After more than 2,700 games behind the mike, Tim DeBacco has memories to fill 2 stadiums

Tim DeBacco remembers how it all started.

In 1988, there was an opening at Three Rivers Stadium for a public address announcer at Pittsburgh Pirates games. The team had made the unpopular decision to replace beloved PA legend Art McKennan, who had done the job since 1948 at Forbes Field and Three Rivers.

A self-described “diehard Pirates fan,” DeBacco showed up for an audition a few weeks before Opening Day in an empty Three Rivers Stadium.

Competing with about a dozen others, he was handed a 30-second script. He read the lineups and a couple of promos and added a personal touch to what he was reading.

He got the job, launching a storied announcing career.

Fast forward a few weeks to the home opener, and he remembers many of the details of that game, his first.

“The first player I introduced was Juan Samuel (second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies),” he said. “I remember Barry Bonds was in the leadoff spot for the Pirates.”

The Pirates won 5-1 before a night-time crowd of 54,089. Most importantly, DeBacco also remembers this: “I was scared to death as a 23-year-old big-league PA announcer.”

He soon overcame that fear before going on to serve as the announcer for 2,700 games at Three Rivers and PNC Park, according to his estimate.

He decided to reduce his workload this season — his last — and has only worked weekday afternoon games.

And no one could blame him.

He holds a 9-to-5 job as director of marketing and communication for three audio-related businesses in the North Hills. Plus, he’s the organist at Pittsburgh Penguins games at PPG Paints Arena.

“I felt, at 57, that’s enough work,” he said. “My thinking was and is, I don’t think I need three jobs anymore.”

He admits hearing someone else’s voice echoing around PNC Park was strange at first, but he’s become accustomed to the new lifestyle that includes being off on weekends and nights for the first time in 3½ decades.

“During the pandemic, I rediscovered the joy of sitting on my back deck with my wife, Susie, and watching nature and listening to music,” he said. “Now, I have not only enjoyed time for fun, family activities with my wife, we’ve done some traveling. I’ve been able to enjoy my hobbies and my favorite pastimes, and that’s included going to PNC Park to enjoy the game as a fan. That’s been such a thrill for me to do that.

“So, it became fine to hear another voice.”

Among his best memories was working side-by-side with McKennan, who was brought back because of protestations from fans and the media to do Sunday games until 1993.

“Those were very special times,” DeBacco said.

He said McKennan taught him the 3 Cs of announcing — to be clear, concise and correct.

“Out of those three Cs, I always put a lot of pressure on myself to be correct,” he said. “That’s probably my biggest challenge. As a PA announcer, you’re not supposed to make a mistake. We’re all human. We all make mistakes.

“But that voice that comes from wherever when you’re a fan, you expect it to always be right. You expect that voice not to stumble. You expect that voice to be pronouncing the names correctly. You expect that voice to give you the changes correctly before the inning starts.”

For years, DeBacco worked in the booth next to organist Vince Lascheid, who — as the old joke says — is the only man to play for the Pirates and Penguins.

“I was very blessed in that I called Vince my dear friend,” DeBacco said. “He played the piano at my wedding. He gave me piano lessons. The Pirates allowed me to fill in for him on the organ when he couldn’t do a game, both at Three Rivers and PNC Park.”

Among DeBacco’s favorite memories is the 2013 wild-card playoff game against the Cincinnati Reds. He said the game had “an energy and a decibel level that I had not heard anytime before or since.”

“All the playoff games are so much fun to do because of all the pomp and circumstance. As were the two All-Star Games (1994 and 2006). Doing the All-Star introductions live over NBC in 1994 was a real thrill.”

Among other memories:

• He recalls the “bittersweet” opening of PNC Park in 2001 on the day his boyhood idol, Willie Stargell, died.

• Then, there was the 10-inning no-hitter thrown by Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon in 1997.

• And Paul Wagner’s 1995 no-hit bid that was broken up in the ninth inning by the Colorado Rockies’ Andres Galarraga on a two-out, infield single on a 3-2 count. “Electrifying,” DeBacco said.

“When you do that many games, you’re bound to witness some great moments,” he said.

When it was suggested DeBacco should write a book, his thoughts turned to those people whose ears were tuned to his words.

“I’ve had so many people to thank in my 35 years,” he said. “Maybe, mostly, I have the Pirates fans to thank. They accepted me as their announcer 35 years ago and allowed me to sit alongside them and be their ball park voice for all these years.

“I’m grateful to them for that. It’s been such a thrill and an honor.”