SANTA CLARA -– The San Francisco 49ers will honor former team radio broadcaster and Bay Area sports icon Lon Simmons this Sunday, August 23 prior to the team’s preseason home opener against the Dallas Cowboys. During a pre-game ceremony before the 5:00 p.m. kickoff, the 49ers and members of Simmons’ family will celebrate the life of the long-time voice of the 49ers. Simmons passed away last April at the age of 91.
On Saturday, the team will be joined by Simmons’ daughter Robin and other family members to unveil a bronze plaque featuring Simmons’ portrait. The plaque will then be installed outside the 49ers Home Radio Booth on Levi’s® Stadium’s Verizon Press Level.
Simmons spent 26 seasons calling the play-by-play for 49ers football games, beginning in 1957.
The legendary broadcaster also called games for the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics during his storied career that spanned five decades of Bay Area sports.
In addition to re-naming the 49ers Home Radio Booth in Simmons’ honor, the team will also integrate photos of Simmons’ tenure with the team into the 49ers Museum presented by Sony. Before the beginning of the regular season, those images will be placed in the museum’s broadcast booth exhibit that will be re-named the Lon Simmons “Be the Broadcaster” Booth. The interactive exhibit allows fans to listen to and try to emulate some of the most memorable calls in 49ers history made by Simmons – such as “The Drive” and “Young Gets Away” – and other team broadcasters. Simmons’ voice lives on throughout the 49ers Museum presented by Sony, being featured in a number of exhibits to help fans relive great moments in 49ers history.
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