Minutes before going on the air to broadcast the Chattanooga women's basketball game at Western Carolina last Saturday, announcer Larry Ward's phone rang.
 
"Hello, Southern League!" he answered cheerily.
 
It was a phone call that would excite and humble the man known simply as "The Voice".
 
Ward, the longtime broadcaster for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team, found out 10 minutes before he was to go on the air that he was voted into the Southern League Hall of Fame.
 
After expressing disbelief and receiving reassurance from Lori Webb, the President of the Southern League, that it was indeed true and that he had "received a lot of votes", Ward's thoughts then went to the task at hand.
 
"While we were talking, I thought I've got to get off the phone because it's almost time to get on the air," Ward said. But that wasn't going to be an easy task.
 
"My mind raced back to when Wert Gammon called to tell me about the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame," Ward said. "Tears welled up and my throat swelled.
 
"The Southern League Hall of Fame is only in its third year and while I've been around for three-plus decades, it really surprised me. It's a very humbling experience."
 
Ward has spent 33 years in broadcasting, 27 with the Lookouts, and is the longest-tenured broadcaster in the Southern League. He has spent countless hours on buses, reserving hotel rooms and handling the travel details of players as they transferred between teams.
 
He is the fifth Lookout to be selected for the hall by the Southern League, joining former owner Frank Burke, baseball hall of fame infielder/outfielder Harmon Killebrew, pitcher Trevor Hoffman and manager Razor Shines (2014 season).
 
Ward experienced his first championship with the Lookouts in 2015, the club's first since 1988. Prior to his time with Chattanooga, he was in the booth in Portland, Tuscon, The Citadel as well as with Jacksonville.
 
In the offseason, Ward spends his time broadcasting games for the UTC women's basketball team. He spent three seasons with former head coach Craig Parrott before taking over duties with current NC State head coach Wes Moore, who brought 12 championships to Chattanooga with the Mocs. He is currently in his third season with Hall of Fame head coach Jim Foster, who has led UTC to back-to-back Southern Conference titles and pushing for a third.
 
Ward, along with Peter Bragan, Jr. (Jacksonville Suns), John Shoemaker (Jacksonville Suns) and Larry Schmittou (Nashville Sounds), will be recognized at the 2016 All-Star Game in Pearl, Miss., June 21. The purpose of the Southern League Hall of Fame is to recognize individuals for their accomplishments and contributions to the League on the field of play or in an administrative role. This shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, players, managers, coaches, umpires, League and team executives, owners, and media members.