On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
June 24, 2005

 

Retired Phillies announcer Andy Musser has something brewing – the longtime beer connoisseur today works as the East Coast sales and promotion representative for Anchor Brewing Company (www.anchorbrewing.com) of San Francisco.

 

Musser, 67, still lives in the area with his wife of 43-years, Eun-joo.  They have three grandchildren.

 

After 26 years with the Phillies, Musser retired in 2001. 

 

“It was time to go.  It was a great job for a young person, but not such a great job for an older person,” Musser said.  “My wife tells people she raised our two children alone, and I think she’s right.”

 

The longtime runner walks now due to a heart condition that was diagnosed the year he retired. 

 

Growing up in the Harrisburg area, Musser won a Phillies junior broadcasting contest when he was 17-years-old.  After graduating from Syracuse University and working a variety of sportscasting jobs around the country, Musser finally made it back to the Phillies when he was 37-years-old in the summer of 1976, just in time for their “golden era.”

 

“I’ll never forget when Harry Kalas, who began broadcasting for the Phillies a few years earlier said to me, “Look pal, it’s not this easy all the time.”

 

Musser said he still goes to a few games a year and visits the broadcasting team.  “However, now I can leave in the seventh inning if I want to,” he chuckled.

 

Though the revolving door for the mid-day WIP 610-AM show continues with former personality Mike Missanelli set to replace Steve Martorano in July, co-host Anthony Gargano isn’t going anywhere.  Gargano reports he has three years left on his contract, but has some side projects in the works. 

 

He wrote, “I’m finishing a book on the Super Bowl phenomenon.  It should be out by the first week in August. I'm working on a TV project concerning the FBI and a screenplay about Cathy Rush -- the godmother of women's basketball -- and the story of the Immaculata (college) team that won the title in the early 70’s and changed the face of women's athletics during the bra-burning era...Fascinating story -- think “Rocky” meets “A League of Their Own.”

Former “Friend” Matthew Perry will host the annual ESPY awards on ESPN in July.  A few of the “Friends” have been more visible this summer.  Lisa Kudrow’s new sitcom “The Comeback” is in its third week on HBO.  David Schwimmer provides the voice of the giraffe in the hit movie “Madagasgar.”  And Jennifer Aniston has been a staple in the tabloids because of her divorce from Brad Pittt.  Matt LeBlanc’s “Friends” spinoff “Joey,” hasn’t been able to live up to the standards of “Friends,” but it will be back on NBC in the fall.