Sports on New York Radio [Hardcover]

David Halberstam (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1999

"Radio is purely the announcer's medium. Accordingly, most of the best sports broadcasting has been done not on television, but on radio. David Halberstam writes from the knowledgeable and nuanced perspective of one who practices, respects, and understands the craft and its history." --Bob Costas NBC Sports "Some of my friends and associates do not believe there was civilization before television, but I assure them that listening to Red Barber on radio from Ebbets Field or to Marty Glickman from Madison Square Garden was better than watching television. It was magic. Sports on New York Radio brings back memories of that magic. Reading about the many gifted radio voices who covered the Dodgers, Yankees, Giants, Rangers, Jets, the fights, and so much more reinforces my early conviction that I would never be a broadcaster. How I made it to even the brink of such company still baffles me." --Dick Schaap ABC News The Sports Reporters, ESPN "I grew up with Red Barber, Mel Allen, and Marty Glickman. They were warm, friendly, great voices. Through the radio they brilliantly linked the fan with the game. David Halberstam captures the colorful history and many great memories of sports on the radio." --Robert Merrill #1-1/2 New York Yankees New York Metropolitan Opera "The next best thing to sports on radio is reading about the perfect marriage of sports and radio. Halberstam takes us there. The information is riveting, the anecdotes hilarious. Radio lives in these pages." --Vic Ziegel Columnist New York Daily News "Sports radio in New York has spawned many broadcast legends, and David Halberstam has captured them in his thoughtful book." --David W. Checketts President and CEO Madison Square Garden

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In the 1920s something called radio began to change the way sports fans could track their teams. Previously, newspapers had been their only source of information. As radio caught on several far-sighted entrepreneurs, recognizing its power and potential, helped it become the sports fan's medium. Sports on New York Radio: A Play-by-Play History gives readers a look at the beginnings of New York radio and how the city's broadcasters shaped the face of radio throughout the nation. The play-by-play announcer, from Graham McNamee in the 1920s through Mel Allen, Phil Rizzuto, and Red Barber, to today's top voices, have touched millions of listeners for generations. The stories behind the broadcasts and the men whose voices brought them to life are covered in this provocative and hugely entertaining history.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570281971
• ISBN-13: 978-1570281976
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #559,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Sports Broadcasting

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meticulously researched; the best book ever on the subject!, March 2, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sports on New York Radio (Hardcover)

Having grown up in ny in the 40s and 50s listening to all the sports on the radio, this book was a great match to my interests. Like the author, I have a passion for sports broadcast history and have extensive data on the subject myself; to my pleasant suprise, I did not find a single factual inaccuracy in the entire book! The broadcast histories are the most comprehensive I've ever seen; moreover, the author brings to life the voices of ny sports with highly readable biographies and critiques; in terms of detail, this book goes far beyond anything ever published; anyone whose husband, father or grandfather grew up listening to the Stanley Cup champion Rangers (either the 1940 or 1994 version), Warm Up Time and Sports Extra, the Yankees, Dodgers and Giants, the Knicks (or even the New Jersey Americans, Brooklyn Tigers, the Golden Blades or the weekly fights at St Nick's Arena) should order this book and gift wrap it immediately; had I not already given this gift to myself, it would be the most appreciated gift I could imagine!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedic Masterpiece of Sports Broadcasting, October 28, 1999

By 

V. Gardino "Gardino Chronicles" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sports on New York Radio (Hardcover)

David Halberstam has compiled an exceptionally well written history of sports broadcasting in the Big Apple. His research is phenominal. The anecdotes that he has compiled make you just breeze through this great page turner. If you want a behind the scenes look at sports broadcasting this is the book for you! Halberstam's prose is witty and concise. Anyone would enjoy this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thorough History on A Fascinating Subject, September 17, 2003

By 

C. W. Emblom "Bill Emblom" (Ishpeming, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sports on New York Radio (Hardcover)

If ever one of my book reviews deserved five stars this is it in spades. David Halberstam, a great author on numerous subjects, has provided us with a comprehensive history of the great names that have graced the radio sports scene in New York. The book is filled with anecdotes that reveal the personalities of such greats as Graham McNamee, Ted Husing, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Don Dunphy, Phil Rizzuto, Marv Albert, Marty Glickman, Clem McCarthy, Russ Hodges, Jim Woods, Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy, and numerous others. Anyone who ever reported sports on radio in New York is in here. Separate chapters are devoted to boxing, hockey, college and pro football, basketball, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, talk radio, and his personal experience of a mistake he, himself, made while doing a game for the Miami Heat basketball team. The book concludes with a final section on references that cover most anything you may want to know on this subject. Halberstan says that baseball voices are not paid for how they describe a play, but how they handle airtime between plays. We are treated to a number of Vin Scully phrases such as when the Brewers and Cardinals, both sponsored by beer companies, played in the 1982 World Series. Scully said, "There will be no bad hops in this Series." An interesting tidbit is that Connie Desmond and Al Helfer are the only individuals that have covered the Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants. An interesting, but puzzling, story is told when Halberstam asked the general manager of a radio station in Talahassee, Florida, to arrange for him to spend a half hour with Red Barber. Barber was cordial, but could be cold with visitors. The author said he had so much to ask him. Just as he was warming up, Barber politely got up off his chair, shook the author's hand, and thanked him for coming. Thirty minutes were up, and it was time to go. If you enjoy the giants of the sports airwaves this book is a must for your reading, and deserves a prominent place in anyone's sports library.