USAToday | March 1, 2010

It might be, it could be, it is … Harry Caray’s birthday.

The broadcasting icon – and one of the most imitated voices and styles to this day – would have been 96 years old ,  making his birth date on March 1, 1914, just eight years after his beloved Cubs won their last World Series.

Harry called Cubs games from 1982 until his death in 1997 and his legend spread as nearly all the team’s games were carried on superstation WGN in cable systems nationwide.

Caray, who died in 1998, still has star power, especially in Chicago where today they are staging the 12th Toast to Harry at the city’s Navy Pier.

Before arriving at Wrigley Field, Caray broadcast the Southside White Sox for 11 years after a season in Oakland and 25 years in St. Louis. It was in St. Louis where he became famous as a Cardinals announcer and – going way back to World War II – a voice of the old St. Louis Browns.