Andy Musser, 74, former Phillies broadcaster

Former broadcaster Andy Musser, 74, who called Mike Schmidt's division-clinching homer for the Phillies in 1980, died Sunday at his home in Wynnewood, his family said.

The cause of death was not given.

At one time or another, Mr. Musser did play-by-play for every major sports team in Philadelphia except the Flyers. The native of Lemoyne, Pa., broadcast Phillies games for 26 years.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andy's family," Phillies president David Montgomery said in a statement. "Andy was a dear friend to many, an absolute gentleman, and a true professional. I had the pleasure of working with him for 26 years during which time he made a significant contribution to our club."

A Syracuse graduate and an Army veteran, Mr. Musser was in the booth for Phillies games from 1976 to 2001. During that time, he worked with the team's most revered broadcasters, Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn. He broadcast two World Series, two Super Bowls and two Masters Championships.

In more than a quarter-century of calling Phillies games, Mr. Musser missed only two - both because of laryngitis.

He was instrumental in the careers of Phillies broadcaster Chris Wheeler and 76ers coach Doug Collins, a longtime NBA announcer.

"I can't look at anybody in my life who was more important than Andy Musser," Wheeler said. "He was my first partner. He and I, with Harry and Whitey [Ashburn], we were it.

"They put me in the booth in '77 because he had worked by himself in '76. They wanted somebody to help out. That's how I got in there. I owe him everything. He was the ultimate professional. Andy was the guy who held the booth together, we always said."

Mr. Musser also made an impact on Collins, who became a highly regarded broadcaster before returning to coaching.

"Andy was my first TV partner and he taught me the TV business." Collins said. "There was no better pro than him and we're all going to miss him. Andy was a hell of a guy."

Mr. Musser's most memorable call came in the penultimate game of the regular season in 1980, when the Phillies beat the Expos in Montreal to clinch the National League East on a Schmidt home run.

"There's a great replay when Mike hits the home run off Stan Bahnsen and Andy goes, 'He buried it!' Wheeler recalled.

"I remember thinking to myself [of Musser], 'He nailed it.' I was so happy for him. Those are the kinds of things a lot of broadcasters don't rehearse. It happens, and you either hit it or you don't. And he hit it. He hit it right on the nose."

Mr. Musser was also a broadcaster for the 76ers team of 1967 that included Wilt Chamberlain and won the NBA championship.

A 1959 graduate of Syracuse, Mr. Musser worked for WCAU radio and television in Philadelphia from 1965 to 1971 and CBS-TV from 1971-74.

After leaving the Phillies in 2001, Mr. Musser worked as the East Coast representative for Anchor Steam Beer and Maytag Dairy Farms. Both were owned by a friend, Fritz Maytag, who made Anchor Steam a national brand.

Mr. Musser used to joke that he had two hobbies in life, baseball and beer, and that he turned both into careers.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Eun Joo; two children, Allan of Roswell, Ga., and Luanne Zimmerman of Lower Gwynedd; and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 625 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Foundation.

Staff writers Matt Gelb and

Marc Narducci contributed to this article.