It’s etched in Stone: Rosey Rowswell was the greatest of all Pirates announcers

By RALPH STONE
MVI Columnist

Last week’s story was indicative of the lifelong love affair that I’ve had for baseball. It all began 81 summers ago when I first picked up a bat and smacked the softball into the alley of the homemade ball field that a group of about 20 urchins had cleaned up and transformed into their own playground. It was love at first swat!
Soon thereafter, I discovered the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the rest is history. A huge portion of that history came from the lips of a man I never personally knew, but he was one who brought the ball games into my living room, as I sat with my ears glued to that large, floor model Philco radio.
That voice came from the one and only, Albert “Rosey” Rowswell, who preceded the “Gunner,” Bob Prince, as the voice of Pirates. Rosie had a unique way of broadcasting the events of the game, especially when Ralph Kiner or anyone from the Pirates hit a round tripper. Rosey had an imaginary woman he called Aunt Minnie who was always doing some household chore when one of our heroes blasted a long ball.

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