Tim Tooten Jr. is a play-by-play announcer for CCBC Dundalk Lions Basketball.
Highlights
- Starting from a 15-second NAACP PSA in high school, Tooten built a 40-year career, becoming WBAL-TV’s dedicated education reporter for 35 years and creating impactful documentaries like “Africa’s Maryland.”
- Beyond journalism, he served as a nondenominational pastor at Harvest Christian Ministries, earned advanced theology degrees, and taught as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Maryland.
- His unique reporting style, particularly his signature school closure announcements featuring collected hats, made him a beloved figure in Baltimore media until his retirement in 2023 and subsequent passing in early 2024.
He has worked as a sports broadcaster for Baltimore County Public Schools for over eight years.
He covers high school football and basketball for BCPS-TV.
He also hosts his own show, “Sports View with Tim Tooten Jr.” where he interviews student-athletes and coaches.
Unfortunately, in his personal front, he had to go through a devastating loss as his father, Dr. Tim Tooten passed away, in February 2025 at the age of 66.
He will be remembered not just as a broadcaster but as a storyteller who illuminated the lives and challenges of Baltimore’s communities.
Play by Play Announcer for CCBC Dundalk Lions Basketball Tim Tooten Jr.’s Father Was A Successful Professional In His Own Right
Tim Tooten was a distinguished Baltimore television journalist whose career spanned more than four decades.
His journey in media began unexpectedly during high school when a teacher selected him to record a 15-second public service announcement for the NAACP.
That brief moment sparked a passion that would define his professional life.
Tooten’s broadcasting path started in 1976 as a high school disc jockey in Live Oak, Florida.
He pursued his passion academically, earning a Bachelor of Science in communications from Florida State University.
His early reporting experiences took him through Washington, D.C., and West Virginia, where he honed his journalistic skills.
Cheryl Bost on Sunday 9 February 2025
Tooten’s first full-time journalism job brought him to a station in West Virginia, where he met his wife, Charleen.
He later moved to Baltimore, working as a general assignment reporter for WMAR.
Though that position lasted only 15 months, it did not deter his ambition.
He briefly worked in insurance while continuing freelance television work.
In 1988, Tooten began his legendary tenure at WBAL-TV.
He quickly became the station’s only full-time education reporter, a role he embraced with dedication and passion.
His unique approach to reporting, especially during school closings with his collection of school hats, became a beloved Baltimore television tradition.
Tooten’s journalism extended beyond daily reporting.
He produced critically acclaimed documentaries that highlighted important social and historical narratives.
His half-hour documentary “Africa’s Maryland” explored the colonization period of freed slaves traveling from Fells Point to Liberia.
This work was so impactful that it prompted Maryland’s governor to sign a significant cultural agreement with Liberian counties.
Another notable documentary, “East is East,” profiled the African American experience on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
These works earned him prestigious awards, including the National Edward R. Murrow Award and the National Headliner Award Best of Show.
Parallel to his journalism career, Tooten was a nondenominational Christian pastor.
He founded Harvest Christian Ministries in Baltimore County and continued his spiritual education, earning a Master of Theology from Saint Mary’s Ecumenical Institute and a Doctor of Ministry from Virginia University of Lynchburg.
Tooten’s commitment to education extended beyond reporting.
He served as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Maryland, teaching broadcast journalism.
He was also a mentor to African American men at Perry Hall High School and served on the Maryland Bible Society board.
Talking about his personali life, Tim Tooten married his wife Charleen on March 10, 1984.
Celebrating her birthday on March 18, she went to Huntington High School.
They celebrated their four-decade wedding anniversary in 2024.
Together, they raised three children and enjoyed a life dedicated to community, faith, and storytelling.
Colleagues remembered Tooten as the newsroom’s “spiritual center” and a champion of education.
Deborah Weiner and Jason Newton spoke of his heart, compassion, and commitment to people.
Tooten retired in 2023 at age 65, concluding a remarkable 35-year career at WBAL-TV.
He continued his ministry work and spent time with his family.
On social media, he often shared messages of faith, encouraging people to trust in God’s plans.
Additional Information
- Tim Tooten authored “Leading by Example: A Parental Guide to Teaching and Modeling Christian Faith at Home,” a Christian parenting guide.
- He conducted media trainings, performance seminars, and crisis communications sessions for churches, schools, and universities.
- He won an Associated Press award for his undercover investigative series about discriminatory practices in private clubs in West Virginia.
