Pat Hughes (sportscaster)

Pat Hughes
Hughes at the 2011 Cubs Convention
Born	Virgil Patrick Hughes (1955-05-27) May 27, 1955 (age 61) Tucson, Arizona
Nationality	American
Education	San Jose State University
Occupation	baseball play-by-play announcer
Years active	1979–present
Employer	WSCR

Virgil Patrick "Pat" Hughes (born May 27, 1955) is an American sportscaster. He has been the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs Radio Network since 1996.

Hughes partnered with color commentator Ron Santo, former Hall of Fame third baseman for the Cubs, from 1996 to 2010, until Santo died of bladder cancer. Their unique on-air chemistry came to be known as the "Pat and Ron Show". Prior to joining the Cubs' radio crew, Hughes spent 12 years calling games for the Milwaukee Brewers, with broadcaster Bob Uecker. Hughes also spent 17 years as a radio television play-by-play man for Marquette University basketball.

Hughes might be best known for his call of Mark McGwire's 62nd home run in 1998. That home run broke the single-season home run record, and the Hughes narration of the hit is the most often-played call of that moment:

In most other instances, his home run call is "That ball's got a chaaaance...GONE!" On longer home runs, Hughes' call often includes the phrase "Get out the tape measure". Another Hughes catchphrase as the first pitch of the game is thrown is "And away we go..." In times of great excitement at the ballpark he will say, "Listen to these fans!" or "They're on their feet at Wrigley." As an intro to the show he will say, "Chicago Cubs baseball is on the air! From Beautiful Wrigley Field in Chicago [or whatever other stadium they may be playing at], it's the Chicago Cubs taking on the [opposing team]."

If the Cubs have a narrow lead going into opposing team's final half-inning, Hughes exclaims, "Fasten those seatbelts!"

Hughes' broadcasting career includes stints as a broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, the Minnesota North Stars hockey team, and minor league baseball teams the Columbus Clippers and San Jose Missions. He has also broadcast college games for Northwestern University, San Jose State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Marquette University men's basketball team, as well as announcing games for ESPN.