Jim Healy tribute page

I am watching the telecast of the Diamondbacks-Phillies game, and Fox announcer Matt Vasgersian commented on Adam Eaton's pitching by stating that he's "gone the Leonard Toas route." Wow, that takes me waaaay back, as that was an expression that the late, great Southern California broadcaster Jim Healy used to use. He would then play a sound clip: "Leonard Toas has... uh... lost it."

When I was a kid, my brother introduced me to a hilarious, snarky radio show by Jim Healey. The format of his radio shows, which were wonderful, is described on his wikipedia entry:

Healy's shows (at least those from the late 1970s onward) took the form of him reading headlines, with the clicking sound effect of a teleprinter in the background. In response to his own headlines or comments, Healy would then play one of his many favorite audio clips, such as "That's a bunch of bull," "That's just plain poppycock," or "Jim Healy, you've got a weak show." (Howard Cosell) Among his sound effects was a silly laughtrack, sounding like, "Hee-hee-hee-hee..." (Norm Sherry)


Basically, he would give a headline (or give some commentary), occasionally being snide and sarcastic in his own deadpan way and constantly being snide and sarcastic through his sound bites. (Let me guess. You're shocked that I enjoyed this show. Just shocked.)

Anyway, the reminder inspired me to look at his wikipedia page and find a link to a Jim Healy tribute page that draws some of it's material from a site that no longer exists. (The Way Back Machine was, of course, of great help here.)

There's also an off-again/on-again podcast show hosted by Rich Perlman that is specifically of the same format called "The Sports Examiner: Out Loud!" In fact, I just checked and it's back after being gone for close to a year. Awesome! I'm going to listen to it now.