The Voice of Summer and Bells’ Baseball: A look at Zen Hill, Play-by-Play Broadcaster

Written by: Merrick Parnell

This summer, Zen Hill will be behind the mic for the Bellingham Bells as their play-by-play broadcaster for a second season.

Known for his work as the voice of Western Washington University Athletics on their broadcasts, Hill will take his passion and knowledge to provide a dynamic soundtrack to baseball and summer in Bellingham and Whatcom County.

Hill grew up in the San Diego Mountains in the small town of Julian, California. Like most, he grew up playing the game of baseball but didn’t consider it a passion of his at a young age. However, he discovered his love for the sport when he returned to the game as a senior in high school. He recalls that season when he played centerfield for his school, which was one of the best sports experiences of his life.

Becoming a broadcaster has been a unique journey for Hill. As a freshman at Western Washington University, he worked as a mascot for the school’s Athletics Marketing team and expressed an interest in broadcasting WWU games. Jeff Evans, Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Communications, heard about Hill’s interest and began having him broadcast softball, then eventually volleyball (color analyst), and men’s and women’s basketball.

“Once I got to experience these roles, I knew I wanted to take this a step further and push for a career in play–by–play or color,” Hill said.

The opportunity to call Bells’ games arose after a friend and Bells’ staffer, Hayley McGee, told Hill last season about the opening for a play-by-play broadcaster. From there, he worked all of their home games last summer.

“Doing play-by-play for the Bells has granted me the opportunity to see some extremely talented prospects who all have their own origins and stories,” said Hill.

He continued, “We [the Bells] take in people from all over the country, so there are many opportunities to tell a unique story with every player, alongside the fact that they are all talented ball players.”

The aspect of Hill being a local resident and WWU student was attractive to the Bells in hiring him because they knew Hill would have local knowledge and ties to the community.

“By having knowledge of the local community and being a local resident, he adds a lot of background knowledge of the area and athletics in the area. Being in town, he also has more flexibility and availability to help with pre-season projects like writing and player research,” said Bells General Manager, Stephanie Morrell.

Hill loves the game of baseball and its slower pace because he can use that time to help him tell stories, give exciting facts, and other information, in addition to calling the action on the diamond. He finds his style of not “speaking 100 words per minute” helps him better relate to the listeners and believes his style is best suited for radio broadcasts because there is a need to be descriptive and use words to paint a picture.

The ability to work several sports has helped develop Hills’ broadcasting skills and allowed him to remain flexible, which he said has been the secret to his success.

Several broadcasters have had a significant influence on Hill’s play calls.

“I like to joke with people saying ‘I’m like Joe Buck,’ which gets mixed reactions,” Hill explained.

However, he likes to reference and learn from several broadcasters across different sports. For baseball, like most Californians, he reveres former Los Angeles Dodgers broadcasting legend Vin Scully and current Dodgers play-by-play broadcaster Joe Davis.

For his work and passion, Hill has been embraced by Bells’ management and fans alike.

“Zen has a great energy and enthusiasm he brings to the broadcasts. He’s easy to listen to and has worked hard to research players so he can share stories and anecdotes that add to the broadcast,” said Morrell.

Zen Hill’s journey to becoming the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bellingham Bells showcases his deep love for baseball and storytelling, from his roots in the San Diego Mountains to his collegiate experiences at Western Washington University. Hill’s dedication has brought him to this role. With a knack for blending local knowledge and game insights, he captivates listeners with his dynamic commentary. As he enters his second season with the Bells, fans can expect another summer of exciting broadcasts, showcasing Hill’s passion for the game and his skill as a broadcaster.