Sportscaster Curt Gowdy dies at 86

[mac56]

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=entertainment&id=3924447

One of the most famous voices in broadcast sports has been silenced. Curt Gowdy died today at his home in Florida after a long battle with leukemia. He was 86-years-old.

Gowdy had been the radio voice of the Boston Red Sox from 1951 to 1965. He broadcast NBC's baseball games and World Series games.

He covered superbowls and the Summer Olympics. He was named to the baseball hall of fame in 1984.

[Wetzelbill]

1. wow, that's too bad

Classic voice.

RIP Curt.

[MADem]

2. Oh, wow, a link with the past is gone

Back in the days when ya got TV from the antennae, and the reception wasn't always the best, or the game wasn't carried because the park didn't sell out, a staple of life was the game on the transistor, in the back yard, at the beach, in the car...with the voice of the Red Sox, our man Curt.

[Orsino]

11. I didn't follow sports at all, but even I knew Curt's voice and name. n/t

[Art_from_Ark]

22. He also did the baseball Game of the Week with Tony Kubek

My grandfather called him "Curt Gabby" because he was always talking about something

[President Jesus]

3. ...was a Republican

just sayin'.

proof: http://www.newsmeat.com/sports_political_donations/Curt_Gowdy.php

[WI_DEM]

5. Well, then he can just go to hell!

sarcasm.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. His contribution was to the world of sports

not politics (thankfully).

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. How sad

Did you ever see the HBO special he did on his career? It was great.

[joeybee12]

7. Too bad, even, as someone pointed out, he was a Repuke....

...must be from Wyoming because there's a Curt Gowdy State Park there.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Tell Ted Williams I said 'hello' Curt! nt

[ewagner]

9. Too bad

One of the few pleasant memories from my youth was listening to baseball games on the radio on the cool, screened-in back porch on hot summer afternoons. Great way to pass summer vactaion.

good bye Curt.

Thanks for the memories.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

10. RIP.

[lpbk2713]

12. He made a ball game worth listening to.

I haven't watched a BB game in years because Curt Gowdy wasn't there to do the play-by-play.


Well, OK, another reason I don't care anything at all about MLB is ever since the strike a few years ago the game was all for the overpaid players and the fat-cat owners and basically told the fans to fug off.

[Burma Jones]

13. RIP

Another voice of my youth .... gone....

At least Don Pardo is still with us, he'll be 88 this Wednesday......

[newyawker99]

14. Rest in Peace Mr Gowdy.

[SeattleGirl]

15. Sad.

He did have a very recognizable voice.

[SoCalDem]

16. He lived a good life and a long one.

RIP Curt

[supernova]

17. Didn't he also do a wildlife show on ABC?

I remember something about this from when I was little. Granted, they were usually big-game hunting, back when it was still cool to hunt Elephants.

But I liked when they went on African safari.

[bmbmd]

20. He hosted "The American Sportsman"

back when it was great- I remember Bing Crosby and Phil Harris flyfishing in Scotland, with Bing just crooning along. It was magical.

I loved him on AFC football with the late Al Derogatas. "You're so right, Curt, you're so right Curt."

[CottonBear]

21. I loved American Sportsman! What a classic! Mr. Gowdy was great!

The beer ads for the show said "You only go around once so go for all the gusto you can get!"

[Captain Hilts]

23. It seemed he was fishing with Phil Harris every week. nt

[Javaman]

18. "from the thrill of victory! to the agony of defeat!" RIP Curt.

Repuke or not, he had a great announcing voice. Great commentator too during the Olympics.

[0007]

19. I remember Curt Gowdy as a Wyoming University Cowboy

basketball star. He played with the great Kenny Sailors.

#

Curt Gowdy
Basketball, Tennis, 1940-42

One of the most recognized names and voices in broadcasting history, Curt Gowdy has been one of his native state's most vocal ambassadors. Before he began his broadcasting career, Gowdy played forward on the Wyoming basketball team from 1940-42, earning three varsity letters. He also lettered three times in tennis before graduating from UW in 1942. Gowdy began his career at radio station KFBC in Cheyenne and as a sportswriter for the Wyoming Eagle, then worked as a broadcaster in Oklahoma before joining the New York Yankees' broadcast team. He later worked for ABC Sports, creating and hosting "The American Sportsman", a weekly hunting and fishing show. He is a member of the American Sportscaster Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Sports Writers and Broadcasters Hall of Fame. As a broadcaster Gowdy has covered eight Super Bowls, 16 World Series, 12 Rose Bowls, eight Olympic Games and 22 NCAA Final Four Championships. Seven times Gowdy has been named the National Sportscaster of the Year. He has covered more major sporting events than any other broadcaster in history.

Inducted September 25, 1998

Honors and Awards
# Seven-time National Sportscaster of the Year
# Three-time Basketball and Tennis Letterman

[leftofthedial]

24. bummer

NBC's Game of the Week was a staple for most of my life it seemed.