Sad news to pass along this morning, as the Braves have announced that longtime broadcaster Pete Van Wieren has passed away following a long battle with cancer. He was 69 years old.
Nicknamed “The Professor,” Van Wieren called Braves games on television and radio for 33 seasons from 1976-2008. He became well-known nationally as a part of the TBS booth alongside the likes of Skip Caray, Ernie Johnson Sr., Don Sutton, and Joe Simpson. During his time with Turner Sports, he also broadcasted NBA, NHL, and Big Ten Conference football games.
Van Wieren was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2004 along with Caray. After his retirement in 2008, he released a book entitled “Of Mikes and Men: A Lifetime of Braves Baseball,” which was co-written with Jack Wilkinson. The picture to the right is from a pre-game ceremony for Hank Aaron at the Braves home opener this past April.
Our thoughts are with Van Wieren’s family, friends, and colleagues.
Sad day in Braves Country as Pete Van Wieren has passed. Grew up watchin him every night. We will miss you buddy!
— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) August 2, 2014
So sad to hear of the passing of Pete Van Wieren. True professional, great friend and pillar of the @Braves family. We’ll miss you Pete!
— Dale Murphy (@DaleMurphy3) August 2, 2014