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Jim Hunter, Play-by-Play / Host of Orioles Xtra

Veteran broadcaster Jim Hunter is in his 12th year as a member of the Orioles broadcast team. Jim will work exclusively on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network again in 2008. He will host "O's Xtra," MASN's Orioles pre-game and post game shows, sharing the studio with Orioles Hall of Famer Rick Dempsey. Jim will also call games on MASN with Buck Martinez or Jim Palmer. Hunter was originally named as the Orioles' radio announcer on February 5, 1997 and brings to the booth 30 years of diversified broadcasting experience that ranges from Major League Baseball to the NFL to the Olympic Games.

Hunter, 49, came to Baltimore from CBS Radio Sports, where he had been since 1982. He had been a member of the network's "Game of the Week" announcing team since 1986. He broadcast the American League Championship Series, teaming with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench from 1990-92, and with the Orioles' first radio voice, Ernie Harwell, in 1993. In 1995, he called the National League Division Series and the NLCS, teaming with Jerry Coleman. In 1996, he called the National League Division Series in which the Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals in a thrilling 7-game series. In addition, Hunter hosted "Inside Pitch," the CBS Radio Sunday Night Baseball pre-game show.

During the off-season, Jim makes several appearances in the community on behalf of the ballclub as well as helping various charities. He is an active part of the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Friends Committee, which annually raises money for cancer research for children.

When Jim began his career at CBS in '82, he served as the Saturday evening anchor of Sports Central USA. He was later assigned to host Sportsbreak, a daily feature heard on CBS Radio from 1984-87. It was in 1987 that Jim was named full weekend anchor of Sports Central USA.

Jim's experience is varied and all-inclusive. In 1992 from Albertville, France and again in 1994 from Lillehammer, Norway, Hunter served as a studio anchor for CBS Radio's network coverage of the Winter Olympic Games. Also, he was the host for the NFL Preview and NFL pre-game and halftime reports. Jim has covered 12 Super Bowls. He began his broadcasting career in 1978 at WJLK Radio in Asbury Park, NJ.

A native of New Jersey, Hunter is a 1973 graduate of St. Benedict School and a 1977 graduate of St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel, NJ. He was inducted into his high school's athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. He attended Brookdale Community College and is a 1982 graduate of Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ with a BA in Communication Arts.

His peers have recognized Hunter for his accomplishments on several occasions. In 2002, he was named Maryland Sportscaster of the Year by The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He also received the prestigious Radio/TV Media Excellence Award from the New Jersey Sportswriters Association in 1998.

Hunter resides in Fallston, MD with his wife Bonnie. They have three children. Jimmy (23) is a graduate of York College, PA and is working in the television field. Jeff (21) is a junior at York College and Allie (17) is a junior at Fallston High School, and a member of the school's state championship field hockey team. They also have two faithful dogs, Bobby and Sadie.