’s 54th behind the microphone, meaning he would need just three more seasons after that to tie Sheppard, and five more to tie Pieper.

Undoubtedly, Baker has been a key member of the Phillies family for so long. Ask any fan who has ever been to a game, and they will say one of their favorite parts is hearing the icon announce the starting lineups, as well as individual players as they walk up to the plate.

Baker needs to be on the Wall of Fame.