Longtime Baltimore radio personality Tom Marr, whose career spanned talk radio and the Orioles broadcast booth, died Thursday. He was 73.
Marr suffered a stroke earlier this week, and was unable to recover due to the severity of the ailment.
“We know was special to so many throughout Maryland, as well as his audiences and media colleagues across the nation, and overseas,” his family said in a statement. “But he was even more special to us as a husband, father, and grandfather. He was our hero, and we will miss him dearly.”
Marr’s career spanned 50 years, having started as an anchor on WFBR. He joined a remade WCBM in the late 1980s, and remained at 680 on the dial for the rest of his career. He carried a conservative slant
“Tom Marr was one of the founding fathers of WCBM,” said the station’s director of programming and operations, Sean Casey. “He helped build this news-talk radio station into the force that it is today.”
Before talk radio, he was on the Orioles play-by-play team earlier in the 1980s, and covered Baltimore sports teams for CBS Radio.
As news of Marr’s passing spread, there was an outpouring from the Baltimore broadcast community:
The Orioles send condolences to the family & friends of Tom Marr, former O’s radio broadcaster 1979 to 1986, who passed away earlier today.
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 7, 2016
Tom Marr passed away this morning. I’m truly stunned. I’ll miss my dear friend and American patriot. RIP, my brother.
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) July 7, 2016
Tom Marr passed today.Great friend.Tons of memories to treasure.sympathies to Sharon,and all the Marr’s #Righton @masnOrioles
— Jim Palmer (@Jim22Palmer) July 7, 2016
