by 
By Mark A Leon
For 25 seasons, Charleston baseball fans have heard a familiar voice echo across Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
Now, that voice is preparing for one final homestand.
Ken Carrington, the longtime public address announcer for the Charleston RiverDogs, will embark on his final homestand at “The Joe,” bringing an end to a remarkable 25-year run behind the microphone.
For generations of Charleston baseball fans, Carrington has been more than an announcer. His voice has been part of the soundtrack of summer nights at the ballpark — introducing players, announcing big moments and helping create the atmosphere that makes a night at Riley Park special.
Over a quarter-century, Carrington has witnessed countless players take the field, dramatic wins and losses, packed stands, promotions, fireworks and thousands of fans making memories at the ballpark.
On Friday, September 4, the RiverDogs will celebrate Carrington with a special pregame ceremony and themed night at the park, giving fans an opportunity to recognize the man whose voice has been a constant presence at Riley Park for a quarter-century.
It is a fitting farewell to someone who has occupied a unique place in Charleston sports history.
Public address announcers can often become part of the identity of a ballpark without ever stepping onto the field. Their voices become familiar. They become associated with certain moments, certain traditions and, eventually, certain memories.
For Carrington, 25 seasons represents thousands of games and countless introductions — a quarter-century of helping tell the story of Charleston baseball one announcement at a time.
The September 4 celebration will offer RiverDogs fans a chance to say thank you and send Carrington into his final homestand with the appreciation of a community that has heard him for much of the 21st century.
Baseball has always been about more than what happens between the lines. It is the smell of the ballpark, the crack of the bat, the organ music, the crowd, the scoreboard — and the familiar voice welcoming you home.
For 25 seasons, that voice at Riley Park has been Ken Carrington’s.
And on September 4, Charleston gets the chance to give that voice a proper farewell.
Ken Carrington’s final homestand begins Friday, September 4, at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. A pregame ceremony and themed night will celebrate his 25 seasons as the voice of the ballpark.
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