The award-winning sports announcer had retired last September after calling his 29th Salt Lake Bees season
Longtime Salt Lake Bees announcer Steve Klauke has died at age 69.
“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 retired last September after calling his 29th Salt Lake Bees season.
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.
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!”
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.
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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About the Miller Sports + Entertainment
Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) manages Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres, Larry H. Miller Megaplex Entertainment, the Salt Lake Bees, and Big League Utah and its quest to bring a Major League Baseball team to Salt Lake City.
About the Larry H. Miller Company
The Larry H. Miller Company (LHMCO) oversees the Miller family’s business platforms, including real estate, senior health, sports and entertainment, and investments. LHMCO has owned the Salt Lake Bees since 2005. The organization also owned and operated the Utah Jazz for 36 years and viewed the team as a community asset. In 1993, the Jazz hosted the NBA All-Star Game and secured the bid for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, both of which exceeded expectations. During their stewardship of the team, Larry H. and Gail Miller constructed and opened the Delta Center in 1991, and in 2017, the organization completed a 120-day arena renovation to deliver award-winning experiences and top-performing results. The company also owned and operated sports television and radio properties, founded and ran the Tour of Utah, built and operated the Miller Motorsports Park, and acquired and operated Fanzz, a sports apparel company. For more information, visit lhm.com.
About Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are in their 22nd season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels and will continue to be the top affiliate of the Angels through the 2030 season. While with Los Angeles, Salt Lake owns five division championships and two trips to the Pacific Coast League Finals. More than 430,000 fans attended a Bees game in 2022, placing the Bees in the Top 15 for Minor League Baseball attendance and making the team the second-highest attended sporting event in Utah. For more information visit www.slbees.com.
