Introduction
Edwin "Ned" Martin III (August 9, 1923 – July 23, 2002) was an American sportscaster, known primarily as a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox from 1961 to 1992.
Career with the Boston Red Sox
Martin called Red Sox games on both WHDH radio and WHDH-TV from 1961 to 1971, on WHDH radio only from 1972 to 1975, on WMEX/WITS from 1976 to 1978, on WSBK-TV from 1979 to 1987, and on New England Sports Network cable from 1985 to 1992. During that time, he called the entire career of Hall-of-Famer Carl Yastrzemski, and was behind the microphone for some of baseball's most memorable moments, including the final win of the Red Sox "Impossible Dream" season of 1967, Carlton Fisk's game-winning home run off the foul pole in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, Yastrzemski's 400th home run and 3000th base hit in 1979, and Roger Clemens' first 20-strikeout game on April 29, 1986.
He may hold the distinction of having seen more Red Sox games in person than any other person, having spent 31 entire seasons with the club's broadcast team, which meant he saw more than 5,000 Red Sox games.
Ned Martin was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000.
Broadcast trademarks
Martin was known for his erudition and literary references during broadcasts (quotations from Shakespeare were not uncommon) and for his signature exclamation, "Mercy!", for plays both good and bad.
Broadcast partners over the years
His broadcast partners over the years included Curt Gowdy, Art Gleeson, Mel Parnell, Ken Coleman, Johnny Pesky, John MacLean, Dave Martin (no relation), Jim Woods, Ken Harrelson, Bob Montgomery, and Jerry Remy.
Other assignments
Martin also was a football announcer, covering the American Football League's Boston Patriots in 1965, as well as collegiate games for Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth.
Nationally, Martin helped broadcast the 1975 World Series on NBC television and radio, three American League Championship Series (1976–1978) on CBS Radio, and the 1976 Sun Bowl on CBS Radio.
Death
Ned Martin attended a memorial service for Hall of Fame slugger Ted Williams at Boston's Fenway Park on July 22, 2002, and was returning to his home in Clarksville, Virginia the following day when he was stricken with a massive coronary on a shuttle bus at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and died there.