NAMES & FACES

Marty Brennaman

The Baseball Hall of Fame playby-play announcer for the Reds says he’ll retire after the 2019 season, his 46th in Cincinnati. “It’s something I’ve thought about a long time,” Brennaman, 76, said. He joined the Reds in 1974, replacing Al Michaels. In his first game, he called Hank Aaron’s 714th career homer, which tied Babe Ruth’s record. In 1975 and ’76, Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine won World Series titles. Brennaman, who ends each win by declaring, “This one belongs to the Reds,” teamed with color commentator Joe Nuxhall from 1974-2004 and received the Ford C. Frick Award in 2000, the fourth Reds announcer to receive the Hall of Fame honor after Red Barber, Al Helfer and Russ Hodges. Brennaman’s son, Thom, also is a Reds broadcaster.

Jalen Hurts

The quarterback who lost his starting job at Alabama to Tua Tagovailoa announced in the Players’ Tribune that he will transfer to Oklahoma to replace A’s draft pick Kyler Murray. He will be available to play immediately as a graduate transfer. “So to my about-to-be family in Norman, I truly appreciate you for bringing me on board. Y’all don’t know me yet ... but just for now, to introduce myself: I’m a motivated coach’s son from the Eastside of Houston, and I love to play ball,” wrote Hurts, who had 5,626 yards and 48 TDs passing and 1,976 yards and 23 TDs rushing for the Crimson Tide. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley’s past two QBs were transfers who won the Heisman Trophy — Murray (Texas A&M) and Baker Mayfield (Texas Tech).

Associated Press