BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — After 31 years, Curt Bloom finally got his chance to call a Major League baseball game.

Bloom, who has been the announcer for the Birmingham Barons since 1991, was called up to Chicago last Sunday to call a game between the White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians. The Barons are the AA affiliate of the Barons.

“It was really neat because I didn’t expect it,” Bloom said. “And that’s what makes life and these gifts even better.”

Bloom said he was told on a zoom call with the White Sox director of Broadcasting that they wanted to reward him for all the time he’s been with the White Sox organization and he was going to call a game after the All-Star break.

“It hits you ‘Oh, wow. I’m going to do what I wanted to do since I was 9 years old,'” he said.

Bloom said he didn’t want to be nervous about the opportunity, nor did he was to be overconfident. For him, he wanted to embody the saying “Act like you’ve been there before.”

Will there be other opportunities for Bloom to call games for the Sox?

“I can only hope, but I think again, you put your best foot forward and now for the first time in 30 years, I don’t have to send them a resume or a tape,” he said. “You know, that’s the greatest part about it. It’s just all ready made.”

Bloom’s got the tape and the memories, both sure to be replayed over and over.

“Keep following your dreams,” he said. “Love what you’re doing. Follow your dreams. Be inspired. Go out and get it. You’re going to hear no. Don’t worry about that. Just keep going at it and that’ll do it.”