Legendary voice of Reds to retire

CINCINNATI, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Joe Nuxhall, who has brought the Cincinnati Reds games to the masses for 60 years, has announced his retirement.

The Cincinnati Enquirer said Nuxhall, heard in 38 states via a 50,000-watt radio signal, has served a generation of Reds' fans, in recent supported on the air by Marty Brennaman.

Now, in his 60th year with the organization, Nuxhall will broadcast 80 or so games this season before retiring. The remainder will be handled by a yet-to-be-selected successor who is expected to take over full time in 2005.

"Joe Nuxhall is a very special individual and means a lot to this community and organization," Reds COO John Allen told the Enquirer. "You don't replace that. But things change and we'll be putting somebody else in there. It's extremely important for us and it's very complex."

The Reds are considering six candidates with different broadcasting backgrounds.

One consideration will be an ability to mesh with Brennaman, who calls the first, second, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth innings.