Casey Motter, the Braves’ public address announcer since 2007, died Wednesday, the team announced Thursday.
The Braves called Motter “the voice of Truist Park.” Motter, a Smyrna native, started as a PA announcer for his son’s youth football games in Peachtree City. Former Braves assistant general manager Frank Wren heard him at a game and asked him to audition for the Braves’ role.
“Braves general manager Frank Wren heard me in November 2006 and then he called me in February 2007 to announce at Turner Field,” Motter wrote in a first-person account for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2010. “I try to do the same thing for the Braves players that I do in youth-league football. I pump up each of their names when they come to the plate.
“It’s my passion now, and I feel like I’m truly using a gift that God gave me. I still announce for the same youth-league parks where it all began. We all should find time to use our gifts so we can create our own field of dreams.”
“You get used to it every night. ‘Helloooo baseball fans!' ... He'll be missed, that's for sure."
A cause of death was not announced by the Braves.
Motter said his son, Judson, joined the Peachtree City Packers at age 5, and the field was so silent fans could hear the coaches on the field. He saw speakers on the light poles and asked if he could try his hand as a public address announcer. His efforts were so well received that parents asked if he would continue.
“I became the announcer dad for the whole Peachtree City Packer program – six games every Saturday,” Motter said.
Motter’s voice since has been synonymous with Braves home games at Turner Field and Truist Park. He was a lifelong Braves fan.
“Definitely a tragic moment,” said Braves outfielder Michael Harris, who grew up going to Braves games. “I just send condolences to his family. It’s obviously tough. Going to the games and hearing them, and then actually being in the games and hearing your name announced and stuff, it’s really tough. I can only imagine what his family’s feeling right now, let alone Braves Country and everybody else.”
First baseman Matt Olson also grew up a Braves fan and went to games at Turner Field.
“Atlanta has always been a good place as far as the gameday experience. I only was a fan at Turner. It’s always been a place that cares about the fan experience and does it the right way and keeps fans engaged. It’s a sad, sad thing.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker said he will miss Motter’s booming voice.
“You get used to it every night,” Snitker said. “‘Helloooo baseball fans!’ ... He’ll be missed, that’s for sure.”
