Longtime Kernels PA Announcer Passes Away Over Christmas Weekend

Sometimes, a voice is synonymous with a team. Vin Scully broadcasting Dodger games. Harry Carey and the Chicago Cubs. In Cedar Rapids, for 25 years, the voice booming from the speakers at Veteran's Memorial Stadium during Kernels games was that of Dale Brodt. KCRG reports that the longtime voice of baseball in Cedar Rapids passed away over the Christmas weekend.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reported that Brodt was hired by the then Cedar Rapids Reds to announce at their games back in 1987. Brodt was no stranger to using his voice. He worked for a number of TV and radio stations, including a time at KCRG TV-9 in Cedar Rapids. Brodt told the Gazette back in 2011 that the PA job was perfect for him.

The PA position gave me the opportunity to pursue two of my passions: baseball and announcing.

Brodt began his games in the old Veteran's Memorial Stadium where the windows opened up and attached to the roof. Brodt told the Gazette that "...you'd freeze your butt off in the spring and sweat your butt off in the summer." He enjoyed the more modern Veteran's Memorial Stadium a whole lot more. In all, Brodt announced some 1700 Kernels games for 25 years behind the mic.

Brodt was born in Mason City, Iowa, and took his first broadcasting job there in 1957. After his broadcasting career, he worked for the city of Cedar Rapids as the chief zoning inspector. He retired from that position in 2003. Dale Brodt was elected to the Cedar Rapids Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.