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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Lifelong Athletics fan and Oakland native Amelia Schimmel is the club’s new public address announcer, replacing the late Dick Callahan.
Schimmel becomes the third active female PA voice in the big leagues, joining Renel Brooks-Moon across San Francisco Bay with the Giants and Marysol Castro with the New York Mets. The Orioles also called up Adrienne Roberson from the minors to serve as PA announcer during the shortened 2020 season.
Callahan died in January at age 80 after 15 seasons on the microphone for home games at the Coliseum.
“We were fortunate to have the warm and welcoming voice of Dick Callahan echo throughout the Coliseum for 15 years. Dick was a friend to everyone he crossed paths with and beloved by A’s fans,” A’s President Dave Kaval said in a statement. “Dick was also a great mentor and teacher to those who worked alongside him on a nightly basis, including Amelia. We know that she will continue his legacy, and we are excited for her to become the first female voice of the Athletics.”
Schimmel joined the organization in November 2017 as executive producer of game entertainment and video content. She served as guest PA announcer during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season as Callahan opted out for health reasons during the pandemic.
Previously, she worked eight years as an editor and segment producer at MLB Network.
“I am an Oakland A through and through, so this is the greatest honor of my career,” Schimmel said. “As an Oakland native, I spent many nights at the Coliseum with my family. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would become the PA announcer for my favorite team. I am truly thankful for this opportunity and cannot wait for Opening Day.”
A softball player since age 7, she added: “I’m also eternally grateful to the late Dick Callahan, who was a great mentor to me over the last three years. Nobody will replace Dick, but I hope to make him proud as I sit behind the mic each night.”
Longtime Giants PA Brooks-Moon said she’s “so thrilled” for Schimmel.
“She truly deserves this. I reached out to her last season to offer my support and we have remained friends,” Brooks-Moon said in a message to The Associated Press. “I had hoped it wouldn’t have taken so long for Marysol and Amelia to follow. But change is often slow. It was a lonely place for me for almost two decades, and now I have two sisters in solidarity.
“I’ve always hoped that my legacy would be that I helped to bring significant changes to MLB, and that includes improving diversity on the field, in the front office and on the mic. And for both of us to be the voices of our childhood teams is remarkable and the cherry on top!!”
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