Russ Langer Named Nevada Sportscaster of the Year
LAS VEGAS: The Las Vegas 51s professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the 2015 National League Champion New York Mets, announced today the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) has named play-by-play broadcaster Russ Langer the 2015 Nevada Sportscaster of the Year. It marks the 10th overall time (in the last 13 years) that he has received this award in the state of Nevada (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015). Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal was named the 2015 Nevada Sportswriter of the Year, for the fifth time.
It also marks the fourth Las Vegas Stars/51s broadcaster to win the award. Langer joins the late Bob Blum, Ken Korach (Oakland A's) and Tim Neverett (Boston Red Sox) as past recipients.
The award also marks the 11th time overall in his career that he has been honored. He won the same honor in 1999 in the state of New Mexico, as the play-by-play voice of the PCL's Albuquerque Dukes. The awards are determined by a poll of state sportswriters and sportscasters.
"My most sincere thanks to the members of the NSSA," Russ Langer said. "For this award, I dedicate to my parents. Without their limitless support and encouragement, this award wouldn't have been possible."
The 57th Annual NSSA Awards Weekend will be held June 18-20 in Salisbury, North Carolina, where the organization's Hall of Fame is located. This year's national winners include NBC's Mike 'Doc' Emrick (Sportscaster) and Senior Writer for Sports Illustrated and SI.com. Tom Verducci (Sportswriter). Emrick and Verducci join 104 State Sportscaster and Sportswriter of the Year Awards from throughout the United States.
Chris Berman (ESPN), Billy Packer (NBC, CBS), Gary Smith (Sports Illustrated) and the late David Halberstam (sportswriter & author) have been elected to the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's Hall of Fame, according to NSSA Executive Director Dave Goren.
Langer enters his 29th year in the business and the 2016 season will mark his 17th season calling the play-by-play for the 51s. The 144-game season will once again be broadcast on Sports 920 (AM) The Game and live audio available on the 51s website (www.LV51.com).
In 2015, Langer also completed his fourth season as the radio "play-by-play voice" for the UNLV Football team on the UNLV/IMG Sports Network.
Langer's Major League Baseball broadcasting experience includes 30 games for the Montreal Expos during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and nine Baltimore Orioles games in 2006. He has also broadcast selected Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training games from Florida. In 2009 & 2010, Langer broadcast selected Spring Training games for the Toronto Blue Jays from Dunedin, Fla. and the Chicago White Sox (2012-15).
The veteran broadcaster reached the PCL in 1992 with the Phoenix Firebirds. He enjoyed a four-year stint with Albuquerque before moving to Las Vegas. Over his career, he has received numerous awards including: Minor League Broadcaster of the Year by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues in 1993; broadcast the 1995 Triple-A All-Star Game; Minor League Broadcaster of the Year by Minor League News.com in 2002.
The 51s will open their 34th season in the Silver State on Thursday, April 7 against the defending PCL & Triple-A Champions, Fresno Grizzlies, Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, at Cashman Field at 7:05 p.m.
2016 season tickets and mini-plan packages (11, 22, 36-game plans) are available by calling the 51s office at (702) 798-7825. Individual game tickets for the 72-game home schedule will go on sale in March.
Official licensed 51s team merchandise is available on the "Team Shop" section of the website.