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By Mick Gillispie

It is certainly an honor to be named the 2010 Southern League Broadcaster of the year. To me the award is a direct reflection of the wonderful and dedicated staff of people who contribute daily to the Smokies Radio Network broadcast and our loyal and dedicated audience of listeners.

Roger Hoover and Alex Powell have been fantastic working about every game this year hosting our pre & post game shows and producing the games from the studio along with a ton of other jobs. Darren Headrick and Jim Tocco have also chipped in on this effort.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention Chicago Cubs Special Assistant Gary Hughes. He has found time to speak to our audience while visiting for all four of my seasons and is an amazing a color commentator.

The Smokies media relations department is excellent, anchored by Rennie Leon and Adam Kline. From running the press box to supplying stats and information, they always do a first class job. Tim Berry our chief engineer is the best in Tennessee, and we wouldn’t be on the air without him.

Smokies President Doug Kirchhofer, General Manager Brian Cox and Assistant GM Jeff Shoaf have all been supportive from my first day with the organization and have always supplied us with every possible means necessary to succeed.

The Sports Animal, our flagship station, has been a great partner with special thanks to Mickey Dearstone and Sheree Jacoby. We also appreciate our network partners WJFC and WPFT radio.

The Southern League is a very special place and I’m honored to have the privilege to talk with the best fans in the league every night all summer long. The support our audience in East Tennessee gives the team is special.

I’m grateful to former Greenville Braves Broadcaster Mark Houser being a mentor while I was a college student. He offered me advice, listened to my tapes and was very helpful & honest. He also gave me the opportunity to fill in for him on two Braves game broadcasts in 2003.

Lookouts owner Frank Burke and broadcaster Larry Ward allowed me to join the SL fulltime in 2005. I refer to Larry’s advice every game. My predecessor Tom Hart who was the Smokies broadcaster for five seasons prior to me is someone I respect and admire. He has offered me tons of great advice and I’m privileged to consider him a friend.

Huntsville Stars broadcaster Chad Anderson and Jacksonville Suns J.P. Shadrick both worked for me in college at the University of Alabama. Their success has always been rewarding to me. I’m also blessed to have devolved great friendships in the league with a bunch of great professionals like Mississippi’s broadcaster Ben Ingram and Patrick Kinas with Carolina.

The 2010 season has been very special and I’m just so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work with the Chicago Cubs, their excellent front office and our coaching staff and players. I’m humbled and thank you all for this recognition.