WATCH: Florida releases tribute video to retiring Voice of Gators Mick Hubert
The Florida Gators released a touching tribute video in honor of Mick Hubert, the long-time Voice of the Gators, as he approaches retirement this weekend. Hubert announced that the Florida-South Carolina baseball series this weekend at Condron Ballpark will be his last game doing play-by-play after 33 years.
“That’s going to be it,” Hubert told floridagators.com. “This wasn’t the end of a five-year plan. I don’t know if I can explain how I knew, but I knew. I had been considering this for a little while… just had to do some praying about it and enjoy every game.”
The play-by-play announcer for Gators football, basketball and baseball never missed a game, except when football games overlapped with basketball games. Hubert called every UF football game since the 1989 season opener after taking over for David Steele.
“No one is invincible. You can be replaced at any moment, and I understand that,” Hubert said. “But like I [told Stricklin], I think by doing it now that I’m going out at what I consider the top of my game. It’s just time. It’s just time for me to go. I can still do it, but my wife has sacrificed her whole career. We missed so many get-togethers and parties and meetings.”
The 68-year-old and his wife, Judi, are planning a move to Sarasota and have sold their Gainesville home. Judi Hubert retired after 32 years as a kindergarten teacher at Oak Hall in May 2021.
“Five years ago, I’d probably told you I was going to do it until I was at least 80,” Hubert said. “That was five years ago. A couple of years ago, I started changing. I had a change of heart. Only God can change a person’s heart. I’m just being obedient right now.”
Hubert is the only broadcaster in history to call national championship wins for the same school in college in the three major sports. He called three for football, two for men’s basketball and one for baseball.
Florida will have an in-stadium recognition of Hubert’s career on the video board during this weekend’s series versus South Carolina. The athletics department also plans to make a tribute for him during the 2022 football season.