Rockies KOA Broadcaster Jerry Schemmel Loses Job

DENVER, CO — Jerry Schemmel, the longtime voice of the Colorado Rockies baseball team on KOA radio, has been laid off, according to several reports. The play-by-play announcer told The Denver Post, which first reported the story, that he is "shocked."

"... I never saw this coming," he told the Post. "I really didn't. It came out of left field, for sure. It’s unfortunate that I am part of a business that can be prone to massive corporate layoffs. It’s a hard reality.”

Schemmel is no stranger to difficult times, having survived the crash of United Flight 232 in 1989. An engine blew and the plane crashed in a field in Iowa. A total of 112 people died, and 184 people survived the crash.

He said the crash brought him closer to God, and he still flew everywhere with the Rockies.

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In an iHeartRadio statement posted by 9News' Kyle Clark on Twitter, the radio conglomerate said it's "modernizing" to "take advantage of significant investments" in new technology.

"During a transition like this it's reasonable to expect that there will be some shifts in jobs — some by location and some by function —but the number is relatively small given our overall employee base of 12,500," the statement read in part.

"That said, we recognize that the loss of any job is significant; we take that responsibility seriously and have been thoughtful in the process."

Read the full Denver Post report here.