Hamilton to Have New Role

Lee Hamilton’s 19-year run as a sports talk show host during weekday afternoons will come to an end Sept. 6. Taking over for Hamilton on XTRA Sports 570 will be Joe Grande and Matt Smith.

Grande comes from KPWR-FM, known as Power 106. Smith, who goes by the nickname “Money,” comes from KROQ’s “Kevin and Bean” show. Earlier this month, Smith was selected to host the Laker pregame and postgame shows on 570, replacing Larry Burnett.

Hamilton, given a new three-year contract, will continue on the air at 570. He will do reports and commentaries during the morning and midday shows and will introduce the afternoon drive-time show with “Hacksaw’s Headlines.” Hamilton will also have a four-hour show on Saturdays and Sundays.

The new afternoon drive-time show will begin at 4 p.m. instead of 3. The midday show, with Steve Hartman, Mychal Thompson and Vic “The Brick” Jacobs, is being expanded by one hour.

Don Martin, the station’s general manager, who announced the moves Wednesday, denied that Hamilton was being demoted.

“There is no negative here,” Martin said. “We are giving Lee the chance to appear on all day parts. We had a chance to pick up two free agents, and we had to find room for them.”

Hamilton praised Martin, saying, “He is top shelf in dealing with people.” But Hamilton, 57, added that he was surprised by the move, even though he knew it was in the works and was told about the changes Aug. 15.

Hamilton came to what was then XTRA (690) in San Diego in 1986 and began doing his talk show on Aug. 1, 1987.