Blue Wahoos Owner Quint Studer announced that the team has signed 95-year-old John Appleyard to a five-year, no-cut contract as color announcer for the Sunday Blue Wahoos broadcasts.
“Mr. Appleyard is an incredible storyteller who has great knowledge of Pensacola baseball history,” said Studer. “He will be a great addition to our award-winning broadcast team.â€
Appleyard will join Tommy Thrall in the middle innings of every Sunday home game.
“Mr. Appleyard joined us in the booth for a game a few weeks ago and we had great feedback from our listeners,†said broadcast play-by-play announcer Tommy Thrall. “He adds so many great stories to the broadcast that I have to remind myself to keep focused on the action on the field. Quint and I discussed adding him to our team and are thrilled to have him at Sunday games.â€
New Wahoos owner Derrick Brooks commented, “I worked for Mr. Appleyard during the summer of my senior year at FSU. I looked forward to my time with him listening to stories about Pensacola. He is a great storyteller who knows the history of our hometown.â€
The Wahoos radio broadcasts can be heard on 97.1 The Ticket and Sunday games are simulcast on Blab TV.
“I’m honored to be asked to join the broadcast team. Quint is known for his visionary thinking, and if I fulfill the 5-year contract, I will be 100 years old and broadcasting Wahoos games in their second decade of play. When you negotiate a contract at age 95, your biggest concern is parking and I’ve been assured I will have a good parking spot,†said new Wahoos staffer John Appleyard.
Appleyard begins his work Sunday, June 3, when the Wahoos play the Biloxi Shuckers at 5:05 p.m. The team is checking with major league baseball to see if Appleyard will be making history with his new contract and not just telling stories about our past.