Florida Marlins Name Glenn Geffner Radio Play-By-Play Broadcaster

01/17/2008, MIAMI -- The Florida Marlins today named Glenn Geffner the club's radio play-by-play broadcaster, joining Marlins' lead radio voice, Dave Van Horne. The announcement was made by Marlins Senior Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting, P.J. Loyello.

"The Florida Marlins organization is thrilled to welcome Glenn and his family back home to South Florida," said Loyello. "Although we received significant interest from many qualified candidates, Glenn's impressive baseball background, coupled with his desire to be an active member of our organization and community, made him the right choice. Fans across the Florida Marlins Radio Network will enjoy listening to long-time great Dave Van Horne and Glenn for many years to come, starting with our first broadcast on March 1."

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Glenn Geffner, a Miami native, will host the Marlins' pre- and post-game shows on the Marlins' new flagship radio station, 790 The Ticket, in addition to calling play-by-play action. With 16 years experience in professional baseball as a broadcaster and front office executive, he joins the Marlins from the Boston Red Sox radio broadcast team, where he called more than 100 regular season games in 2007 plus the entire American League Championship Series and the World Series. Geffner also hosted the weekly "Red Sox Insider" radio talk show on WTIC, served as reporter and occasional host for NESN's "Red Sox Report" television show and spent two seasons handling play-by-play on NESN for Red Sox Minor League telecasts. Geffner joined the Red Sox prior to the 2003 season as Vice President of Communications.

"Growing up a passionate baseball fan in South Dade, I dreamed of one day broadcasting in the Major Leagues, and I dreamed my hometown would one day have a big league team of its own," Geffner said. "The chance to return to the community in which I grew up to continue my broadcasting career--and to do so with a new ballpark hopefully right around the corner and the Marlins entering what should be the most exciting chapter in their young history--is incredibly special to me.

"The decision to leave the Red Sox was certainly not easy for my family and me. But, beginning with Jeffrey Loria, David Samson and P.J. Loyello, everyone we've encountered with the Marlins has been tremendous and so welcoming. I'm grateful for the confidence they've shown in me, and I can't wait to get to Spring Training and go to work."

A graduate of Palmetto Senior High in 1986, Geffner began his broadcasting career as a student at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, calling Wildcats baseball, football and basketball. He was later the voice of the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings and made his ML debut broadcasting games for the San Diego Padres during a six-year stay (1997-2002), which he began as the club's Director of Public Relations. After filling in on Padres radio and television broadcasts and hosting Spring Training and "Padres Report" television shows for several seasons, he transitioned into a full-time broadcasting role with the Padres, partnering with Hall of Fame broadcaster Jerry Coleman.

Geffner and his wife, Christine, have two sons, Corey (7) and Gregg (4).

Source: MLB