Glenn Wilson

'Glenn-bo' adds muscle to Phillies TV coverage

Former Phillies rightfielder Glenn "Glenn-bo" Wilson is "absolutely elated" to be the new baseball analyst for Comcast Sportsnet's "Phillies Post Game Live."

By LAURA NACHMAN
COURIER TIMES
E-mail

Former Phillies rightfielder Glenn "Glenn-bo" Wilson is "absolutely elated" to be the new baseball analyst for Comcast Sportsnet's "Phillies Post Game Live."

Glenn "Glenn-bo" Wilson during his playing days in the mid-1980s.

Glenn with Leslie Gudel during "Phillies Post Game Live."

Wilson, who played for the Phillies from 1984-1987, was "discovered" while performing a routine on stage during Phillies Fantasy camp in the fall of 2000. (Fantasy camp is a week when fans get to live out their dream as major league players with the help of former players and coaches).

Living in his home state of Texas, Wilson jumped at the chance to return to the Delaware Valley. "In 1991, I announced four games for the Phillies and it was brutal." He auditioned again in 1997 (when Larry Anderson was hired).

When Wilson played for the Phils, he was probably best known for the "Glenn-bo" ads - a take-off of the "Rambo" movies of the time.

"At first, I turned the Phillies down, because I knew if I had a bad day at the plate, I'd hear 'Glenn-bo' from the fans, and that's exactly what ended up happening," Wilson laughed.

After spending parts of four seasons with the Phils, Wilson was traded to Seattle in 1987, then played for Pittsburgh and Houston, before retiring in 1991 after being cut by Atlanta. In 1992, Wilson ran his gas station outside Houston, then returned to Pittsburgh in 1993, but got released after two months.

He had a stint managing Amarillo to the World Series of the Texas/Louisiana League in 1995, but balked when the following year team owners asked Wilson to become a player/manager. After some broadcasting training from fellow Texan and ESPN college football analyst Craig James, Wilson came close to getting the Houston Astros analyst position in 1997, and has been working part-time for Fox Sports Southwest ever since.

Wilson is currently renting a house in the area, while wife of 20 years, Kim, remains in Texas with children Glenn Jr., 18, Lance Michael, 14, and Andrew Kalas, 9, until the end of the school year. Glenn Jr. was a heavily recruited high school quarterback who will be attending Texas Southern in the fall. Lance Michael is named after former teammates Lance Parrish and Mike Schmidt, and Andrew Kalas gets his name from Phillies broadcaster, Harry Kalas.

Throughout the 111 games CSN will broadcast this season, Wilson's new teammates will be Leslie Gudel, Derrick Gunn, Matt Yallof and others. Where have you gone John Wockenfuss?

The latest member of the Philadelphia weather "sorority" is Karen Thomas, who is the new weekend weather anchor for the Fox-Philadelphia Ten O'Clock news. Thomas, a general assignment reporter for Fox-Philadelphia since 1997, fills the vacancy left by Rob Guarino who replaced Frank Cariello as the weekday weather anchor in January.

Thomas said she feels fortunate that her new position gives her plenty of time to spend with her two daughters, Maddie, 2, and Mia, 3 months. Thomas had filled in several times for the weather segment this year and also did weather when she worked at a cable station in New Jersey soon after graduating from Rowan College in 1990. Thomas will begin classes to earn her meteorology certification. She joins the Philadelphia television weather women which include: 6ABC's Cecily Tynan and Sally Ann Mosey, NBC-10's Kathy Orr and KYW-3's Carol Erickson.

Former NFL defensive back and current KYW-3 sports anchor, Beasley Reece, will be doing some blocking of a different nature, as he'll participate in a special sportscasters' edition of "Hollywood Squares" in May. In the February ratings, "Squares" was fourth in its timeslot, behind "Wheel of Fortune," "Access Hollywood" and "Seinfeld," weekdays at 7:30 p.m.

The conclusion of the CBS miniseries "And Never Let Her Go," starring Mark Harmon as convicted murderer Thomas Capano, finished second in its timeslot behind "The West Wing" and "Law and Order" on NBC April 4.

Steve Kalb, assistant news director of the defunct Philly TV News, is hosting a talk show on radio station WELI in New Haven, Conn. Kalb worked at the station from 1985-1992 before making the switch to television.

Thursday, April 12, 2001


Glenn "Glenn-bo" Wilson during his playing days in the mid-1980s.
Glenn with Leslie Gudel during "Phillies Post Game Live."