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Mount Rushmore of sports announcers


Scott Dierking

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Last night on ESPN, as they reported the passing of Curt Gowdy, one of the anchors said that if you were to start a Mount Rushmore of sport broadcasters, you would have to include Curt in that monument. I agree.

Here is the rest of mine:

Curt Gowdy-The man just had a calm about him and then he could bring it to an appropriate crescendo at the right time. He didn't have to overhype an event and he allowed the event and the moment to speak for itself.

Vin Scully-I have to admit he has grown on me. At first I did not like him. But, you have to admit that the man can paint a picture unlike any other. When you talk old school, you are talking Vin. The man knows when silence should be used and allows it to speak for the game

Howard Cosell-Unpopular choice, I am sure. Know one thing, in the 70's and early 80's, if Cosell was covering the event, you knew it was a spectacle and a must listen to. The man was ego and bluster, but he was also not afraid to "tell it like it is", at least at early points in his career.

Keith Jackson-Maybe no announcer defines a single sport that he has covered more than Keith Jackson with college football. His Alabama pride aside, he is candid, frank and seems to enjoy the sport he covers.

Just missed:

Tim McCarver-Another unpopular choice, I am sure. His work with the Mets in the early 80's was prophetic. He brought you into the game as an analyst unlike anybody I had witnessed to that point. He was not afraid to ranle the home team, and that spelled his demise several times. Say what you want about his propensity to overanalyze (he does at times), the man is a brilliant strategist.

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Last night on ESPN, as they reported the passing of Curt Gowdy, one of the anchors said that if you were to start a Mount Rushmore of sport broadcasters, you would have to include Curt in that monument. I agree.

Here is the rest of mine:

Curt Gowdy-The man just had a calm about him and then he could bring it to an appropriate crescendo at the right time. He didn't have to overhype an event and he allowed the event and the moment to speak for itself.

Vin Scully-I have to admit he has grown on me. At first I did not like him. But, you have to admit that the man can paint a picture unlike any other. When you talk old school, you are talking Vin. The man knows when silence should be used and allows it to speak for the game

Howard Cosell-Unpopular choice, I am sure. Know one thing, in the 70's and early 80's, if Cosell was covering the event, you knew it was a spectacle and a must listen to. The man was ego and bluster, but he was also not afraid to "tell it like it is", at least at early points in his career.

Keith Jackson-Maybe no announcer defines a single sport that he has covered more than Keith Jackson with college football. His Alabama pride aside, he is candid, frank and seems to enjoy the sport he covers.

Just missed:

Tim McCarver-Another unpopular choice, I am sure. His work with the Mets in the early 80's was prophetic. He brought you into the game as an analyst unlike anybody I had witnessed to that point. He was not afraid to ranle the home team, and that spelled his demise several times. Say what you want about his propensity to overanalyze (he does at times), the man is a brilliant strategist.

I'm before your time...so, I would have to include Mel Allen...no one called a HR better than Mel.

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I'm before your time...so, I would have to include Mel Allen...no one called a HR better than Mel.

Yeah, I just know him from This week in Baseball and I know it is a classic voice.

Others I don't know well-Ernie Harwell, Bob Prince and many others.

When baseball was primarily a radio medium, it was an art form to describe a game.

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Who could forget a Ballintine Blast when the Mick was up..:cheers: Red Barber was good also but I never really liked Marty Glickman!

Mel's signature call..."How about that?"

Savage, I can't get on Glickman too much because he called by high school games...it was an annual telecast on Thanksgiving Day (WPIX-11).

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