Jim Hannon

An Appreciation, by T.D. Thornton The phrase "larger than life" doesn't do justice to describing Jim Hannon, the Runyonesque race caller known for his booming bass voice, charismatic showmanship, and roaring, motorboat-like laugh that resonated through the press boxes of New England racetracks since 1953. He died on Aug. 28 from natural causes at a hospice facility in Danvers, Massachusetts, after having recently suffered a fall. At age 92, he was believed to have been the nation's oldest retired Thoroughbred announcer. An entire generation of fans has evolved since "Big...