The “Voice of Fenway Park” passed away Wednesday, Red Sox nation mourns
Carl Beane, the beloved “voice of Fenway Park” passed away Wednesday at the age of 59, having suffered a heart-attack just before losing control of his car and crashing.
The public address announcer for Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox served the Red Sox faithful since 2003, his passionate baritone voice welcomed fans and players alike through two World Series titles and the team’s first championship in 86 years in 2004.
Carl Beane was driving his 2004 Suzuki SUV through Sturbridge, Mass. when he suffered a heart attack, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle and collide with a tree and a stone wall before the vehicle came to a rest, according to a Red Sox statement. There were no other passengers in the car with Beane and no other vehicles were involved in the accident. Carl Beane was transported to Harrington Hospital in Southbridge where he was pronounced dead shortly after the crash.
Carl Beane began his broadcasting career in 1972 at WMAS radio station in Springfield, Mass. He revered the culture of Fenway Park, remarking in a 2003 interview with the Boston Globe, “This is not one of those ballparks where you need fireworks and an announcer screaming at fans to get them involved. This is a special place. My job is to welcome them and get out of the way. Don’t do shtick. This is a baseball shrine, and it has to be treated as such.”
Red Sox President and CEO Jerry Lucchino praised Beane for his contributions to the culture that is red Sox baseball, stating, “(Carl) adored the opportunity . . . to contribute to the culture of Fenway Park, a place he loved passionately.” Lucchino continued, “No one loved his role with the Red Sox more than Carl did his. All of Red Sox nation will remember his presence, his warmth, and his voice.”
The Red Sox will pay tribute to Carl Beane at Fenway Park today, Thursday, before their game with the Cleveland Indians.
