Jason Heyward and the Braves Radio Network Provide an All-Time Moment

So, have you heard about this Heyward kid?

I think he's really going to be special someday.

Obviously, you have heard a little about the J-Hey Kid by now, unless you've been in a coma for the last 24 hours—or two years.

Describing my reaction to the moment is not that difficult.

I would assume, however, trying to convey screaming "YES!" from my cubicle would be much easier than Braves radio broadcaster Jim Powell's beautiful description of the moment the ball leapt off the bat—and landed 460-plus feet away in the Braves bullpen.

What I considered a major buzzkill, having to work on opening day, quickly became a delight as the radio call was absolutely priceless.

Baseball on the radio used to be a wonderful thing.

Guys like Harry Kalas, Ernie Harwell, and Vin Scully made baseball broadcasting. The bar was set incredibly high by those professionals, and many others.

We counted on those voices to paint a picture for decades.

Not to put Braves radio announcer, Jim Powell, in the same category with those greats, but his singular call on the Heyward homerun was just incredible. There's no doubt it was Powell's signature moment calling Braves games.

The descriptions of the pre-game ceremonies with Powell and longtime announcer/Hall of Fame pitcher, Don Sutton, set the moment up perfectly.

Listening to those gentlemen describe Hank Aaron's ceremonial first pitch to Jason Heyward as a "passing of the torch" moment, sent chills all over this lifelong Braves fan's body.

It simply does not get any bigger than Hank Aaron in Atlanta.

To compare anyone to the greatest home run hitter ever makes me shudder.

Just check out my reaction to the second-greatest Atlanta Braves figure, Bobby Cox, comparing the pop off Heyward's bat to that of Aaron's.  

And there I was, listening to the description of the very poignant moment of a ceremonial first pitch, shivering as if someone was telling a ghost story.

That was not even close to comparable to the moment that followed around 30 minutes later, when Heyward jacked the ball into the Braves bullpen.

I might have been bummed about not being there for one of the greatest moments in Atlanta Braves history, but thanks to the Atlanta Braves broadcasting team the beauty of the moment was forever etched in my mind.

Story also featured on The Rocky Chop Blog