Denny Matthews

Lore & Background

Matthews grew up in Bloomington, Illinois and attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where he played baseball and football, and belonged to the Sigma Chi fraternity. He worked for local radio and television stations in Peoria and St. Louis before his hiring by the Royals. He has broadcast for the Royals since 1969, initially as the sidekick to Bud Blattner, and became the top broadcaster after Blattner retired in 1975. From 1974 to 1998 he was paired with Fred White, and they co-wrote a book in 1999 called Play by Play: 25 Years of Royals on Radio. He also called baseball events for the national CBS Radio network in the 1980s, including the World Series in 1982 and 1985. In 2008 he cut back on his broadcast schedule, and as of the 2026 season he continues to call games.

In Their Own Story

The stadium lights hummed softly as the pre-game show began at Citizens Bank Park. An older man in a red cap leaned against the railing near the Hall of Fame exhibit, eyes closed. Suddenly, the crackle of vintage static filled the air over the speakers. "Holy Cow!" The voice rang out, crisp and timeless. A young boy beside him looked up, confused by the noise from decades past. The man smiled, patting the child's shoulder. "That's the sound of a win," he whispered. For a moment, the modern park vanished, replaced by the memory of a thousand sunsets at Shibe Park.

Reader's Guide

Matthews was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. He received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. On November 15, 2025, he married his girlfriend of 17 years, Amy, at Kauffman Stadium; the bride and groom wore Royals jerseys, and it was the first marriage for both.

Did You Know?

• Matthews has the longest continuous tenure with one team among active Major League Baseball announcers, following the retirements of Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín.
• He signed a contract extension in January 2015 that kept him calling Royals games through the team's 50th season in 2018, and signed a new contract in 2018.
• Baseball historian Bill James is among his fans.