It’s been a short stay with us here at the Muskegon Channel, but the three years that Jonathan Timm has been with the Muskegon Clippers as their play by play announcer have been a great foundation to build on and the call came for him to take that next step up the mountain, and he’s doing it! Beginning in the Spring, “Jonny” Timm will be working in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. As we send Jonathan off, we thought we’d meet up one last time to hear his thoughts on his time in Muskegon along with his future plans in the Big Leagues!!
Much like baseball, broadcasting needs a “farm team”. A smart student looking to get his foot in the door to become a broadcaster seeks out a spot like a role with the Muskegon Clippers like Jonathan did when he was finishing up the last couple years of school. He got the news that he was picked to get things going while in class, daydreaming about doing what he wanted to do while fulfilling the “requirements”. We live here day to day and might think… Muskegon? Really? But a spot in a developmental organization like the Clippers for baseball players is fertile ground for an aspiring broadcaster to get some time behind the mic, and build that portfolio that the bigger jobs will be looking at in a couple of short years. It speaks volumes of the Gawkowski family as well as the Clippers organization to recognize this opportunity for a young broadcaster as opposed to bringing in some more established name that might be familiar, but wouldn’t benefit to the degree that a young person would. Familiar is great for the Public Address Announcer, at the Clippers, that’s Tim Lipan. The play by play seat is unattainable gold for a lot of younger broadcasters. Jonathan sure found the right place.
Tim Lipan is actually how Jonathan came to us. “Hey, Andy, you need to meet this kid….” I sincerely wish we’d have had a little more time together. Life events play out as they do however. The Clippers lost their founder Pete Gawkowski, who was very much like a stepdad to Jonathan. That same day, Jonathan got an to meet up for an interview to possibly head back to Wisconsin to be a part of the Milwaukee Brewers organization working with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Imagine the emotional roller coaster of that day at 24 years old?
Jonathan takes a few minutes today to talk about his experience in Muskegon. Some of the highlights of his time here and some of the outstanding players he’s had the chance to call in a game. Sitting listening to him, I got a little reflective. Some of the “big names” in music I met when I was his age that have gone on the major careers….I always have the “I knew them when” story in my back pocket. Jonathan will have those stories and more one day too, we’ll have those stories about Jonathan. I was in a little bigger market to start my career and came to a smaller one with a purpose. Jon began in a smaller market and is going to work his way up. That’s broadcasting and that’s how it works.
It’s in the transfer of knowledge, experience and respect of the art that the careers like Jonathan’s will continue to flourish. There will come a day when he gets the chance to open a door for a younger broadcaster, and he’s seen by example here in Muskegon just how that’s done. Muskegon. We are very gifted in the ability to grab hold of those who come to us, for a short time or a long one and get them on to bigger and better things. Jonathan….please look back on your time here fondly, we’re proud to have had you part of our community and part of the Muskegon Channel.
