With Howie Rose’s broadcasting career coming to an end, it’s time to reflect on what has been an incredible career. The 2026 New York Mets didn’t give him many memorable moments, but there are plenty of calls to choose from over the years to showcase Rose’s brilliance. Let’s put it in the books with a trip down memory lane.
5. Mets Win the 2015 NL Pennant – October 21, 2015
You know a broadcaster is great when their call of a pennant-winning game lands fifth on a list. While there have been countless “put it in the books” calls from Rose over the years, this one was the sweetest. The 2015 season was the team’s first winning one since 2008, and its first postseason appearance since 2006.
It’s the first and only pennant clincher Rose called in his career as the Mets’ radio play-by-play voice. While Howie didn’t know that would be the case as he made this call, the emotion in his voice is familiar to his fellow Mets fans. When the Amazin’s live up to their moniker, it’s best to cherish it, as Howie did.
4. Johan Santana‘s No-Hitter – June 1, 2012
Rose has gone on the record saying he never thought the Mets would have a no-hitter. That all changed with Santana’s controversial no-hitter. Setting aside the Carlos Beltran line drive that hit the chalk but was called foul, Santana delivered an incredible performance, and Rose’s call captures the gravity of the moment and the surreal feeling Mets fans had.
For a team that has a rich pitching history, it’s hard to believe it took 50 years for a no-hitter, but it’s fitting that Rose was behind the mic. Howie grew up going to games in the upper deck of Shea Stadium and knows the team’s history better than anyone. On that fateful summer night in Queens, he became a part of that history.
3. Francisco Lindor‘s Grand Slam – October 9, 2024
Normally, if a broadcaster says that they had a “Vin Scully moment” when calling a game, you may think they were exaggerating a bit. But in Howie’s case, he couldn’t be more right. Not only was his energy the perfect punctuation to an incredible postseason home run, but his description of Lindor “providing a feast” for a “famished” Met offense shows you the wordsmith that he is.
This was just the second postseason grand slam in Mets history. The first was from Edgardo Alfonzo in Game 1 of the 1999 NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fittingly, Gary Cohen, who said that Rose is like a brother to him, was on the radio call for it.
Twenty-five years later, Howie got to call his own postseason slam.
2. Pete Alonso‘s Three-Run Homer – October 3, 2024
With all hope seemingly lost and an incredible season on the ropes, down 2-0 against the Brewers in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series, Pete Alonso met the moment, and so did Howie Rose. The clip of his home run call was shared everywhere on social media in the moments that followed. It was also played on the team flight back to New York. The team cheered for Rose as he made his way down the aisle to greet Alonso.
A common criticism of postseason baseball is the loss of a team’s home announcers, and fans having to watch national broadcasts. That, however, doesn’t take into account the radio broadcast. Through Howie’s decades with the Mets, he showcased the power of radio, both in the 2024 postseason as well as dating back to his Mets Extra days.
1. Mike Piazza‘s Home Run After 9/11 – September 21, 2001
There’s a good case that can be made for Mike Piazza’s home run against the Braves after 9/11 as the greatest home run in baseball history. Not for what it meant in the game itself, or even the 2001 season as a whole, but for what it meant to New York City and the country. There was nobody better than Howie Rose to make the call, a call that resonates just as strongly 25 years later.
Howie has gone on to say that prior to the game, he was explicitly told to keep his energy down and watch the verbiage he used, as this was going to be a somber event for the city as well as the country. But as Howie always did, he reflected the fans’ feelings. Just as Shea Stadium finally had the chance to smile again, so did Howie.
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