HOUSTON – Bill Brown, the longtime Houston Astros television broadcaster, announced that this will be his final season.
Brown, who joined the Astros in 1987, is scheduled to call his final Astros' regular season home game Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners.
He was officially hired by the Astros on Feb. 6, 1987. The first regular season game he called in his Astros career came on April 6, 1987, a 4-3 win over the Dodgers in the Astrodome.
"This is one of the best play-by-play jobs in the country," Brown said. "Astros fans, the Astros organization and the community of Houston has been great to us. We never dreamed when I took this job that we'd be here this long. I look forward to watching the Root Sports team in 2017 and will be attending many games as a lifelong Astros fan."
"Bill Brown's unwavering commitment and passion for the Houston Astros has inspired fans for many years," Astros owner Jim Crane said. "On behalf of everyone in the Astros organization, I want to personally thank Bill for his great work, his genuine love for this team, and his commitment to exceptional work. Bill Brown has had a Hall of Fame caliber broadcasting career – and we are fortunate it has been with the Houston Astros."
"Congratulations to Bill and his family as they start a new chapter following this 30-year run," Ryan said. "We look forward to having Bill remain a part of our Astros family as he will continue to participate in our ongoing community efforts."
Thank you to longtime #Astros broadcaster @BrownieTw, who has announced his retirement. His final scheduled game is on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/4Wb0pco7zr
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 22, 2016