Now you can see the voice

His voice is recognizable all-over South Florida. Now we can see him.

Jay Rokeach, a member of the very first graduating class at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School (1968) has just completed his, gulp, 55th season as Public Address announcer for the baseball team at the University of Miami (Fla.).

And last week, his photo was etched forever on a baseball card.

“I was surprised, very surprised to say the least,” Rokeach told the Eagle from Florida. “Every season the Miami baseball team gives away a set of baseball cards, with every player and every coach.”

This year they included the man who has been behind the microphone as PA voice at Miami’s Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

“When those cards were given to the fans last week,” Rokeach said, “all of a sudden people were coming up to the press box window with a sharpie – wanting an 

autograph.

“I was touched, to say the least.”

Normally thousands of baseball card-sets are made, according to Rokeach. “This year only some 500 sets, and they were all given out,” he said.

“When I posted my card on Facebook,” he said, “I got some 500 likes. In fact, I only have two cards for myself.”

Not to worry – the University of Miami honored Rokeach after his 40th, 45th and 50th seasons behind the microphone.

And when the baseball season started in February, he was surprised with his own personal Jayro microphone.

“I have to thank a lifetime friend – Rick Remmert – the Associate Athletic Director at the University of Miami for Alumni Relations,” he said, “He’s been so very nice to me all these years.”

All these years for Rokeach started as basketball team manager for coach Len Schroder at FDR High School.

And that’s where he grabbed his first microphone.

As team manager – and announcer for the then FDR Navigators – today they are the Cougars – Rokeach got his taste not only for sports – but being the centerpiece of…