By Dan Hock
June 11, 2024
Longtime Salt Lake Bees announcer Steve Klauke has died at age 69.
Originally from the Chicago area, Klauke came to Utah in 1991 as a pre-game, halftime and post-game show host for the Utah Jazz and hosted a daily sports talk show on KISN. In addition to his work with the Bees and Weber State University, Klauke called games for the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, University of Utah, Utah Grizzlies and Utah Flash.
When Triple-A Baseball returned to Salt Lake City in 1994, Klauke came back home to the broadcast booth as the voice of the Buzz. Since then, he called 4,181 regular season and playoff games, punctuated nearly 4,000 Bees home runs with his signature “it’s up there, it’s out there, it’s gone!” call and put the exclamation point on 2,081 Salt Lake victories with “handshakes and high-fives all around!”
“Steve Klauke was a dedicated long-time employee and world-class broadcaster. Steve will forever be remembered as ‘the voice of the Bees’ and holds a special place in our hearts. We will always treasure and honor the immeasurable impact he had on the sports community in Utah and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Sue, and their children, Adam and Lisa,” said Gail Miller, co-founder and owner, the Larry H. Miller Company.
“Steve was a friend, a fan and an incredible sportscaster. He leaves a strong legacy for not only the Bees but for our entire community. He became the voice of baseball in Utah. We express our condolences to his family and offer our ongoing support,” said Steve Starks, CEO, the Larry H. Miller Company.
“Steve was one of the best voices in sports, and he was a dear friend,” said Marc Amicone, former president, Salt Lake Bees. “I will cherish the countless hours we spent together at the ballpark where I got to watch and listen to him do what he loved so much. We wish Sue, Adam and Lisa peace and comfort during this time.”
Klauke won the Utah Sportscaster of the Year Award three times, winning in 1995, 2014 and 2016. He was also named Ballpark Digest Broadcaster of the Year in 2014. After retiring as the Salt Lake Bees sportscaster, Klauke continued to work as the radio voice of Weber State University football and men’s basketball, where he served as the Wildcats’ broadcaster since 2015.
Klauke retired last September after calling his 29th Salt Lake Bees season.
Steve is survived by his wife, Sue Klauke, and two children, Adam Klauke and Lisa Klauke. At this time, the Klauke family has requested time to grieve and privacy.
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