The NWL “Co-Play-By-Play Announcer of the Year” calls his third season of Honkers Baseball
(Rochester Minn.) – The Rochester Honkers announced today that play-by-play broadcaster Michael Keeley is returning for his third summer behind the mic as “The Voice of the Rochester Honkers.” Keeley has been the team’s radio and internet TV broadcaster since the 2016 season, and was named Northwoods League “Co-Play-By-Play Announcer of the Year” in 2017.
“I’m excited for another summer of Rochester Honkers baseball, and am honored to be invited back for a third season, the Honkers 25th Anniversary Season!” said Keeley. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to continue to broadcast year-round covering two sports I truly love.”
Keeley is a native of Rochester, New York but has resided in southeast Minnesota since the summer of 2015, making is home in Austin, Minnesota. He also serves as the director of broadcasting, public relations, and group sales for the Austin Bruins of the North American Hockey League, where he’s worked in a full-time capacity for three seasons.
“I’m not someone who needs much of an offseason,” said Keeley. “I’m happiest when I’m behind the mic and I love staying busy. Needless to say, the Northwoods League season is quite busy.”
Keeley says he especially enjoys calling home runs, which made the 2017 season a thrill.
“Getting the chance to call the most home runs in a season by any team in the long and storied history of the Northwoods League as well as covering the individual record-breaker by Zach Zubia, was something very special,” Keeley said. “The hitter friendly dimensions of Mayo Field made for some fun games to broadcast.”
Keeley has been broadcasting since 2009, when he began his work toward a degree in broadcasting-mass communication at the State University of New York at Oswego. He was the four-year radio voice of the men’s ice hockey team there, as well as the Sports Director of the student run radio station from 2012-13. He also broadcast conference playoff games for Oswego’s NCAA baseball team in 2013. After graduating, Keeley worked two summers with the Rochester Ridgemen of the New York Collegiate Baseball League. He began working in the NAHL for the Keystone Ice Miners (Connellsville, PA) in 2014, before moving to Minnesota and the Austin Bruins the following season.
“I want to say thank you to Dan and Kim for the opportunity to do this for another year. Also, a big thanks to Bruins owners Mike Cooper and Craig Patrick for being flexible with my summer schedule. I can’t wait for first pitch!”
The Rochester Honkers 25th season begins on Tuesday, May 29th when the team hosts the Eau Claire Express in their home opener at Mayo Field at 7:05 pm. 5-Game Packs and Kids Club Memberships are available now! Season Tickets, ½ Season Plans, Suites and Patios are also available. Call the Rochester Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 185 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (LAD) and Lucas Duda (TBR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Honkers as your favorite team.
