Dan McLaughlin will not resume duties as Cardinals broadcaster following third DWI
The St. Louis Cardinals and longtime broadcaster Dan McLaughlin have parted ways.
It was announced Thursday that McLaughlin, facing a felony charge for his third DWI offense, will not return to play-by-play duties next season.
It was described as a “mutual decision,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
“Dan McLaughlin will not return as the Cardinals television play-by-play announcer on Bally Sports Midwest,” the team and telecaster said in a joint statement. “Dan has been the voice of memorable Cardinals moments for 24 years. We thank him for his contributions to Cardinals baseball, to Cardinals fans and for his many charitable efforts.”
Police in Creve Couer, a suburb of St. Louis, said McLaughlin was pulled over around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, after officers received two separate reports about an impaired driver. According to Fox 2 Now, Creve Coeur police arrested McLaughlin after he failed a sobriety test in a traffic stop on Interstate 270.
St. Louis County prosecutors charged McLaughlin with one felony for a persistent offender of driving earlier this month, Fox 2 Now reported.
McLaughlin, 48, had handled play-by-play duties for St. Louis Cardinals games through FOX Sports Midwest and Bally Sports Midwest since 2000.
It is possible McLaughlin could be back with BSM or the ballclub in some capacity down the line. However, a Bally Sports Midwest spokesperson said a nationwide search will take place to find a replacement for him in the booth, the Post-Dispatch reported.
McLaughlin’s most recent arrest marks his third DWI charge. In 2010, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated. His driver’s license was suspended, but not revoked. In 2011, he was arrested after a one-vehicle crash near his home in Chesterfield. FOX Sports Midwest suspended him from all broadcasts, including the World Series run. McLaughlin later returned to baseball broadcasts in February 2012.
According to Missouri law, a persistent offender of DWI is someone who has been charged with at least two prior convictions of intoxication-related traffic crimes. McLaughlin’s next court hearing regarding the felony charge is scheduled Feb. 3.