Bill Walton partnered with Jason Benetti to call Friday night’s Chicago White Sox-Los Angeles Angels game on White Sox TV, and he did not disappoint.
Walton called a Mike Trout home run in the fifth inning of the game, saying Trout had sent the ball “ricocheting through the universe.”
Bill Walton did not disappoint calling @MikeTrout's homer.pic.twitter.com/w1a7T7aysr
— MLB (@MLB) August 17, 2019
That was classic Walton.
What was he doing calling a baseball game? The White Sox’s typical TV analyst is Steve Stone, but he is taking a few days off while the team is in Anaheim. The White Sox came up with an idea to have a random group of analysts work with Benetti for the games.
From the Chicago Tribune’s story on the matter:
Benetti said Sox marketing chief Brooks Boyer came up with the idea of nontraditional celebrity analysts to work the four-game series while Stone takes a breather. Boyer asked Benetti about having a “random grab bag of analysts” — and Benetti was all for it.
On Thursday, Benetti will handle the broadcast with special guest appearances. Michael Schur, a TV writer and producer whose resume includes “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” will do Saturday’s game. Mike O’Brien, a Chicago actor and writer who has appeared on “Saturday Night Live” and created the NBC comedy “A.P. Bio,” will join Benetti for Sunday’s game.
Here are a few other calls from Walton:
Bill on bunts: "BRILLIANT" pic.twitter.com/ISYVSLQ8Iq
— Cut4 (@Cut4) August 17, 2019
And some of his other best lines from the game:
Some Walton quotes tonight
"4 balls and you get to first?"
"they call them runs not points? oh, ok… but what if you get walked? "
"I'm much better at getting high than getting low"
"Here in Orange County. Naranja!"
"theres 2 guys on base. is this the pitchers fault?"
— Raul (@_Bones) August 17, 2019
Walton and Benetti are actual familiar with each other. The two worked together calling college basketball games for ESPN in the past. This is a pairing fans probably can’t get enough of.
