Recognizing Joe Castiglione

Floor Speech

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Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Joe Castiglione as he receives the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence.

Born on March 2, 1947, to parents Pamela and Frank, Castiglione was raised in Hamden, Connecticut, alongside his seven siblings. With a passion for sports broadcasting from a young age, Castiglione grew up listening to longtime Yankees announcer and inaugural Ford C. Frick Award recipient, Mel Allen. Castiglione followed his passion for broadcasting at Colgate University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts and worked for the school's radio station broadcasting Colgate football and basketball games.

After receiving his master's degree from Syracuse University, Castiglione began his career as a television sports anchor at WFMJ-TV in Youngstown, Ohio. It was in Youngstown where Castiglione also met the love of his life, Janice Lowry, a third-grade teacher. 364 days after their first date, Joe and Janice were married and will celebrate their 53rd anniversary this November. Over their past five decades of marriage, Castiglione and Janice have raised their three children, Duke, Tom, and Kate, and now have six grandchildren.

In 1979, Castiglione continued his broadcasting career and first began reporting on baseball at WKYC-TV, calling games for the Cleveland Indians. He later called games for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1981, before returning to Cleveland in 1982. In 1983 he was hired on a one- year agreement with the Red Sox. 42 seasons later, Castiglione is now the longest tenured announcer in Red Sox history.

Throughout his career, Castiglione has called over 6,000 games, including four no-hitters and two 20-strikeout games. Additionally, Castiglione was the first Red Sox broadcaster to call the final out of a Red Sox World Championship, ending the team's 86-year drought in 2004. He would later deliver the final out call for the Red Sox's World Series wins in 2007, 2013, and 2018. Outside of his work as a Red Sox radio announcer, Castiglione taught broadcast journalism at Northeastern University for 29 years and Franklin Pierce University for 12 years and has been a long-time supporter of the Jimmy Fund.

Over the last four decades, Castiglione has established himself as a pillar of the baseball community. In 2014, Castiglione was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame, and on July 20, 2024, Castiglione was awarded the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's Ford C. Frick Award. This award deservedly celebrates Castiglione's passion for baseball and commitment to quality broadcasting throughout his career.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Joe Castiglione and ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing his years of hard work and impact on sports broadcasting.

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