Minors radio legend exits the booth in Birmingham
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Birmingham is known as The Magic City, and for 32 years it was Curt Bloom’s job to cast a spell over the airwaves. Bloom, the longest-tenured broadcaster in Birmingham Barons history, announced at the end of last month that it “was time to get off the bus and let someone else take their turn” as the voice of one of Minor League Baseball’s most storied franchises. He's not retiring -- not by a long shot -- but his departure from the Barons marks the end of an era.
I spoke with Bloom in his broadcast booth at Birmingham’s Regions Field in 2023, during what turned out to be his penultimate campaign. The quotes contained in this article, lightly edited for clarity, are from that conversation (previously featured in an episode of “The Show Before the Show” podcast).
"I was blessed growing up in New York, in Westchester County," said Bloom. "I was nine years old and I wanted to be the Yankees center fielder. The next best thing would be, 'I want to be the Yankees broadcaster.' I would go to bed at night with a transistor radio, listen to Phil Rizzuto and Bill White and Frank Messer. I just knew athletically it was never going to happen for me, and I carved out a path. It’s a very big blessing to know when you’re nine years old what you want to do, and it was just carving that out and continuing to do it."
Following stints with the Bakersfield Blaze, Prince William Cannons and Huntsville Stars, Bloom was hired by the Barons in advance of the 1992 season. The Southern League stalwart was then, and remains now, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
"I’ve always answered it this way: 'The job seeks you,'" he said. "It was just that the Birmingham Barons had an opening, and I had some sales experience, and the brand-new general manager at the time, Bill Hardekopf, wanted someone who could sell. … It could have been the Tulsa club. It could have been Frisco, it could have been Rochester. I didn’t go, 'That’s where I want to go.' They were the ones that said, 'OK, everything you’re presenting to us is good enough. We’d like to offer you the job.'"
It may have been a circumstantial and somewhat arbitrary decision, but Birmingham proved to be the right choice. Over the course of his Barons tenure, Bloom called the action for four championship-winning teams, including the improbable 2024 squad. He was behind the mic for every iteration of the Rickwood Classic, the annual Rickwood Field throwback game that set the stage for 2024’s Willie Mays-focused MLB game between the Cardinals and Giants. The Barons played at suburban Hoover Met Stadium for the first two decades of his career, with Regions Field opening in downtown Birmingham in 2013.
Bloom was inducted into the Barons Hall of Fame that same year, joining the likes of Mays, Satchell Paige and many other luminaries. Five years later he received enshrinement in the Southern League Hall of Fame as well.
And, of course, Bloom was the voice of the Barons for the unforgettable 1994 season, in which a longshot prospect by the name of Michael Jordan patrolled Birmingham’s outfield. The NBA superstar’s presence on the roster, under the guidance of rookie skipper Terry Francona, drew massive attention and Bloom was at the center of it all. Maybe that’s why he ended up in Birmingham.
"I rubbed a crystal ball, said 'I bet one day we’re gonna get Michael Jordan,'" he remarked facetiously. "I didn’t win a contest. It wasn’t like, 'Alright, send your tape in and you can be the announcer for Jordan.' I just happened to be here. … I’ll never forget those first couple weeks, never ever believing he’d get to the finish line, doubting him like everybody else did. That’s a great thing that I learned: The more you doubt, the more he tries to prove you wrong.
"The bottom line for any broadcaster, any year, any day, is build trust," he concluded. "I built trust with [Jordan] and he built trust with me."
Whether it’s Michael Jordan, an unheralded late-round Draft pick or anyone in between, Bloom said that building relationships was the most memorable and worthwhile aspect of his job.
"That’s what I’m really proud of, that I can walk into a lot of places. 'Hey CB, how you doing?'" he said. "[In 2022] when I did that Chicago [White Sox] game, a good part of that locker room was like, 'Hey, man, you got here!'"
Indeed, Bloom received a call to The Show in July of 2022, filling in for White Sox broadcaster Darrin Jackson. That was a career highlight, to be sure, but Bloom doesn’t look at it as a culmination. In announcing the end of his run with the Barons, he wrote, "I am not sure of my next step yet."
In the meantime, he’ll remain a familiar presence in the Birmingham sports scene, calling University of Auburn basketball and Vestavia Hills football.
As for what has brought him this far, and what compels him to continue, Bloom had a simple answer.
"One word: passion," he said. "I’ve got a lot of energy. I’m ready to go. … To be a broadcaster and to do all these other things, you’ve got to start with passion. And I’ve been blessed that the greatest feedback I get is when someone says, 'Man, you really sounded like you had a lot of fun.'"
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Spring Breakout: Renegades place 17 alumni on Spring Breakout Rosters
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (March 6, 2025) – Rosters for the 2025 Spring Breakout games were announced by Major League Baseball this morning, and 17 former Hudson Valley Renegades players were named to Spring Breakout Rosters, including placing 14 alumni the New York Yankees Spring Breakout Roster. The Yankees prospect team
Hitting The Books: Renegades launch 'Rascal's Reading Challenge'
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (March 7, 2025) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are thrilled to announce during Read Across America Week the establishment of “Rascal’s Reading Challenge,” a new educational program aimed at encouraging students throughout the Hudson Valley to pick up a
Party On: Renegades Fest Returns to Heritage Financial Park on Saturday, March 29
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (March 4, 2025) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are thrilled to announce the return of Renegades Fest to Heritage Financial Park on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. This year’s event will be bigger than ever
Shining A Light: Mike Hill, Tyree Hayes and Greg Jones made their mark on the field and off
As part of MLB's The Nine initiative designed to honor and celebrating the historic impact of Black ballplayers, the Hudson Valley Renegades are taking a look back at three notable contributors from throughout the team's 30-year history. The three chosen players come from the first three decades of Renegades baseball,
Break A Leg!: Renegades announce 2025 theme nights and promo schedule featuring original musical
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Feb. 24, 2025) –The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, will make history in 2025 as they become the first team in baseball to stage an original musical which will be performed in between innings. The still to be named Renegades Musical
Fields Of Dreams: Youth Field Betterment Program Applications Now Open
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Feb. 7, 2025) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have announced today that applications for the Youth Field Betterment Program presented by Heritage Financial Credit Union are now open. Applications will be accepted by the Renegades from Feb. 1 through
Making Fetch Happen: Renegades announce all-new Retrievers alternate identity
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Feb. 3, 2025) – In honor of National Golden Retriever Day being celebrated today, the Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are excited to announce an all-new alternate identity for the team to begin play in the 2025 season, the Hudson Valley
Super Cooper: Yankees name James Cooper manager of the Renegades
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Jan. 24, 2025) – The New York Yankees announced their minor league field and support staffs for the 2025 season on Friday. James Cooper will take over as the manager of the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Yankees’ High-A affiliate. Cooper becomes the 20th manager in team history,
Welcome!: Renegades announce Tom Denlinger as new General Manager
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Jan. 17, 2025) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, and their ownership group, Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), the club’s owner and operator, announced today that Tom Denlinger will become the eighth General Manager of the Renegades. Denlinger joins the Renegades
Ball Foxes: Heritage Financial Park to host several Marist University baseball games in 2025
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Jan. 10, 2025) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, and Marist University Athletics are proud to announce today an agreement for Heritage Financial Park to host eight games during the upcoming NCAA Division I baseball season. The first contest to
Top Of The Heap: Former Renegade Stephen Vogt named 2024 AL Manager of the Year
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Nov. 21, 2024) -- Former Hudson Valley Renegades player Stephen Vogt has been announced as the 2024 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In his first season as a Major League Manager, Vogt led the Cleveland Guardians to a 92-69
How 'Bout Them Apples?: Renegades announce Big Apples alternate identity
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Nov. 15, 2024) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce the Hudson Valley Big Apples, an all-new alternate identity for the team to begin in the 2025 season. The Big Apples is an identity centered on celebrating
Gades Greatness: Counting down top 12 moments of 2024, #3-1
For the final piece of the year, we have finally hit the final three moments in our countdown of the top 12 moments of the 2024 Hudson Valley Renegades season. We've already seen record-breaking performances, unbelievable catches, memorable finishes, and dominant stretches. Without further ado, let's get into the top
Gades Greatness: Counting down top 12 moments of 2024, #6-4
As we have hit the final month of the 2024 calendar, the time has come for our annual review of the Top 12 moments from the previous Hudson Valley Renegades season. We have already gone through half of the top 12 list, which means we start to hit the home
Renegades hosting Seasonal Staff Job Fair at Heritage Financial Park on February 15
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Feb. 6, 2025) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, and Professional Sports Catering (PSC) have announced that they will be holding a seasonal job fair at Heritage Financial Park on Saturday, February 15 in anticipation of the 2025 season and
Gades Greatness: Counting down top 12 moments of 2024, #9-7
As we have hit the final month of the 2024 calendar, the time has come for our annual review of the Top 12 moments from the previous Hudson Valley Renegades season. The 2024 season was one of the most-memorable seasons in the 30 years of Renegades baseball, so much so
Gades Greatness: Counting down top 12 moments of 2024, #12-10
As we have hit the final month of the 2024 calendar, the time has come for our annual review of the Top 12 moments from the previous Hudson Valley Renegades season. The 2024 season was one of the most-memorable seasons in the 30 years of Renegades baseball, so much so
All Set: Renegades announce 2025 game times and fireworks shows
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Nov. 7, 2024) – The Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have announced their game start times and fireworks show dates for the 2025 South Atlantic League season today. Following the success of earlier, fan-friendly start times in 2024, the Renegades are
Fall Stars: Martin, Durbin leave their mark on Arizona Fall League
Throughout the fall, former Renegades players have continued playing baseball in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, with Garrett Martin, Antonio Gomez, Jackson Fristoe, Harrison Cohen, Ben Cowles and Caleb Durbin making their names known among some of the top prospects in the sport. The team they played for, the Salt
Solid As A Roc: Riggio ignited crowds in Hudson Valley
Dirtbag. If you were to have 2024 Renegades infielder Roc Riggio describe himself in a word, that would be his choice. Outside of baseball, that might not sound like a compliment, but in baseball it is the ultimate compliment for a player like Riggio. It means you play hard, are
Fast Carr: Kyle Carr navigated ups and downs in first pro season
A version of this article originally ran in the August edition of Renegades Magazine, which can be read in its entirety here. It has been an up-and-down first professional season for Kyle Carr. The Yankees third-round pick in 2023 struggled early in the season to find the form he displayed
Renegades Magazine: Q&A with RHP Trent Sellers
A version of this article originally ran in the August edition of Renegades Magazine, which can be read in its entirety here. This version includes some extra questions not in the original piece. One of the biggest breakout players in the Yankees minor leagues this year was Trent Sellers. In
Reyz of Hope: Eric Reyzelman forged breakout campaign in 2024
A version of this story appeared in the July issue of Renegades Magazine, which can be read here. It has been updated to reflect the end of the season. The baseball journey of Eric Reyzelman has been far from easy. From Tommy John surgery as a teenager to missing nearly
Making Magic: 2024 Renegades season one for the history books
The 2024 Hudson Valley Renegades 30th anniversary season will go down as one of the greatest in the team’s history with record-setting performances, eye-popping plays and a visit from 12 athletes from across the globe. While it would be impossible to capture everything from this past season at once, let’s
Heading West: Flores, Martin highlight Renegades alumni to participate in Arizona Fall League
Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (Sept. 25, 2024) – The New York Yankees and the Arizona Fall League today announced that six former Hudson Valley Renegades players and one coach have been selected to participate in the 2024 Arizona Fall League. The six players include RHP Harrison Cohen (2023-24) INF Ben Cowles