Education
Cornell University.
Cornell University.
Atlanta Braves
Johnson originally nicknamed Van Wieren "The Professor" because Van Wieren looked like pitcher Jim Brosnan. The moniker stuck for his in-depth knowledge of the game and thorough preparation before broadcasts. According to Van Wieren himself, on the September 17, 2007, Atlanta Braves Radio Network broadcast, he worked for the Washington Post in the 1960s.
He did not say what his position was at the paper, only that he met Shirley Povich while he was there.
Along with Caray, Van Wieren was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in 2004, joining an impressive list in Braves history that already included Hank Aaron, Lew Burdette, Delegate Crandall, Tommy Holmes, Ernie Johnson, Eddie Mathews, Philosophy Niekro, Dale Murphy, Kid Nichols, Ted Turner, Johnny Sain and Warren Spahn. On December 18, 2006, the Braves announced that Van Wieren had signed a three-year contract to continue doing Braves broadcasts on the radio.
Non-Atlanta Braves assignments
After joining Turner Broadcasting System Sports in 1975, he covered Atlanta Hawks basketball, Atlanta Flames hockey, Big Ten Conference college football, Atlanta Falcons pre-season football, and National Basketball Association games on Turner Broadcasting System and TNT. He has also served as a sports reporter for Cable News Network. Retirement and death
On October 21, 2008, Van Wieren unexpectedly announced his retirement from broadcasting effective immediately, after 33 seasons with the Braves. The broadcast booth for the Braves" home games at Turner Field is named for Van Wieren.
Van Wieren co-wrote a book titled Of Mikes and Men: A Lifetime of Braves Baseball with Jack Wilkinson.
lieutenant was released in April 2010. On November 4, 2009, Van Wieren was diagnosed with cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. He suffered a relapse and additional rounds of chemotherapy after a recurrence in the fall of the same year.
On August 2, 2014, Van Wieren died from complications of lymphoma.