The Tennessee Smokies have named Mick Gillispie as the team's radio play-by-play voice in 2007. General manager Brian Cox said he wanted someone with Southern League broadcasting experience and Gillispie filled the bill.
Gillispie, who was Larry Ward's play-by-play sidekick with the Chattanooga Lookouts the past two seasons, will join the Smokies on March 15.
The 31-year-old Westminster, Md., native started his career at WVUA radio in Tuscaloosa, Ala., while attending Alabama. He broadcast the Tide's baseball games and hosted Alabama's pregame football show.
After graduating, he became voice of the Salem Avalanche in the Class A Carolina League for a year before joining the Lookouts.
Gillispie has ties to the Smokies. He is a friend of former Tennessee reliever Jarrod Kingrey, who played for Tennessee in 2001-02 when the Class AA farm team was affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays and again in 2004 when the Smokies were a St. Louis Cardinals farm team.
Gillispie is looking forward to getting behind the Smokies' microphone, especially since the team has started a working agreement with the Chicago Cubs.
"They're a great organization and class act," he said. "There are a lot of parallels between them and the Lookouts. To me it was important to get an opportunity with a team with a lot of the same consistency as far as character."
The Smokies open the season April 5 with a five-game series at Jacksonville against the Suns. The home opener is April 11 against the Huntsville Stars.