As a student at Marquette University, Len Kasper used to carry a tape recorder into Admirals games at the Bradley Center, find an empty seat near press row and "broadcast" the action.

The practice and hard work paid off handsomely.

After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in public relations in 1993, Kasper moved on to stints at Milwaukee radio stations WISN and WTMJ, where he hosted talk shows and pre-game shows, and in 2002 he snagged a job as the television play-by-play man for the Florida Marlins.

After three seasons in south Florida, Kasper, now 36, hit the broadcasting jackpot -- he landed a job with the Chicago Cubs. Along with partner Bob Brenly, he calls the action for millions of Cubs fans across the world.

With the Brewers playing the Cubs this weekend at Wrigley Field, we figured it was a good time to catch up with Len Kasper. Enjoy this Milwaukee Talks interview with the Cubs announcer.

OnMilwaukee.com: You grew up in Michigan, matriculated at Marquette and now live in Chicago. You've been around Lake Michigan for much of your life. When people ask you where you are from, what do you tell them?

Len Kasper: I say I'm from a small town in Michigan (Mt. Pleasant) and if pressed further I say I then spent almost 13 years in Milwaukee where I went to Marquette and I now live in Chicago.

OMC: What drove you to attend Marquette and how did that teenage decision impact the rest of your life?

LK: I would say a few things: 1) It's in a city that has pro sports. 2) It's in a large city in general (being from a small town, I wanted to experience urban life). 3) I loved the Jesuit mission of MU. 4) I was accepted when I applied! I would say going to Marquette was an integral part of my life and I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if I hadn't gone there. I made so many great contacts during that time that I don't know where I'd be without it.

OMC: You picked up a lot of broadcast / radio experience in the Milwaukee market. Who influenced you along the way?

LK: This is tough because I don't want to leave anyone out, but I'll give you a few: Bill Baxter, my mentor at MU (now retired, he was a long-time PR Professor), Steve "The Homer" True, Andy Friedrich (who worked at Marquette and gave me a chance to do some pre-game interviews on the radio), Steve Wexler (former WTMJ program director who hired me), Joe Fasi (my agent), Tim Van Wagoner (former Brewers broadcasting director), Dennis Krause, Phil Cianciola, Jim Powell, Matt Vasgersian and, of course, my first baseball broadcasting partner, Bill Schroeder. That's more than a few I guess and there were others who helped me along the way.

OMC: A lot of people may not realize how close you came to securing the Brewers TV job when Matt Vasgersian left. Sources tell me it was a very close race between you and Daron Sutton, who ended up doing the games. Do you think about how life could have been different had you gotten the Brewers job?

LK: It was my dream job at the time. The funny thing is Daron and I instantly became great friends after he got the job. He plugged hard for me to get his old job in Anaheim, for which I was a finalist, but didn't get. Ultimately, I was hired in Florida and the rest, as they say, is history. I would have been honored to get the Brewers job, but maybe in the end, it just wasn't meant to be. I really think there are times when maybe you're "too close" to the situation and teams like to bring in a fresh voice / face. I completely respected their decision, especially considering they hired Daron, who's a terrific broadcaster. And let me add, I think Brian Anderson is excellent. I've watched many of their games and he and Bill are great together and Brian sounds like he's been doing this a long time.

OMC: What was more thrilling -- watching the Marlins win the pennant/World Series or doing your first game at Wrigley Field as the Cubs announcer?

LK: Great question. The '03 season (with Florida) was amazing for a lot of reasons. The Marlins were 10 games under .500 at one point and to see them surprise the baseball world and win it all is something I'll always cherish. Plus, that was just the second year in my first full-time big league job. But, from purely a broadcasting standpoint, considering the TV play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs is one of the most prestigious jobs in sports, I'd have to say my first game with the Cubs at Wrigley was probably my proudest moment as a broadcaster.

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