El Cardquistador

A Fading Pastime: The Decline of Baseball and AM Radio

Baseball and AM radio once defined summer in America, creating a rhythm that connected people. They were nearly inseparable, with the game’s timeless sounds filling homes and gathering places. Today, though, these cherished traditions are fading, leaving behind only memories of a simpler, more connected era.

The Golden Era: Where Baseball and AM Radio Met

In the mid-20th century, baseball was deeply linked to AM radio, with powerful stations like Detroit’s WJR and Cincinnati’s WLW broadcasting games across communities. Iconic voices like Ernie Harwell brought the sounds of the game—the crack of the bat and cheers of the crowd—alive, turning radios into gateways to the ballpark. Following a team became a cherished ritual that united cities, families, and friends through their shared love of baseball.

The Corporate Takeover: Fans Reduced to Consumers

Baseball: Once celebrated for its purity, the game has transformed into a commercialized spectacle where profits often overshadow fan loyalty. Rising ticket prices, constant advertisements, and decisions driven by corporate interests have alienated fans. What was once a sport for the people now often feels inaccessible, pushing away those who once relied on it for a sense of connection.

AM Radio: Negatively impacted by corporate consolidation, local voices and community news have been replaced by syndicated programs and generic content. Listeners miss the personal touch and authenticity that once defined AM radio, as the connection with local stations has faded in favor of profit over community.

The Rise of Digital Media: A Shift in How We Experience Baseball

Baseball: Digital media has fundamentally changed how fans watch games, often leading to isolated experiences. Instead of enjoying games together at ballparks or through radio broadcasts, many now watch alone on screens. Even at stadiums, digital content often distracts from the game, turning a shared experience into one defined by fragmentation and on-demand consumption.

AM Radio: Younger generations prefer streaming services and satellite radio, leaving behind the warmth of AM radio. The serendipity of discovering a game or local news is fading as algorithms dominate what we hear. AM radio, once a familiar companion, now struggles to keep its intimate, human-centered appeal amid a sea of digital options.

The Loss of Legendary Voices

Broadcasters of the past did more than announce games—they were storytellers who brought the sport to life. Ernie Harwell wasn’t just a voice; he was a companion, a trusted guide through every inning. These voices, with their warmth and personality, created an emotional bond that went beyond the box score. But as radio declines, so too do these voices. In their place are personalities who often sound interchangeable, robbing baseball of the emotional connection that once drew fans into the game.

A Farewell to Baseball and AM Radio

The golden age of baseball and AM radio isn’t just a memory; it’s a chapter firmly closed. The simplicity, intimacy, and sense of community that once defined these pastimes have been lost to forces too powerful to reverse. It’s not a question of “if” these traditions can find their way back—they simply cannot. The era of gathering around a radio to hear about your team, told by a familiar voice that made the game feel personal, has passed. And with it goes a piece of what baseball and radio once represented: a feeling of belonging, of being part of something as natural as summer itself.

What remains is a legacy and a bittersweet reflection. I remember Ernie Harwell saying, after a Tigers loss, “We hope you enjoyed the broadcast, if not the outcome.” I did enjoy the game. But the outcome—the loss of baseball and AM radio as we once knew them—is one I wish could have ended differently.