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Aviators Russ Langer Named 2021 Nevada Sportscaster of the Year, Becomes 11-Time Recipient of the Nevada Award

January 18, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL) - Las Vegas Aviators News Release


(Las Vegas, NV) - January 18, 2022 - The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of Triple-A West (formerly the Pacific Coast League, PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, announced today the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) has named play-by-play broadcaster Russ Langer the 2021 Nevada Sportscaster of the Year. It marks the 11th overall time that he has received this award in the state of Nevada (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2021). Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal was named the 2021 Nevada Sportswriter of the Year, for the seventh time.

It also marks the fourth Las Vegas Stars/51s/Aviators broadcaster to win the award. Langer joins the late Bob Blum, Ken Korach (Oakland Athletics) and Tim Neverett (Los Angeles Dodgers) as past recipients.

The award also marks the 12th time overall in his career that he has been honored. He won the same honor in 1999 in the state of New Mexico, as the play-by-play voice of the Pacific Coast League's Albuquerque Dukes. The awards are determined by a poll of state sportswriters and sportscasters.

"I'm grateful and humbled to be awarded this prestigious honor," Russ Langer said. "Recognition of this sort by my peer group is especially meaningful."

The 62nd Annual NSMA Awards weekend and national convention is scheduled to be held from June 25-27, 2022, in Winston-Salem, N.C. The late Stuart Scott is among the 2022 class of four voted into the NSMA Hall of Fame. The others are sportscaster Hubie Brown, and sportswriters Curry Kirkpatrick and Jackie MacMullan.

For the first time in NSMA history, there is a tie for the national sportscaster of the year award. The 2021 winners are Turner Sports' Ernie Johnson and ESPN's Scott Van Pelt. NSMA members also voted ESPN.com's Jeff Passan as the 2021 national sportswriter of the year, according to NSMA Executive Director Dave Goren.

Langer enters his 35th year overall in the business and the 2022 season will mark his 22nd campaign calling the play-by-play for the Aviators. Las Vegas Triple-A professional baseball is broadcast on Raider Nation Radio 920 AM. In 2021, Langer also completed his 10th season as the radio play-by-play voice for the UNLV football team on the UNLV Sports Properties/Learfield Network.

Langer's inaugural season in Las Vegas was in 2000, the final year the franchise was known as the Stars. Prior to arriving in Las Vegas, Langer called PCL games for the Albuquerque Dukes (1996-99) and Phoenix Firebirds (1992-95).

He began his broadcasting career with Single-A Springfield Cardinals in 1987 and 1989, sandwiched around a year in Vero Beach (1988). He moved up the ranks to Double-A, calling games for the Midland Angels in 1990 and '91 before advancing to Triple-A Phoenix.

Langer realized his longtime goal of broadcasting Major League baseball when he worked a total of 30 Montreal Expos games during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, followed by nine games for the Baltimore Orioles in 2006. He has also broadcast selected spring training games for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-08), Toronto Blue Jays (2009-10) and Chicago White Sox (2012-20).

Langer's other honors include: 1993 Minor League Broadcaster of the Year by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues; broadcast the 1995 and 2016 Triple-A All-Star Game; 2002 Minor League Broadcaster of the Year by Minor League News.com.

The Aviators will open their 40th calendar season in the Silver State in both the season and home opener on Tuesday, April 5 against intrastate rival, the Reno Aces, Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, at Las Vegas Ballpark.

The Aviators led 2021 Triple-A West in home attendance with a total of 428,369 for an average of 6,590 in 65 dates which included six sellouts.

2022 Las Vegas Aviators season tickets, including suites and party decks are available by calling the Aviators administrative offices at (702) 943-7200.

Official licensed Aviators team merchandise is available on the "Team Shop" section of the website at www.aviatorslv.com.

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