Longtime Indianapolis Indians broadcaster gets called up to the big leagues

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Howard Kellman, the longtime voice of the Indianapolis Indians, is headed to the big leagues. The Indians announced that Kellman will handle play-by-play duties for the New York Yankees Radio Network (WFAN) on Friday.

“I am thankful to both the Yankees and WFAN for giving me a third opportunity to broadcast a big-league game,” said Kellman, a Brooklyn, New York, native and Brooklyn College graduate. “I have greatly enjoyed calling games for the Yankees each of the last two seasons, and am honored to be behind the mic once again for the 27-time World Series champion New York Yankees.”

Kellman has previously worked behind the microphone for the Chicago White Sox (1984), New York Mets (2014), and Yankees (2022-2023), and is wrapping up his 48th season as the Indians play-by-play voice.

When Indianapolis’ 2024 season wraps up this weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota, Kellman will have called 6,914 games in his tenure with the Indians, a run that includes 13 division titles, seven postseason championships, and nine no-hitters thrown by the Indians, according to a press release by the Indianapolis Indians. He has been part of the radio broadcast team for three Triple-A All-Star Games, including the 1989 Midsummer Classic in Columbus, Ohio, the 2001 contest at Indianapolis’ Victory Field, and most recently, the 2013 showcase in Reno, Nevada.

In addition, he led the broadcast team for ESPN’s coverage of the Triple-A World Series from 2006-2008. Kellman was honored as Indiana’s Sportscaster of the Year in 2002, and was inducted into the Indiana Sportswriters & Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 2009.

The game against the Oakland Athletics will take place at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California.