It took three decades of proving himself in the minor leagues, but Bob Hards finally got the call Tuesday night, joining the A’s radio booth for his first major-league broadcast. The veteran announcer was filling in for Ken Korach, who did not travel with the team to Atlanta and will also skip their upcoming road trips to Cleveland and Boston.
For 31 years, Hards has served as lead play-by-play voice for the Midland Rockhounds, Oakland’s Double-A affiliate in the Texas League. Former A’s pitcher Dallas Braden, who spent parts of three seasons in Midland from 2005-07, said Hards’ promotion to the big leagues gave him “goosebumps,” calling him the “nicest human on Earth” while acknowledging his status as a “pillar” of the Midland community.
“I’m so psyched for him right now,” said Braden during Tuesday night’s television broadcast for NBC Sports California. “I just walked up to him and gave him a big ol’ hug. I was just so happy to see him.”
The A’s may not have won—Tuesday extended their losing streak to seven games—but even that couldn’t take away from Hards’ shining moment. Fans and colleagues on Twitter were overwhelmingly supportive of Hards, celebrating a triumph 31 years in the making.
It’s been a disappointing season for the A’s so far—only the Royals have a worse record at 17-37. But Hards’ arrival at the sport’s pinnacle after decades of paying his dues in Midland, America’s 138th-largest media market, should serve as inspiration to anyone who’s ever reached for the stars, chasing a dream no matter how farfetched their ambitions may seem.
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