John Gordon to retire after 2011 season.

[DonBo]

By: Kelly Thesier/MLB.com

John Gordon has been the voice of the Minnesota Twins for the past 24 seasons, but 2011 will be his final one in the booth.

Gordon, 70, will retire after the season, according to the Naples Daily News. The Twins radio voice since 1987, Gordon made his announcement on Tuesday morning while speaking to the Men's Fellowship at Community Congregational Church in North Naples.

"It's time," Gordon told the newspaper. "I've had a wonderful career, but it's time for me to move on to another phase of my life."

It had already been announced that Gordon will be reducing his workload to 90 games for the 2011 season, after working 150 games this past season. He'll still be joined by partner Dan Gladden to make up the Twins' primary radio broadcast team. Ted Robinson and Bob Kurtz will also return and call 25 games each while Kris Atteberry will do about 45 games in a play-by-play and analyst role.

In addition to the 90 regular season games, Gordon is also expected to call around 15 Spring Training broadcasts as well.

Twins president Dave St. Peter said back in December when the broadcast changes were announced that Gordon had wanted to spend more time with his family outside of the booth and that was the reason for the reduced schedule. Now, Gordon will get set to enter what will be his 25th and final season as the voice of the Twins.

But Gordon told the paper that his hope is his time with the Twins will end the same way it began --with him calling a World Series win.

I'm gonna miss the "There it goes. Way back. Way back....and he catches it on the warning track."

[SledNeck]

Thats too bad. John Gordon is one of the best in all of radio.

[JBMasterAngler]

"Jerry Johnson, who leads the league in batting average against left handed pitchers faced at home for the first time in the last month of the season". Little Big League is the best movie ever!

[Spearing Machine]

No way!! He will be greatly missed!! Going to definitely be some quotes that no one will ever be able to repeat...."Touch 'em all.....(insert name)"

[PierBridge]

Thats too bad. John Gordon is one of the best in all of radio.

Indeed!

[harvey lee]

He will be hard to replace but I guess all retire.

[zepman]

Thats too bad. John Gordon is one of the best in all of radio.

+1

[Trucks]

John Gordon and Dan Gladden are a great team. John is a class act and will truly be missed.

[Harmonica Bear]

Personally I was not the biggest Gordon fan. IMO just too much blathering between pitches with useless stats, similar to what was quoted above from Little Big League . Sometimes you could hear the ball being hit and the crowd roar, before he even began to describe the action because he was too busy spouting irrelevant information. Maybe that opinion comes from growing up with the cadence and patience of Herb Carneal calling a baseball game, I don’t know. Anyway, he is a class act for sure, no arguing that. Who replaces him full time next year will be interesting.

[SledNeck]

Dan Gladden is ok when Gordon is calling the game. But when Gordon takes a break and its just Dazzle... man, he so emotionless that I cant ever tell whats going on in the game

[Stcloudangler]

+1 ^^^

[Juneau4]

As a baseball announcer + As a person he lacks.

[goose89]

Dan Gladden is ok when Gordon is calling the game. But when Gordon takes a break and its just Dazzle... man, he so emotionless that I cant ever tell whats going on in the game

lol. my sentiment exactly. "there's a fly ball to right....home run.....justin morneau....3 to 2 twins" in a monotone, emotionless voice. Very derrogatory of alot of opposing ball players as well.

Gordo will for sure be missed. Good for him though! His gain (retirement), our loss.