Buck Martinez says he is stepping out of the booth after more than games over the course of his career.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail
Buck Martinez, one of the longest-serving Toronto Blue Jays baseball broadcaster, announced Friday morning that he has called the final game of his career.
Martinez, 77, said in a statement issued by Sportsnet that he would not return for the coming season.
He had been a part of Blue Jays baseball for about 38 of the team’s 49 seasons, first as a player and then as a broadcaster, calling more than 4,000 games over the course of his career.
“It’s hard to believe I came to Toronto in a trade in May of 1981, thinking that would be the end of a very good career. Little did I know that I still would be associated with the Blue Jays through the 2025 season,” he said in the statement.
“What a glorious season it was. It was a joy and an honour to be involved in each and every game through Game 7 of the World Series. Only one other outcome could have topped the fantastic year.”
Martinez said that, after last season, he and his wife, Arlene, decided it was “time for me to step out of the booth and enjoy the years ahead.”
He had first served as a colour analyst for Jays games in 1987, after retiring from the team the previous year. He left broadcasting to manage the team in 2001 and 2002, then called Baltimore Orioles games from 2003-2009. He rejoined the Jays booth in 2010, when Sportsnet became the team’s exclusive broadcaster.