CBS Names Jack Buck to Replace Musburger for Baseball Telecasts

CBS-TV, which fired Brent Musburger last Sunday, filled the resulting hole in its baseball coverage Thursday by moving veteran Jack Buck into the lead announcer’s slot.

The network, which outbid NBC and ABC for network coverage this season after having been absent from the baseball scene since the 1960s, will show 16 regular-season games, the All-Star game, the playoffs and the World Series.

Ted Shaker, CBS’ executive producer, said that Buck will team with Tim McCarver on one broadcast team, and that Dick Stockton, who has been doing NBA games for the network, will join former pitcher Jim Kaat on the other. Buck originally was scheduled to be Kaat’s partner. Greg Gumbel will be the studio host, Shaker said.

Vin Scully, who did baseball and golf for NBC but no longer is under contract to that network, and Al Michaels of ABC were also considered as potential replacements, Shaker said.