ASA Sportsbeat
"Sportscasting in the News"

** Updated 7/28/10 **

ASA Board Member Jon Miller received the Ford C. Frick Award during the annual Baseball Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, NY on July 25, 2010. ASA President Lou Schwartz was also on hand for the festivities and to show support for Miller (For Miller's speech and photos from the event see News)

George Steinbrenner, whose thirst for winning gained him infamy as Yankees owner, died Tuesday, July 13, the team confirmed, after suffering a massive heart attack at his Tampa home. He was 80 years old.(For full story see news)

Bob Sheppard, whose elegant introductions of stars from Joe DiMaggio to Derek Jeter at Yankee Stadium for more than a half century earned him the nickname "The Voice of God," died Sunday, July 11. He was 99.(For full story see news)

Scott Clark, ASA Advisory Board member and sports anchor for WABC-TV Ch. 7 in New York since 1986, has decided he will be retiring in January to enjoy life away from the sports desk. With his contract set to expire in January, Clark said he went to station management and said it was time to go. They offered to negotiate a new deal, but he, with the support of his family, made the decision to step away."I just told them it was not about money or anything else. This was my decision," he said.

Lorn Brown, former Chicago White Sox announcer died on June 24. He was 71. Brown called games on television and radio from 1976-79 and 1983-88. He also did games for DePaul, Notre Dame, Bradley, the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference before moving in 2005 to Las Cruces, where he worked for New Mexico State. Brown worked alongside Harry Caray, Jimmy Piersall, Don Drysdale, Early Wynn and Del Crandall in the White Sox booth. He was at the microphone in 1983 when the White Sox clinched the AL West title to reach the postseason for the first time since 1959.

Legendary voice of the Detroit Tigers Ernie Harwell received the “Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award” posthumously at Fordham University’s WFUV-Spring Gala on May 5th in New York City. Former Tiger great and baseball Hall of Famer Al Kaline accepted the award on Harwell’s behalf.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck issued a public apology on “The View” to “Dancing with the Stars” contestant and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews after Hasselbeck said Andrews’ costumes were too provocative, especially since she was a recent victim of a peeping tom.

Longtime Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell, beloved by generations of fans who grew up listening to his rich voice, Southern cadence and quirky phrases on the radio, has died after a months-long battle with cancer. He was 92.(See In Memoriam for full story)

Hall of Fame boxing referee Arthur Mercante, the third man in the ring for the first Joe Frazier-Muhammad Ali fight and more than a hundred other world title bouts, died Saturday. He was 90. Mercante, a longtime friend of ASA President Lou Schwartz, died at his home in Westbury, said Edward Brophy, executive director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota. The cause of death wasn't disclosed.

ASA member Bob Uecker was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Uecker, the longtime voice of the Milwaukee Brewers, served as Master of Ceremonies for Wrestlemania III and IV. He was inducted by longtime friend and Chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Dick Ebersol.

Sports broadcasting and cable pioneer, Chester R. "Chet" Simmons, who served as president of ESPN when it launched in 1979, died of natural causes Thursday, March 25, in Atlanta. He was 81.(For Full Story see News)

Tony Kornheiser has been suspended as host of ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" for comments he made on his radio show last week about Hannah Storm's wardrobe, according to several media reports. (For full story see News)

ASA Board member Jon Miller, who has spent parts of five decades as the voice of five major league baseball teams, was selected Monday, February 1, as the 2010 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. (For full story see News)

Ernie Harwell, ASA Hall of Famer and legendary voice of the Detroit Tigers, celebrated his 92nd birthday on January 25.

Rory Markas, who called Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim games on both TV and radio for the past eight seasons, died on January 4. He was 54. Markas was also the voice of USC men's basketball and was a reporter and sportscaster for KTTV-TV in Los Angeles.

Peter Gammons, veteran ESPN baseball analyst since 1989, has moved to the MLB Network where he will appear on the studio shows “Hot Stove” and “MLB Tonight,” as well as do online reporting for the station’s website.

George Michael, a mainstay on the Washington, DC, sports television scene for decades who reached a national audience with “The George Michael Sports Machine,” has died. He was 70 years old.”Sports Machine” began shortly after Michael’s arrival at WRC-TV in Washington in 1980 as “George Michael’s Sports Final,” a late night local feature. Then in 1984 it grew into the first nationally syndicated sports highlights show, eventually airing in 194 markets across the country and in 10 foreign countries. It was a trendsetting program, gaining its footing in the days before ESPN and cable television were widely available.

Bill Mazer’s legendary 69-year broadcasting career likely ended last month when “The Amazin’” stepped down as host of a talk show on WVOX AM in Westchester, NY. Mazer,89, who hosted the first call-in sports show in 1964 on NBC Radio, admitted that his hearing has started to falter which prompted him to hang up his headphones. Mazer is probably best known as the host of “Sports Extra” for over 20 years on WNYW-TV Ch.5 in New York. He was also the first TV broadcaster of the New York Knicks when they played in the BAA in 1947.

ASA member Peggy Kusinski of NBC 5 in Chicago won the Midwest Regional Emmy Award for Individual Excellence as a sportscaster for the second straight year. She also won for Outstanding Feature Reporting.

"Oh my!" The Padres have landed a legend for their television broadcast team -- ASA Chairman Dick Enberg, who is considered not only one of the most versatile broadcasters in sports, but also one of the most recognized.(For Full Story, see News)

Chip Caray has called his final baseball game for TBS. Network spokesman Jeff Pomeroy confirmed Monday that TBS and the announcer have decided to part ways.A son of late Braves broadcaster Skip Caray and a grandson of famed broadcaster Harry Caray, Chip had called first-round playoff games for TBS during the past three seasons. He originally worked with Tony Gwynn and Bob Brenly, then teamed with Ron Darling and Buck Martinez.Caray also was part of the network’s Sunday regular-season package. Pomeroy said no replacement has been picked.“Since the end of the 2009 MLB Playoffs, we’ve had several discussions with Chip Caray regarding 2010 and beyond. Both sides agree that now is the right time to move ahead on different paths,” the network said in a statement.

Bob Sheppard has no intentions of returning to his longtime job as the public address announcer at Yankee Stadium, MLB.com reported on Nov. 26. (For Full Story, see News)

ASA Advisory Board member Todd Ant was one of the 17 prominent members of the radio industry to be inducted as part of the first class of the Hoftra University Radio Hall of Fame on Nov. 7. Ant has been a sportscaster in the New York market for nearly 30 years and is currently with the ABC Sports Radio Network and is the American correspondent for BBC Radio, UK.

Legendary golfer and ASA member Arnold Palmer received a Congressional Gold Medal from President Obama during a ceremony at the White House on September 30. The seven-time major championship winner also celebrated his 80th birthday on Sept. 10.

Elissa Walker Campbell, ASA member, has joined the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder as a host and sideline reporter for Fox Sports Oklahoma.

ASA member Bonnie Bernstein has joined "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN 1050 AM in New York as an update newsperson.

ASA member Hank Goldberg has returned to Miami radio as the midday host at WAXY-AM.

Ernie Harwell, the 91-year-old Baseball Hall of Fame honoree ASA Hall of Famer and longtime broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers, said Friday that he has inoperable cancer.(For full story see news)

ASA Member & CBS Sports' Lesley Visser, voted the No. 1 Female Sportscaster of all-time by the American Sportscasters Association, broke new ground as the first woman analyst for a television broadcast of an NFL game. (for full story see Articles)

Major League Baseball's first televised game took place 70 years ago today, August 26. (For more info see News)

Jerry Remy is working in the Boston Red Sox broadcast booth for the first time in more than three months.(For full story see News)

Vin Scully has announced he will return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ booth for the 2010 season, his 61st season broadcasting Dodgers’ games. It was widely speculated that Scully would retire at the end of this season when his contract was up.

Damon Amendolera has left WQAM in Miami to become the evening host at Boston’s new sports radio station, WBZ-FM.

John Andariese, former Fordham University basketball star and longtime New York Knicks announcer, will be honored as a new member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame at their 20th annual event on September 24. Andariese will also be entering his 31st year as an analyst with the Knicks on the MSG Network.

The ASA recently announced its list of the "Top 15 Women Sportscasters." Veteran CBS sportscaster Lesley Visser was voted number one.(For Press Release and Full List see News)

The ASA was shocked and appalled to learn that ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was spyed on and secretly videotaped in her hotel room.(For Full Story see News)

Veteran broadcaster Jerry Schemmel has accepted an offer to become the play-by-play announcer for Colorado State University football and men’s basketball broadcasts on the Colorado State Radio Network.(for full story see Articles section)

Best wishes to 21-year ASA member and ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, who is recovering from a minor stroke. Lee plans to be back for the start of the regularseason which starts in late August.

D'Marco Farr and Jim Hanifan have traded jobs on St. Louis rams' radio broadcasts. Farr will be the in-game color analyst this season while Hanifan will be the pre-and post-game analyst.

Jorge Sedano is the new morning show host on WAXY-AM in Miami moving from middays. He is joined by Krystal Fernandez. Steve White and Brandon Guzio have taken over the midday spot.

Detroit Tigers radio broadcaster Dan Dickerson is taking some time off to have surgery following a jogging accident and will be replaced by John Keating.

Fox has hired John Lynch as an NFL analyst and let go Brian Baldinger.

ESPN has announced that former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden will replace Tony Kornheiser on the network's “Monday Night Football” broadcasts.(For full story see News)

The National Academy of TV Arts & Sciences held it 30th annual Sports Emmy Awards on April 27 at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The awards were presented by a distinguished group of sports personalities including Cris Collinsworth, Dan Hicks, Jim Nantz, James Brown, Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Karl Ravech, Hannah Storm, Kyle Petty, Dennis Eckersley. Mary Carillo, and Max Kellerman.

Dick Ebersol, Chairman of NBC Sports & Olympics who has led NBC Sports for 20 years, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

NBC was the big winner of the night taking home 9 Emmys followed by HBO (8), CBS (5), FOX (5), ESPN (4), FSN (3), TNT (2) and ABC (1).

In the Outstanding Sports Personlity category, Bob Costas (NBC) won for Studio Host, Jim Nantz (CBS) for Play-by-Play, Terry Bradshaw (FOX) and Tom Jackson (ESPN) for Studio Analysts, and Cris Collinsworth (NBC) for Event Analyst.

Ken Stabler will not return as radio analyst on niversity of Alabama football broadcasts. Stabler had been on leave since being arrested on a D.U.I. last June.

Retired sportscaster Les Keiter died in Hawaii at age 89 after a long illness. Keiter broadcast baseball, boxing, football and New York Knicks basketball in New York City, Philadelphia and Hawaii for 50 years. He also was the sports director at WFIL-TV in Philadelphia and KHON-TV in Honolulu.

Harry Kalas became the third person to ever have a public viewing in a baseball stadium. Only Babe Ruth in Yankee Stadium and Jack Buck in Busch Stadium had received that honor in death. The Phillies TV booth will be called "The Harry Kalas Broadcast Booth".

With Cris Collinsworth replacing John Madden on NBC's "Sunday Night Football", he will no longer be the analyst for the NFL Network's Thursday and Saturday night telecasts.

David Wells has been signed by TBS as a game analyst for their Sunday telecasts.

Merle Harmon, a legendary Brewers, Braves, and NBC Sports broadcaster has died. He was 82 years old.(For full story see In Memoriam)

John Madden is retiring from football announcing, where his enthusiastic, down-to-earth style made him one of sports’ most popular broadcasters for three decades. The Hall of Fame coach spent the last three seasons on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.” His final telecast was the Super Bowl in February.(For full story see News)

Radio and TV broadcaster and longtime ASA member Harry Kalas, whose baritone delivery and signature "Outta here!" home run calls provided the soundtrack to Philadelphia baseball for nearly four decades, died Monday, April 13, after collapsing in the broadcast booth before the Phillies' game against the Washington Nationals. He was 73.(For full story see In Memoriam)

Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield has joined ESPN as a studio analyst on "Baseball Tonight."

Arthur Richman, a longtime baseball writer who went on to spend four decades as an executive with the New York Mets and Yankees, died Wednesday. He was 83.(For full story see In Memoriam)

The ASA wishes a speedy recovery for its Board member, ABC/ESPN basketball analyst Bill Walton, who recently had spinal fusion surgery

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner donated $500,000 to the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT) in memory of longtime Yankee player and broadcaster Bobby Murcer. BAT helps former major league players who are in financial trouble.

Max Kellerman is out at New York’s ESPN Radio 1050 as its 10am - 1pm talk show host. Rumors have Kellerman, who is also a boxing analyst for HBO, joining Mike Francesa on his WFAN Radio afternoon show.

Jim Powell, who was Bob Uecker’s booth mate in Milwaukee, has joined the Atlanta Braves’ radio broadcast team.

Bobby Fenton, whose talk show in Tampa was replaced by the syndicated Dan Patrick Show, has left all-sports WQYK-AM in Tampa.

ASA member Harry Kalas may miss some of the Philadelphia Phillies’ exhibition games broadcasts as he recovers from a minor surgical procedure.

Charles Barkley, analyst on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” studio show, will return from his leave of absence and be back on the air during the network’s NBA coverage on Thursday, Feb. 19. The former NBA star was arrested Dec. 31 for drunken driving in Scottsdale, Ariz., and his leave began Jan. 9. Barkley was forced to miss the TNT's coverage of All-Star Weekend in Phoenix.

Chris Cotter has left SNY in New York to join the Fox Business Channel.

Veteran NBC sportscaster and ASA Advisory Board member Bob Costas has left HBO for the newly created MLB Network (MLBN). Joe Buck, ASA member and Fox’s No. 1 baseball and football voice, has been chosen to replace him.(For full story see Articles)

“Hot Rod” Hundley, who has been the only voice of the New Orleans/Utah Jazz since the team was established 35 years ago, will decide over the summer if he will retire or just broadcast home games next season.

Ducis Rodgers and John Discepolo, the weekday sports anchors at WCBS-TV, have left the station and Sam Ryan, the weekend sportscaster, is expected to replace them. Steve Bartelstein, the weekend news anchor, is expected to also do the sports on his newscasts.

Don Sutton has left the Washington Nationals' telecast team and will be replaced by Rob Dibble. Sutton is rejoining the Atlanta Braves radio broadcast team.

Ken Korach has signed a contract extension to be the radio voice of the Oakland A’s through the 2011 season.

Steve Davis, the host of Baltimore’s WBAL-AM evening sports call-in show, has been laid off. For the time being, Baltimore Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck will fill some of the talk hours.

Jadon Daley is leaving KIDO-AM in Boise, Idaho, where he did play-by-play for Boise State University football.

Kristen Berset is the new weekend sports anchor at WBFF-TV in Baltimore. Kristen comes to Baltimore from WJHG in Panama City, Fla. Kristen is also a former Miss Florida USA.

Nestor Aparicio is back on the air on WNST-AM in Baltimore replacing Rob Long who left for Fox Radio 1370.

Ex-Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets head coach Herm Edwards has signed on as a studio analyst for ESPN and begins work in mid-February.

The Oakland Athletics and the Spanish Beisbol Network (SBN) have agreed to terms on a five-year contract to broadcast all 162 regular season games in Spanish on KDIA (1640 AM) and KDYA (1190 AM) radio stations, beginning this upcoming 2009 season. It marks the first time in club history the A’s have featured Spanish broadcasts for every regular season game, home and away. Veteran announcer and ASA member Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, a pioneer in establishing Spanish baseball radio play-by-play in the Bay Area, will serve as the “Voice of the A’s” for all Spanish broadcasts.

Jeff Nelson, former Yankees relief pitcher, is joining the MLB Network as a studio analyst.

Turner Sports is celebrating 25 years of covering the NBA.

Vin Scully, legendary voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers and ASA Hall of Famer, will be returning for his 60th year as voice of the Dodgers. Scully was recently voted No. 1 on the ASA’s list of the “Top 50 Sportscasters of All-Time.” (for full list see news)

Ed Podolak, the former Iowa and Kansas City Chiefs football star, has retired as the radio voice of Iowa football after 27 years.

Gil Santos, the longtime morning sports anchor for WBZ-AM in Boston will retire from that job at the end of January. Santos will continue as the voice of the New England patriots.

Joe Starkey has retired as the voice of the San Francisco 49ers and will be replaced by Ted Robinson. Starkey will continue as the voice of the University of California's college football team.

Dave Barnett, ASA member, is joining the Texas Rangers' radio broadcast team replacing Victor Rojas who now works for the MLB Network. Barnett will continue his college football and basketball duties at ESPN.

Gus Johnson has replaced Steve Albert as the voice of Showtime Boxing.

Curtis Fitzpatrick has been hired by KOKH-TV in Oklahoma City as a sports anchor/reporter replacing Liam McHugh.

Brian Kenny will host a nightly ESPN national radio show from 8-10pm Eastern Time beginning February 2nd.

Billy Packer and Bobby Knight will anchor five “Survive and Advance” NCAA Tournament Specials from Las Vegas on FSN in March.

Brady Ackerman has left ESPN 1080 WHOO radio in Orlando.

Tony Kubek has been awarded the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award for Excellence inBroadcasting from the Baseball Hall of Fame. (For full story see News)

Sal Marchiano, a sportscaster for more than 40 years most recently with WPIX-TV in New York, has announced his retirement.

Tim Neverett will replace the recently retired Lanny Frattare in the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcasting booth. Neverett worked for FSN Rocky Mountain as a pre-and post-game studio host and part-time play-by-play announcer for Colorado Rockies telecasts. He also works for VERSUS and The Mountain West Conference Sports Network.

Chris Carlin is joining SNY in New York as the host for the New York Mets’ pre-and post-game studio shows.

Julie Donaldson of WHDH-TV in Boston has left the station to pursueother career opportunities.

ASA Hall of Famer Vin Scully will be inducted into the NAB Hall of Fame on April 21st during a luncheon at their convention in Las Vegas.

Bill Werndl and Joe Tutino have been let go at XX Sports 1090 in San Diego due to budget restrictions.

Dan Jiggetts and Mike North will be the co-hosts of “Monsters in the Morning” a live 3-hour show on Comcast Sports Net in Chicago which begins on January 12th

Stacey Dales, a woman’s basketball analyst and college football sideline reporter for ESPN, has left the network.

Victor Rojas has left the Texas Rangers’ broadcast team to join the MLB Network as a studio host.

Longtime Cleveland Indians’ broadcaster and ASA member Herb Score, who also was a top pitcher before he suffered a serious eye injury that derailed his career, has died at the age of 75. (For full story see In Memoriam)

Matt Vasgersian, who was the San Diego Padres’ TV play-by-play man, has been hired by the new MLB Network to be their lead studio host. Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds have been hired as studio analysts and Hazel Mae and Trenni Kusnierek will be reporters.

Lee Mazzilli is no longer the lead studio baseball analyst for SNY in New York.John Gordon has signed a two-year contract extension to continue as radio play-by-play man for the Minnesota Twins.

The Baltimore Orioles have announced that Gary Thorne will be returning as their TV play-by-play voice next season and Amber Theoharis will return as the in-game reporter.

Larry Munson was forced to retire as the football voice of the University of Georgia Bulldogs due to his failing health and his feelings that he wasn’t able to broadcast the games up to the level the Bulldogs’ fans deserve.

Lanny Frattare has retired as the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates after a career that spanned over three decades.

Ralph Strangis and Darryl Reaugh have signed long-term contract renewals to continue to broadcast Dallas Stars hockey through the 2003-14 season.

Dick Lynch, who starred at cornerback for the New York Giants during their glory years in the late 1950s and early 1960s and was a longtime radio analyst for the team, has died. He was 72. (For full story, see In Memoriam)

Brian Davis will be the TV voice and Grant Long the color analyst for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.

Steve Stone will move over from the radio booth to be the color analyst on Chicago White Sox telecasts next season, replacing Darren Jackson. Jackson is considering the team’s offer to move into Stone’s radio position.

Bob Wolff, one of the most honored and longest-running sportscasters in the nation, received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during their annual induction ceremonies on September 5 in Springfield, Mass.(For Full Story see News)

Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo has left WFAN radio in New York. Mike Francesa, his partner on the “Mike and the Mad Dog” radio show for over 20 years, will continue doing the show by himself for the time being and has signed a new 5-year contract to stay at WFAN. Russo is expected to sign with XM/Sirius Satellite Radio.

Jason Shaver is the new voice of the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. Jason is replacing Pat Foley, who is returning to work Chicago Blackhawks games after two seasons away.

ASA member Bob Carpenter had his contract renewed for next season to continue as the TV voice of the Washington Nationals.

San Diego State University has hired Chris Ello to be the radio color analyst on KOGO-AM football broadcasts, alongside play-by-play announcer Ted Leitner.

CBS Television and the Southeastern Conference have agreed on a 15-year contract extension to continue broadcasting football and basketball games.

Darren Goldwater is the new radio voice of The Citadel college football games. He also does the school’s baseball broadcasts.

Central Michigan University has named Ryan Schuiling as their new radio voice for college football broadcasts on WCHB-AM.

Paul Peck is the new radio voice of the University of Buffalo college football broadcasts on their new radio home, WECK-AM in Buffalo N.Y. Peck replaces Howard Simon.

Dan Hampton and Laurence Holmes will be the midday hosts at WSCR-AM in Chicago beginning September 2nd. They will replace Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley who replaced Mike North on the morning show.

KFNS-AM in St. Louis will not be renewing the contracts of their morning hosts, Joe DeNiro and Brian McKenna, but the station will allow them to remain indefinitely.

Skip Caray, a voice of the Atlanta Braves for 33 years and part of a family line of baseball broadcasters that included ASA Hall of Famer Harry Caray, died in his sleep at home on Sunday, the team said. He was 68.(For full story see In Memoriam)

Billy Packer has left CBS Sports and will be replaced as lead color analyst on NCAA Basketball telecasts by ASA member Clark Kellogg.

Bob Wolff will receive the 2008 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies September 4th and 5th in Springfield, Mass. Wolff, who has broadcasted in eight decades, still does sports for News12 on Long Island, NY.

With the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics moving to Oklahoma City starting next season and being renamed the “Thunder,” their radio voice, Matt Pinto, will make the move with the team while their TV voice, Kevin Calabro, will not join them.

ASA Hall of Famer Pat Summerall is resting at home after being hospitalized for two weeks with internal bleeding.

Bobby Murcer, a five-time All-Star outfielder who spent nearly four decades with the New York Yankees as a player, executive and announcer, has died. He was 62. The Yankees said Murcer died Saturday, June 12, due to complications from brain cancer. He was surrounded by family at Mercy Hospital in his hometown of Oklahoma City, the team said. (For full story see In Memoriam)

Dan Patrick has been named a co-host of NBC's "Football Night in America" studio show, reuniting him with Keith Olbermann. The two redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1992-97.(For full story see News)

Bob Papa has been named as Bryant Gumbel’s replacement as play-by-play man on the NFL Network’s Thursday and Saturday night games of the week. Papa is also the radio voice of the New York Giants.

Kevin Connors, a sports anchor at WCBS-AM, is moving over to the anchor desk at ESPN News at the end of July.

Jeff Skversky, a sportscaster at KMOV-TV in St. Louis, has been fired in a cost-cutting move.

Michael Strahan, the recently retired New York Giants’ football player, is joining Fox’s “NFL Sunday” broadcast. He signed a three year contract worth over $2 million annually.

Barry Melrose, who has been a studio hockey analyst for ESPN for 12 years, is leaving the network to become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Mike North, the morning sports talk host on WSCR-AM in Chicago, has been fired. North and the station could not agree on new contract terms.

Charlie Jones, the deep-voiced sportscaster whose career as a play-by-play announcer dated to the beginning of the American Football League in 1960, has died. He was 77.(For Full Story, See In Memoriam)

Jim McKay elegantly covered competitions from badminton to barrel jumping. Yet he may best be remembered for that grim day at the Munich Olympics when he broke the news with three simple words: "They're all gone." The groundbreaking sportscaster died Saturday of natural causes at his farm in Monkton, Md. He was 86. (For Full Story, see In Memoriam)

Neil Funk is the new TV play-by-play man for the Chicago Bulls, moving over from the radio broadcasts. Funk replaces Wayne Larrivee who called games on WGN-TV and Tom Dore who called them for Comcast Sportsnet.

Johnny Kerr will no longer be an analyst at courtside, he will host pregame and halftime shows at the United Center and be the team’s official ambassador. The Bulls will honor Kerr for his longtime service with the team with a sculpture that will be on display at the United Center.

Chuck Swirsky, who was the Toronto Raptors TV play-by-play man, is replacing Funk on the Bulls’ radio broadcasts.

Pat Foley is returning to the Chicago Blackhawks broadcasting booth after a two year absence, replacing Dan Kelly Jr., who replaced him.

Jonathan Coachman, who has worked for WWE, CSTV and MSG, has been hired as a sports anchor by ESPN.

Rod Simons, the main sports anchor at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis/St. Paul, will leave the station when his contract is up in October.

Jeff Gordon and Jeff Vermetti will replace Chris Dimino on KFNS-AM in St. Louis beginning May 27 in early afternoons. Dimino is leaving the St. Louis market. Bob Ramsey and Bob Fescoe will replace the fired Kevin Staton in drive-time afternoons.

FSN West broadcaster Bill MacDonald is recovering from prostate cancer surgery and will be off the air for approximately six weeks.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced their winners on April 28, 2008, at the 29th Annual Sports Emmy Awards at a special ceremony at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. (For full story see Articles)

Don Gillis, who worked in Boston for decades, and became the city’s first sports TV anchor in 1962 at WHDH-TV died April 23rd in Falmouth, Mass. at the age of 85. He had battled Alzheimer’s disease for many years. His legendary career in Boston included broadcasting games for all four professional sports teams and the Harvard-Yale football game. He also hosted the popular candlepin bowling show, a radio show called “Voice of Sports” on WHDH-AM and was the sports director at WCVB-TV (the former WHDH) from 1972 until he retired in 1983.

Harold Reynolds is joining SNY in New York as a part-time studio baseball analyst. Reynolds also works for MLB.com.

Tony Pettitti, second in command to Sean McManus at CBS Sports, is leaving the network to run the MLB Channel which begins telecasting in January, 2009.

ESPN Radio has named Scott Van Pelt co-host of Mike Tirico’s afternoon show which will now be called “Tirico & Van Pelt.” In addition, Van Pelt will do a solo hour at 3p.m. replacing Stephen A. Smith.

Bryant Gumbel has left his broadcasting position at the NFL network. Two of the leading names to replace Gumbel are ASA members Tom Hammond and Marv Albert.

On March 17, 2008, the Los Angeles Dodgers played their last spring training game at Holman Stadium, in Vero Beach, Fla. ASA President Lou Schwartz was in attendance for that final game which the Dodgers lost to the Astros, 12-10. (For full story see News)

Legendary University of Georgia football broadcaster Larry Munson had successful surgery on April 4th to remove blood clots on his brain. Munson is expected to make a full recovery and plans to be the primary UGA p-b-p announcer in 2008. Anyone wishing to send Larry best wishes can at: Larry Munson c/o UGA Athletic Association, P.O. Box 1472, Athens, GA. 30603.

Gib Shanley, who was the Voice of the Cleveland Browns for 24 years and the sports anchor for 20 years at WEWS-TV in Cleveland, died on April 6th at the age of 76.

Veteran Boston sportscaster Bob Lobel is leaving WBZ-TV because of a workforce deduction. Lobel joined the station in 1979 as a weekend sports anchor and took over the weekday position two year later. He also hosts “Sports Final” a weekly sports roundup on Sunday nights.

JP Peterson is the new afternoon drive time sports talk host on WQYK-AM in Tampa, Fla.

Andy Adler is the new weekend sports anchor on WNYW-TV in New York City.

Darren Smith, the afternoon co-host at XX Sports radio 1090 in San Diego, has signed a multi-year contract extension to continue on the station.

An emotional Dick Vitale, in his fourth time being nominated for enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was one of seven selected Monday, April 7, to the class of 2008. (For Full Story see Articles)

Ron Darling will be the color analyst for ten games of the TBS Sunday afternoon baseball package. Buck Martinez will be the analyst for the games that Darling isn’t working.

Gary Thorne and Dave Campbell are the new radio broadcast team for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” series. Campbell was the radio analyst for the series previously.

When Brent Musberger broadcast the Cubs vs. Brewers opening day baseball game for ESPN on March 31st, it was his first baseball broadcast since he did the Yankees-Mariners playoff series for ABC-TV in 1995.

Jorge Sedano is the new 12pm -3pm radio host on WAXY-AM in Miami, replacing Jon Sciambi. Kevin Rogers will take Sedano’s former spot of 10am -12pm and Jonathan Zaslow will do Rogers’ former evening shift.

Dave Smith and Roger Lodge will do the morning show for Los Angeles’ newest sports-talk station KLAA-AM, followed by the new ”Tony Bruno Show” from 9am -12pm.

John Callaghan, a longtime sportscaster for WNAC-TV in Boston died on March 5th at the age of 81. Mr. Callaghan spent 21 years as the sports anchor at the station and covered some of Boston’s most memorable teams. After leaving TV, Mr. Callaghan worked for the Massachusetts state government in a variety of positions.

ESPN has announced that their baseball analyst, Rick Sutcliffe, has been diagnosed with a treatable form of colon cancer and will miss several months of the upcoming baseball season while he undergoes surgery and chemotherapy.

ASA member Tina Cervasio, who left WCBS-TV in New York several years ago to join NESN in New England, is leaving NESN at the end of March and is expected to return to New York to work for the MSG Network.

Jon Sciambi is leaving his daily talk show on WAXY-AM in Miami.

Ron MacLean will be the prime-time host for CBC’s Beijing Olympic coverage. Scott Russell and Diana Swain will host the morning coverage and Ian Hanomansing will host late-night coverage.

Jim Hughson is leaving Rogers Sportsnet after signing an exclusive six-year deal with the CBC to do Toronto Blue Jays baseball and Hockey Night in Canada.

Chris Singleton has left the Chicago White Sox radio broadcasting team to join ESPN. Steve Stone, who was to work a partial radio schedule, will now work the entire schedule with ASA member Ed Farmer, replacing Chris.

Michael Holley has received a multi-year contract extension from WEEI-AM in Boston. Holley co-hosts the “Dale and Holley Show” middays with Dale Arnold. Holley joined WEEI in 2005.

ASA member Ed Berliner has been hired as a part-time weekend sportscaster at WAXY-AM in Miami.

For the first time since 1960, there won't be a Buck in a St. Louis Cardinals broadcast booth this year. ASA Lifetime Member Joe Buck, who had been doing the play-by-play for a few Redbirds games on FSN Midwest in recent seasons, has decided not to return in order to enjoy himself at the ballpark in a nonworking capacity.(For Full Story, see Articles)

ESPN NFL analyst Sean Salisbury is leaving the network after 12 seasons to pursue other interests. Former All-Pro wide receiver Cris Carter will replace him.

Best wishes to Bobby Murcer who will be undergoing a biopsy to see if he has had a recurrence of brain cancer.

Chris Pelikan is the new weekend sports anchor at KEYE-TV in Austin, TX. He was previously at KTVI-TV and KSLG radio in St. Louis.

Former coach Bobby Knight is joining ESPN as a studio analyst for NCAA basketball championship week and the NCAA Tournament.

Myron Cope spoke in a language and with a voice never before heard in a broadcast booth, yet a loving Pittsburgh understood him perfectly during an unprecedented 35 years as a Steelers announcer. The screechy-voiced Cope, a writer by trade and an announcer by accident whose colorful catch phrases and twirling Terrible Towel became nationally known symbols of the Steelers, died Wednesday at age 79. (For Full Story See In Memoriam)

Happy birthday, Dave Niehaus, you're headed for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Niehaus, a fixture in the Seattle Mariners' booth since they entered the American League as an expansion franchise in 1977, was named the 2008 winner of the Ford C. Frick Award Tuesday and will be honored at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies July 27 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y. (For Full Story, See News)

HBO has cancelled their sports program “Inside the NFL” after 31 seasons. The show which features ASA members Bob Costas and Dan Marino, as well asCris Collinsworth and Cris Carter, is owned by the NFL and the league will look for a new network to air it. (For Full Story see Articles)

ASA member Ken “Hawk” Harrelson has signed a three-year contract extension to remain the Chicago White Sox’ television announcer through 2011.

Charlie Slowes has resigned to return to the Washington Nationals radio booth as lead announcer for 2008. He rejoins Dave Jageler who signed a new deal earlier in the off-season.

David Cone has been hired by the New York Yankees as a baseball analyst. Cone will work from 50-75 games split between the studio and the booth.

ASA member Marv Albert has signed a new contract with Turner Sports which will keep him as play-by-play announcer for their NBA Thursday night, All Star Game and the conference finals coverage through the 2015-16 basketball season. Marv will also do some games for NBA-TV, a network now operated by Turner Sports.

After undergoing throat surgery Dec. 18, Dick Vitale will return to his favorite spot Wednesday, Feb. 6, behind the microphone for ESPN's coverage of the Duke-North Carolina game. (For Full Story, see News)

Tony Bruno, the morning show host on The Sporting News Radio Network, has left the network.

Wayne Hagin has been hired to be the No. 2 man in the New York Mets’ radio booth, teaming with Howie Rose and replacing Tom McCarthy, who rejoined the Phillies’ broadcasting team.

J.P. Dellacamera and John Harkes will be the new announcing team for ESPN’s “MLS Primetime Thursday” soccer telecasts replacing Dave O’Brien and Eric Wynalda. Wynalda will be an in-studio analyst and O’Brian will concentrate on baseball and basketball duties at ESPN.

ESPN 2 "First Take" host Dana Jacobson returned to the air Monday, January 28, with another apology for comments she made at a Jan. 11 celebrity roast for ESPN Radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic.(For Full Story See Articles)

The Florida Marlins have hired Glenn Geffner as their No. 2 radio announcer, teaming with ASA member Dave Van Horne. Geffner shared the Boston Red Sox No. 2 radio job, alongside ASA member Joe Castiglione, with Dave O’Brien in 2007.

David Justice will not return as a studio analyst for Yankees’ games on YES in 2008.

Jerry O’Neill, formerly of WQTM in Orlando (which dropped its sports format) has joined WHOO ESPN1080 to co-host their afternoon show with Brady Ackerman.

Condolences to ASA member Ian Eagle whose father, Jack, passed away at age 81 on January 10th. Jack Eagle was a noted actor and comedian who was most famous for portraying a monk, Brother Dominick, on a Xerox commercial which first aired during the Super Bowl in 1977.

Greg Williams, the co-host of the afternoon drive time show “The Hard Line” has resigned from KTCK-AM in Dallas. Williams had hosted the show since KTCK became an all-sports station in 1994 alongside Mike Rhyner.

Rich Lord has signed a new contract to remain the afternoon co-host on KILT-AM in Houston.

Stu Nahan, a onetime minor-league hockey goalie who delivered sports reports on Los Angeles television and radio for decades, has died. He was 81. (For Full Story, See In Memoriam)

Sportscaster J.P. Peterson and WFLA-TV in Tampa have mutually agreed to part ways when Peterson’s contract expires in March, 2008. Peterson had reported sports on WFLA for more than seven years.

ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott has been diagnosed with a malignant tumor found during an appendectomy last month. He will stay on the air while undergoing preventative chemotherapy.

Bill Parcells, ESPN NFL analyst, is expected to sign a four-year deal with the Miami Dolphins to be their Vice President of Football Operations. Earlier this week, it was reported that the two-time Super Bowl winning coach was going to accept the same job with the Atlanta Falcons.

Dick Vitale, ASA Lifetime Member, is temporarily stepping down as ESPN’s lead college basketball analyst after undergoing throat surgery Tuesday, December 18.(For Full Story see News)

Joe Torre, ASA Lifetime Member, recently had knee replacement surgery. The 67-year-old former major league catcher said for several years that he needed the operation and had been limping noticeably as of late. The new manager of the Dodgers is also working on a memoir which will be co-authored by Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci. The book will include his years with the Yankees, with whom he won four World Championships, and his general thoughts on the game. Torre will also explain why he chose to walk away as manager of the Yankees and what history will record as the “Torre Era.” Doubleday is publishing the book and it is due out in Spring 2009.

Reischea Canidate is leaving WNYW-TV in New York City to join ESPN News early in 2008.

A record 122,505 fan votes were cast online at www.baseballhall.org throughout November as fans chose three of 10 names to be listed on the ballot for the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award, given annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for excellence in baseball broadcasting. (For full story, see Articles)

Joe Nuxhall, ASA member and the youngest major leaguer at age 15 and later a beloved broadcaster as "the ol' left-hander" in Cincinnati, has died. He was 79.(For Full Story see In Memoriam)

Bruce Miller, former Tulane University football broadcaster, was inducted into the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 26. Miller, an amusing and entertaining announcer known for the catchphrases "Oh brother!,” “Man alive!,” “Holy cow!” and “Hold the phone!," was the radio voice of Green Wave football from the late 1950s through 1976.

ASA member Hank Goldberg will leave WQAM radio in Miami when his contract expires at the end of the year.

Chris Singleton will return as the Chicago White Sox radio color analyst in 2008, teaming with play-by-play man and ASA member Ed Farmer.

Central Michigan University had a ceremony on October 12th to dedicate the Dick Enberg Academic Center, named after the ASA Chairman of the Board who graduated from C.M.U. fifty years ago. Two scholarships have also been established in Enberg’s name.

Milo Hamilton, ASA member and voice of the Houston Astros, recently suffered a mild heart attack and is recovering at home.- (For Full Story see News)

Alan Horton is the new radio voice of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jeremy Marks-Peltz has been hired as the pre-and post-game host on Miami Heat radio broadcasts.

Roxy Bernstein will not be returning to the Florida Marlins broadcast booth in 2008.

Mike Tirico, Lifetime member of ASA and play-by-play announcer for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” will be the host of The Masters in 2008 when ESPN takes over the exclusive rights to televise the first two rounds of the tournament. Tirico also has a new talk show on ESPN Radio, “The Mike Tirico Show,” which moved into the weekday 1-3 pm time slot previously held by Dan Patrick.

ASA member and pro snowboarder Keir Dillon was part of the Boost Mobile revitalization project at DeWitt Clinton Park in New York City on October 6. Dillon joined hip-hop star Busta Rymes and about 150 volunteers to paint handball courts, basketball backboards and fences in the Hell’s Kitchen park.

Brian Sieman, former radio voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves, has been named the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Clippers. Sieman replaces Matt Pinto, who will do play-by-play for the Seattle SuperSonics.

Joe Rose has rejoined the Miami Dolphins radio team as a second analyst on WQAM, the Dolphins’ new flagship radio station.

Bill Clement will no longer be the host of the NHL pre-game shows on Versus and NBC. Bill Patrick replaces Clement on Versus and Pierre McGuire replaces him on NBC.

Jason Shaver has been named Director of Broadcasting for the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.

Jorge Sedano has been hired as the mid-day sports talk host at 790TheTicket in Miami.

Chris Fowler, Doug Flutie and Craig James will be the broadcast team for ESPN’s “Thursday Night College Football.”

Phil Rizzuto, the Hall of Fame shortstop during the Yankees' dynasty years and beloved by a generation of fans who delighted in hearing him exclaim "Holy cow!" as a broadcaster, has died. He was 89. (For Full Story, see In Memoriam)

Steve Goldstein will be the new television play-by-play voice of the Florida Panthers. He had been the radio play-by-play man.

Bill Flemming, the longtime ABC Sports broadcaster, has died of prostate cancer. He was 80. (For Full Story see In Memoriam)

Charlie Jones, the longtime sportscaster at NBC and ABC Sports, was named to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

Jack Edwards will be the full time television play-by-play man for the Boston Bruins. Edwards had done play-by-play of road games with Dale Arnold doing the home games.

Dan Patrick is leaving ESPN effective August 17th. Patrick will join “The Content Factory” which will eventually distribute his new radio show.

Dave Strader is the new play-by-play man for the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL. Strader was the television play-by-play man for the Florida Panthers.

Jason Jackson of 790TheTicket, is moving to WQAM and is expected to become part of a new morning show expected to start in September.

Curtis Fitzpatrick is leaving KWTW-TV in Oklahoma City to become the Oklahoma City host of “SportsNight Oklahoma” on Cox Cable. Mike Wolfe of KOTV in Tulsa has been hired as the Tulsa host.

The University of Houston has resigned its play-by-play voice, Tom Franklin, to a three-year contract extension.

Tim McKernan has left the KFNS-AM “Morning Grind” show in St. Louis and is rumored to be headed to Sportsnet New York as an anchor.

Ron Thulin and Jack Mildren are the co-hosts of a new sports talk show on WKY-AM in Oklahoma City.

ASA Hall of Famer Jack Whitaker will be inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame on December 12th.

Larry Munson, the longtime, legendary voice of the University of Georgia college football team, will be limited to broadcasting only home games this upcoming season, due to age and illness. Munson is 84 years old and has broadcast Georgia sports for over 40 years.

Duke Castiglione has been named weekday sports anchor for WNYW-TV in New York. Duke had been the weekend anchor.

Sean Pendergast and John Harris have been hired as sports-talk hosts at KILE-AM in Houston.

Jenna Wolfe, the weekend morning sports anchor at WABC-TV in New York, is leaving the station.

Andy Masur will be the voice of University of San Diego Toreros college basketball on XX Sports Radio. Before coming to San Diego to broadcast San Diego Padres’ games this season, Masur was the play-by-play voice of the Loyola of Chicago Ramblers.

Steve Martin will take over the television play-by-play for the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats after spending the past three seasons on the radio side. Taking Martin’s place as radio play-by-play man is Scott Lauer.

The FAN590 in Toronto, Canada has resigned ASA member Chuck Swirsky to a multi-year deal. Swirsky also is a play-by-play man for the Toronto Raptors.

Jim Hughson, Rance Mullineks and Jesse Barfield will be the broadcast team for Toronto Blue Jays baseball when it returns to the CBC airwaves on June 23rd.

The late Bill Hewitt, son of the legendary broadcaster Foster Hewitt, will be honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame with the award named after his father. Hewitt’s family will be presented with the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award on November 12th. The award is given to members of the radio and television industry who have made outstanding contributions to their profession and hockey.

Curt Keilback, the long time voice of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, will not return as play-by-play man next season.

KCAL-TV in Los Angeles will not renew the contract of sports anchor Alan Massengale.

John Granato has signed a contract to host a morning drive time sports-talk show on KILE-AM in Houston, TX. The show is expected to start in late summer. He will also be KILE’s VP of Operations. Granato was formerly the morning co-host at KILT.

Steve Albert has been named this year’s recipient of the Sam Taub Award for excellence in broadcasting by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Dave Revsine is leaving ESPN after ten years to become the lead studio host of the new Big Ten Network. He will also do some basketball play-by-play.

Suzy Kolber has been named studio host for “ESPN on ABC’s” NASCAR coverage.

Andy Gresh will be the host of ESPN Radio’s “Sunday GameDay Show” heard every Sunday from 1-4PM. Gresh continues to work at WSKO-AM in Providence, R.I. during the week, as well as contributing to Fox Sports New England’s “GameNight” show.

Steve Mix, the Philadelphia 76ers’ television color analyst, won’t have his contract renewed for next season. ASA member Marc Zumoff will continue on play-by-play.

Former Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy has accepted a position as a guest analyst with ABC and ESPN for the remainder of the NBA playoffs. Van Gundy will work alongside play-by-play man Mike Breen and analyst Mark Jackson.

HBO is considering replacing Larry Merchant, their longtime No. 1 “World Championship Boxing” analyst with “Boxing After Dark” analyst Max Kellerman.

John Granato, the morning co-host on KILT in Houston, Tx. has left the station. He is expected to return to the Houston airwaves on a different station later in the year.

Jim Mandich will replace Joe Rose as the Miami Dolphins’ radio analyst when the games move from Rose’s radio station, 790 The Ticket, to Mandich’s WQAM in 2007.

Andrea Brody, who spent the past four years as an anchor/reporter for The George Michael Sports Machine”, has returned to Miami TV on Channel 6.

Chris Lincoln has replaced Jack Bunds as sports director at KTUL-TV in Tulsa, Okla. He last worked at the station 25 years old before forming his own production company, Winner Communications.

HBO has hired Andrea Kremer of NBC Sports to be a correspondent on “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”

Pete Bercich has been hired as the radio analyst for Minnesota Vikings’ NFL games. Bercich, who was a Vikings player and assistant coach, replaces Joe Senser.

WEEI-AM in Boston has resigned midday co-host Dale Arnold to a multi-year contract extension.

The Phoenix Suns and Sports 620 KTAR Radio will honor Suns broadcaster and ASA member Al McCoy with the naming of the Al McCoy Media Center. The newly updated and improved media center will be unveilled at the beginning of the 2007-08 season and will feature displays tracing McCoy’s legendary career as the “Voice of the Suns” which spans 35 years.

Legendary Canadian hockey announcer Don Cherry will make his U.S. debut during NBC’s coverage of the NHL Finals.

MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann has been added to NBC’s Sunday night football show, “Football Night in America,” as a co-host with Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth. Jerome Bettis and Tiki Barber are the show’s analysts.

The Anaheim Ducks of the NHL have signed radio play-by-play man Steve Carroll to a multi-year contract extension.

After a one-year hiatus, ASA member Babe Laufenberg will return to the Dallas Cowboys’ radio booth as the color analyst in 2007, replacing Charlie Waters.

Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn have been hired by TBS to be analysts for baseball coverage that begins with this season’s playoffs. Ripken will be a studio analyst, along with studio host, Ernie Johnson, Jr. Gwynn will join play-by-play man Chip Caray in the booth.

Hall of Fame broadcaster and ASA member Herb Carneal, whose fluid and smooth baritone narrated Minnesota Twins games for the past 45 seasons, died April 1 of congestive heart failure, the club said. He was 83.(For Full Story, see In Memoriam)

Veteran New York sportscaster Jerry Girard, who always added a witty twist to his nightly jock reports, died on March 26 after a long battle with cancer. He was 75.(For Full Story, See In Memoriam)

There will be a quarterback change in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth for the 2007 season. ASA member Ron Jaworski will join fellow ASA member Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser on the ESPN telecast. Jaworski replaces Joe Theismann, who has been offered a prominent football analyst job with the network. (For Full Story, see News)

Emmitt Smith has joined ESPN as an NFL studio analyst. He replaces his former Dallas Cowboys teammate Michael Irvin who was released by the network in February.

Ben Wagner is the new voice of the Buffalo Bisons of the Class AAA International League. Ben spent the past three years as the voice and Director of Media and Public Relations for the Lakewood BlueClaws.

Newcomer Toby Hyde will join Deene Ehlis in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League Iowa Cubs broadcast booth in 2007. Toby spent the past two seasons as the voice of the Visalia Oaks of the Class A California League.

Mick Gillispie has been named the voice of the Tennessee Smokies of the Class AA Southern League. He spent the previous two seasons broadcasting Chattanooga Lookouts’ games.

Bobby Murcer, New York Yankees announcer on the YES Network, has completed six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatment at a Houston hospital and is resting at his home in Oklahoma. Murcer, who had a brain tumor removed in December, will be returning to Texas to get an update and a progress report.

ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” has received the rights to broadcast each MLB team as many as five times in 2007. Last season, no team could make more than four appearances on Sunday night.

ASA member Ralph Kiner will be back for his 45th season as a New York Mets announcer. Kiner will join Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling for a schedule of Friday night games throughout the season on SportsNet New York.

Denny Matthews, who has seen more Kansas City Royals games than anybody, was named the 2007 winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence Thursday and will be honored at the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies July 29 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y. (For Full Story, see News)

Jim Jackson, the radio voice of the Philadelphia Flyers, will be the radio pre-and post-game host for the Philadelphia Phillies. Scott Franzke, last year’s host, will be exclusively a play-by-play man in 2007.

Bill Parcells has been hired by ESPN to be an analyst on “Monday Night Countdown”. He will also do a radio show with co-host Chris Mortenson on ESPN radio on Friday afternoons during the NFL season.

ASA Hall of Famer Vin Scully was awarded the John R. Wooden Lifetime Achievement Award by the Paralysis Project of America.

Rece Davis will host “College Football Live” a daily, weekday series on ESPN starting July 23rd.

ASA member Amaury Pi-Gonzalez has been hired to be the radio play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Gary Thorne will be the lead play-by-play man for the Baltimore Orioles’ telecasts on MASN. Jim Palmer and Buck Martinez will alternately team in the booth with Thorne, who formerly did play-by-play for the Mets on TV and radio and works various sports for ABC/ESPN. Jim Hunter and Rick Dempsey will host the pre-and post game shows and Hunter will be the play-by-play man on games when Thorne isn’t available.

Johnny Holliday, the voice of Maryland Terrapins football and basketball, will be the pre-and post-game host for Washington Nationals’ baseball games on MASN. He will be joined by former major leaguer, Ray Knight.

Brian Anderson is the new television play-by-play man for the Milwaukee Brewers replacing Daron Sutton.

The Tennis Channel has hired John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova as lead analysts for its coverage of the 2007 French Open.

Dick Vitale, ASA member and ESPN college basketball analyst, has been chosen as one of the 15 finalists to be voted on for possible induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for 2007. Also named were former Chicago Bulls and current Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, former St. John's and NBA star Chris Mullin, former players Adrian Dantley and Richie Guerin; coaches Roy Williams, Eddie Sutton and Bob Hurley Sr.; owner Bill Davidson and the 1966 Texas Western NCAA championship team, which was college basketball's first national champion with five black starters.

Tiki Barber, the just-retired NFL running back, was formally introduced as an NBC Universal employee on February 13. He'll contribute news and human interest stories to "Today," and he'll be an analyst on NBC's Sunday highlight show "Football Night in America" in the fall.(For Full Story See Articles)

Andy Masur, the pre-and post game host for the Chicago Cubs on WGN radio is leaving to join the San Diego Padres’ broadcast team replacing Tim Flannery.

Scott Pinner has been named Director of Broadcasting for the Brevard County Manatees of the Class A Florida State League. Scott will broadcast all the Manatees games online and 60-70 games will also be on AM radio in the Cocoa Beach/Melbourne Florida area.

FSN West announced there will be a second TV broadcasting team for the Anaheim Angels this season. Jose Mota and former pitcher Mark Gubicza will broadcast 50 games while the primary crew of Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler will work 100.

CBS has hired former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher as an analyst for “The NFL Today” pregame show.

Charlie Waters will not return as the radio analyst for Dallas Cowboys games next season.

Chicago Cubs play-by-play man, Pat Hughes, was voted the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year for the third time.

Alan Ashby, former big leaguer and Houston Astros’ broadcaster, will join Jerry Howarth in the Toronto Blue Jays’ radio booth.

Sean Aronson, who spent the past four seasons calling Florida State League baseball games in Ft. Myers, is the new play-by-play man for the St. Paul Saints.

University of Tulsa play-by-play announcer Bruce Howard has been named Oklahoma Sportscaster of the Year.

ASA Board Member Jim Nantz joined ASA Chairman of the Board Dick Enberg and ASA Hall of Famer Curt Gowdy as the only broadcasters to call a Super Bowl and a Final Four. Nantz is the 11th man to call a Super Bowl on American television. He will also announce the Masters in April, making him the first sportscaster to do all three events in a single year.

Dave Lee, the voice of Minnesota Golden Gophers football, has been named the 2006 Minnesota Sportscaster of the Year. Lee is also the host of WCCO-AM’s morning show.

Dave Sims is joining the Seattle Mariners broadcast team.

Todd Lewis, the sports director of WKMG-TV in Orlando, will be leaving the station in the spring.

Don Sutton has been hired as the new color analyst for Washington Nationals’ baseball telecasts on MASN replacing Tom Paciorek.

Best wishes to veteran Los Angeles sportscaster Stu Nahan, who is undergoing treatment for lymphoma.

KHCW-TV’s Jorge Vargas and Houston Chronicle sportswriter Jerome Solomon will be the co-hosts on the afternoon drive-time sports talk show on KFNC-FM in Houston.

Former pitcher Jack Morris has signed on as a radio color analyst for 40 Minnesota Twins’ games in 2007 on KSTP.

John Sciambi will broadcast 80 Atlanta Braves’ games on FSN South and SportSouth, teamed with Joe Simpson.

ESPN has signed Kenny Mayne to a new one-year deal. He will do features, horse racing and 50 shows of SportsCenter, which he hasn’t done since 2004.

Sage Steele will be a new sports anchor on ESPN News. She previously worked at Comcast SportsNet in the mid-Atlantic region.

Larry Ridley is the new weekend sports anchor at WHDH-TV in Boston.

Jim Rich has been named sports director at KMSP in Minneapolis.

Duke Castiglione has been hired to do part-time sports reporting at WNYW-TV in New York. Duke continues to work regularly at ESPN.

Tom Waddle is leaving WGN’s “Sports Central” show, which he co-hosted with Dave Kaplan for 10 years. Waddle is expected to sign a contract to host a show at Chicago’s ESPN1000.

Frank Robinson has been signed as a baseball analyst for ESPN during spring training through the middle of April.Tony Kornheiser will begin a weekday morning talk show on WTWP in Washington D.C. on February 20th.

Benny Parsons, ASA member and NASCAR announcer, died on January 16 in Charlotte, N.C., where he had been hospitalized since Dec. 26 because of complications from his lung cancer treatment. He was 65.(For Full Story see In memoriam)

ESPN/ABC has agreed to televise 26 Arena Football games per season. They've also acquired a minority ownership in the league. The broadcast teams will be Mike Greenburg and Mike Golic; Trey Wingo and Mark Schlereth; and ASA member Ron Jaworski and Merrill Hoge. Greenburg and Golic will also be the announcers on ABC's coverage of Arena Bowl XXI.

Gary Gerould, ASA member, recently broadcast his 1,700th Sacramento Kings basketball game.

Veteran sports broadcaster Jim Lampley was arrested in California on January 3 for beating up his girlfriend, authorities said. Lampley, known for his work on HBO boxing telecasts and the Olympics, was charged with domestic violence, violating a restraining order and preventing a witness from testifying.

Jim Karvellas, a longtime broadcaster of NBA games and the Cosmos soccer team, died at 71.(For full story, see In Memoriam).

New York Yankees broadcaster Bobby Murcer had surgery to remove a brain tumor on December 28.(For full story, see Articles)

The Boston Red Sox have announced their new radio broadcast team. ASA member Joe Castiglione will return for his 25th season with the club and will be joined by Dave O’Brien and Glenn Geffner. Castiglione will broadcast all 162 games while Geffner and O’Brien will split duties in a way to be determined. O’Brien will also call "Monday Night Baseball" games on ESPN.

Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren will continue to broadcast Atlanta Braves games on the radio. The TV broadcasters for the last season of Braves’ baseball on TBS have yet to be finalized but it is believed that Chip Caray, Skip’s son, will broadcast a majority of the games, along with Joe Simpson. Van Wieren and Skip Caray will do occasional games.

WQAM Radio in Miami has dropped the late night sports-talk show hosted by Ed Kaplan. Kaplan was the first sports talk host ever on WQAM almost twenty years ago.

Guy Rawlings is the new lead sports anchor at WESH-TV in Orlando. Rawlings was a sports anchor for WTVJ-TV in Miami. Pat Clarke, the current lead anchor, will shift to weekends.

Lee Mazzilli has been hired as lead in-studio baseball analyst at SNY in New York .

ASA member Herb Carneal, John Gordon and Dan Gladden will remain on the Minnesota Twins’ broadcasts even though the team has a new flagship radio station. The Twins will have a new pre-and post-game show host, Kris Atteberry, who has spent the past five seasons calling St. Paul Saints minor league baseball on radio and television.

Spero Dedes has signed a multi-year contract with the NFL Network. Dedes is the radio voice of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Condolences to Marc Zumoff, the television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers, whose mother passed away.

John Leahy, ASA member, will be entering his third year as the voice of the North Shore Spirit baseball team in the Can-Am League of Professional Baseball on 1510 The Zone (Sporting News Radio, WWZN-AM) in Boston.

ASA member and Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas has signed a three-year contract to continue to do play-by-play for the Philadelphia Phillies. He will be joined in the booth in 2007 by returning broadcasters Larry Anderson, Chris Wheeler and Scott Franzke, and new color man Gary Matthews, Sr. Scott Graham, who had been the primary radio voice of the Phils, and had been with the team since 1991, will not return in 2007. Specific broadcasting roles will be announced in spring training.

ASA member Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, the TV voice of the Chicago White Sox, is one of the men nominated for the 2007 Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award. Others nominated are: ASA member Joe Nuxhall; the late Tom Cheek, longtime voice of the Toronto Blue Jays; Tony Kubek; Dizzy Dean; Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Seattle Mariners; ASA Hall of Famer Graham McNamee, France Laux; the late Bill King; and Denny Matthews, the voice of the Kansas City Royals.

Evan Roberts, a part-time overnight host on WFAN in New York, will become Joe Beningno’s co-host on WFAN’s midday show effective January 2nd.

Casey Coleman, ASA member who did play-by-play for the Cleveland Browns and covered the city's other sports teams for nearly 30 years, died on November 27, 2006, at home of pancreatic cancer. Mr. Coleman, the son of former Red Sox announcer Ken Coleman, was 55.Coleman's voice, which was similar in tone and delivery to his father's, was known to a generation of Clevelanders. Mr. Coleman had worked at WJW-TV, where he won four local Emmy Awards as a sports anchor, and was currently the co-host of a morning show on WTAM. He also won several Associated Press broadcasting awards for excellence.(For Full Story See- In Memoriam)

“George Michael’s Sports Machine,” the syndicated late Sunday night sports highlight show, will go off the air after 23 years in March when Michael retires as the sports director and weeknight sports anchor of WRC-TV in Washington D.C.

Fox announced its on-air lineup for the college football Bowl Championship Series games it will be broadcasting in 2007. ASA member Kenny Albert will do the play-by-play of the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 along with game analysts Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long. Analysts Pat Haden of NBC and Terry Donahue of Fox will work with play-by-play man Matt Vasgersian on the Jan. 2 Orange Bowl telecast. Fox’s Thom Brennaman, former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez and TBS analyst Charles Davis will call the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 and the national title game on Jan. 8.

ASA Hall of Famer Pat Summerall will call the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1 for Fox

Bob Neumeier has signed a three-year contract to work full-time for NBC Sports.

ASA Chairman of the Board Dick Enberg was inducted into the Indiana University Sports Hall of Fame on November 11th.

Talk show host Gary Miller has been let go by KSPN 710 in Los Angeles. His co-host DeMarco Farr will continue on the show with various guest co-hosts until a permanent co-host is hired.

Tom Paciorek will not be returning as the color analyst for Washington Nationals’ telecasts in 2007.

Daniel Dahm who co-hosted an afternoon sports-talk show on ESPN radio stations in Orlando and Melbourne with former football coach Terry Bowden, is leaving radio to work on the website of WKMG-TV the Orlando CBS affiliate.

Martin Kilcoyne has left “The Morning Grind” show on sports talk station KFNS in St. Louis.

ESPN has extended Dick Vitale’s contract through the 2012-13 season.

Mike Cairns was hired by STO in northeast Ohio to be the play-by-play man for Cleveland State University basketball telecasts.

WNST Radio in Baltimore has fired morning show co-host Terry Ford and replaced him with Casey Willett.

WLW Radio has fired radio host and ASA member Andy Furman for calling Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh a racist during his weeknight talk show. A dispute between the two began when Houshmandzadeh failed to appear for a weekly paid appearance on Furman’s show.

Tim Flannery has left the San Diego Padres’ radio booth to become the third base coach for the San Francisco Giants.

Former New York Knick Allan Houston has been hired by ESPN to be an NBA analyst. He will be on a wide range of NBA programs and may analyze some games.

The agent for soon-to-be-retired pitcher David Wells has been calling networks to see if there are any analyst opportunities for his client.

With the retirement of Yankees analyst Jim Kaat, its been said that John Flaherty will pick up the bulk of Kaat’s games for the YES network in 2007. Former Yankee Joe Girardi who most recently was managing the Florida Marlins, will also join YES in ’07.

Brent Musberger will host ABC-TV’s coverage of NASCAR racing starting in 2007. Dr. Jerry Punch will call the races and former racer Rusty Wallace will be the lead analyst.

Marc Daniels has been let go as the afternoon host at WQTM radio in Orlando. Daniels is also the voice of University of Central Florida sports for that station and his future in that job is uncertain.

Ted Leitner has signed a two-year contract to continue as the No. 1 announcer for San Diego Padres’ radio broadcasts.

Minnesota Twins’ TV broadcasters Dick Bremer and ASA member Bert Blyleven have agreed to multi-year contract extensions.

Fox Sports has announced that ASA Hall of Famer Pat Summerall will do the play-by-play of the Cotton Bowl on January 1st.

Thom Brennaman has left the Arizona Diamondbacks booth to join his father, Marty Brennaman, in the Cincinnati Reds booth starting in 2007. Thom signed a 4-year deal to do approximately 90 games per season split evenly between TV and radio. The Reds are looking for another announcer to do approximately 120 games on radio and 40 on TV.

Nick Faldo has been named lead analyst for CBS-TV’s golf coverage. Nick will also be the lead analyst on The Golf Channel and on ABC’s coverage of the British Open.

ESPN is in talks with former New York Knick Allan Houston about becoming an NBA studio analyst.

Ron Fairly voice of the Seattle Mariners for the last 14 years, said he will retire after the Mariners’ final home game on October 1 ending a 27-year career in broadcasting.

Greg Glynn, ASA member, will begin his third year as the play-by-play voice of the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League this October.

Gary Danielson called his first college football game for CBS, a national telecast of Florida-Tennessee on September 16. Last year Danielson called games for ESPN.

Joe Buck, ASA member and new host of Fox’s NFL Sunday pre-game show, is the first broadcaster to serve as a studio host and then do the play-by-play of a game that follows.

Mike Patrick, ASA member and former play-by-play man on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Football,” has been paired with Todd Blackledge on ESPN’s Saturday prime-time college football games.

Kirk Herbstreit, ASA member and analyst on ESPN’s Saturday morning college football pre-game show, will team with Brent Musburger and Bob Davie on ABC’s prime-time game.

Paul Maguire, ASA member and former ESPN “Sunday Night Football” analyst, joins ASA members Bob Griese and Brad Nessler on ABC’s top Saturday afternoon college football game.

Ralph Bednarczyk, ASA member, has been hired by St. John’s University to broadcast women’s basketball and volleyball, and men’s soccer and baseball on Redstormsports.com.

Pat Foley, who was fired as the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Blackhawks after last season, has been hired by the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League to be their TV play-by-play voice.

ASA member Ann Meyers is leaving broadcasting to become the general manager of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and a vice president for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.

Joe Micheletti will replace John Davidson as the game analyst on New York Rangers’ telecasts.

Bob Costas is returning to radio as host of “Costas on the Radio” a two-hour interview show that will air on weekends starting September 16th.

Thom Brennaman, Barry Alvarez and Charles Davis will be the lead play-by-play team for Fox Sports’ BCS College Football bowl coverage.

Former Miami Dolphins’ and New York Jets’ play-by-play man Howard David will be the host of “Gameday Insiders” which is broadcast on weekends during the football season on WFTL radio in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area.

NESN has hired Kathryn Tappen to be a sports reporter and weekend sports anchor for “SportsDesk.”

Kenny Walker and Kim Bokamper are the new co-hosts of the morning show on WQAM radio in Miami.

Wendi Nix has been hired to be a sports reporter by ESPN. She previously was a sports reporter for WHDH-TV in Boston.

The NFL Network has hired Deion Sanders to be a game analyst for “NFL Gameday.”

ASA member Michael Barkann is hosting a new sports and entertainment show on Comcast Sports Net in Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Delaware called “Monday Night Live.”

Chris Rose will be the halftime and pre-and post game host for Fox Sports’ BCS college football bowl game coverage.

Mike Claiborne is leaving KFNS radio in St. Louis for KTRS, where he will host Cardinals’ and Blues’ pre-and post-game shows and do some call-in shows.

Carl Dukes and Brad Davies are the new co-hosts of the morning show on KBME radio in Houston.

Matt Vasgersian, the TV voice of the San Diego Padres, has been hired by CBS Sports to do NFL play-by-play this season.

CBS Sports, who will do away with the sideline reporter starting this season, has decided to use analysts Solomon Wilcots and Steve Tasker on the sidelines for their telecast of Super Bowl XLI.

Terry Bowden, former ABC/ESPN college football analyst, is the new main college football game analyst for CBS/Westwood One Radio. Bowden also does shows for Sirius Satellite Radio and two stations in the Orlando market.

For the second half of its season-opening Monday Night Football doubleheader on Sept. 11, ESPN will have ASA members Brad Nessler, Ron Jaworski and Dick Vermeil in the booth in Oakland for the Chargers-Raiders game. ASA member Bonnie Bernstein will be the sideline reporter.

ASA member Joe Morgan will be the new analyst on ABC's coverage of the Little League League World Series. He will team with Orel Hershiser and Brent Musberger. Morgan replaces Harold Reynolds, who was recently let go by ESPN.

ASA Chairman Dick Enberg and ASA member Ian Eagle will call play-by-play of CBS' U.S. Open tennis coverage.

The New York Islanders have announced that Steve Mears will be their radio play-by-play man starting with the 2006-07 season. Mears replaces John Weideman.

Matt Loughlin will be the new radio play-by-play man for the New Jersey Devils, replacing John Hennessey.

WOIO-TV in Cleveland has re-signed their lead sports anchor Chuck Galeti to a multi-year deal.

Trev Alberts, who was fired by ESPN during the 2005 college football season, has been hired by CSTV to be a college football game analyst working with play-by-play announcer Tom Hart.

Bill Weber has agreed on a multi-year contract extension to stay with TNT in his role as pre-race host and play-by-play announcer for the network’s NASCAR coverage.

Beginning August 28th, ASA member Hank Goldberg will return to his familiar spot of 4pm-7pm on WQAM in Miami. For several years, Hank had been doing his show from 7am-10am.

Mike Edmonds, former play-by-play voice of the University of Houston, died of cancer. He was 59. Edmonds was Houston’s voice for two decades.

Paul Eels, legendary voice of the University of Arkansas who broadcast Hogs games for three decades, died after being involved in a car accident. Eels, a multiple time winner of the “Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year” award, was 70.

Jeff Cawley, the sports director of KGTV in San Diego, has resigned effective September 8th.

ASA member Bob Miller, play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Kings, will receive a star on the world famous Hollywood Boulevard “Walk of Fame” on October 2, 2006. Miller is starting his 34th year as the Kings’ announcer.

Buddy Pittman who has worked as a sports reporter at WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla. for 27 years is retiring.

Mike Grimm is the new voice of Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s college basketball. He will also be the pre-and post-game host for Gophers college football. Grimm previously was a sports talk show host at KMOX since 2001.

Geoff Haxton, the former voice of Oral Roberts baseball, is the new host of “Sports Morning” on KYAL in Tulsa, Okla.

John Weideman has been named the radio voice for the NHL’s Chicago Black Hawks. He had previously been the voice of the New York Islanders for five seasons.

Clay Matvick has joined ESPNU to do play-by-play of college football and hockey. He formerly worked for FSN North.

Nick Faldo will serve as The Golf Channel’s main analyst for PGA Tour coverage starting in 2007.

Condolences to ASA member and baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster, Milo Hamilton, on the death of his daughter, Patricia Joy Watson, who died from complications of a stroke she suffered at the end of June.

ESPN has announced that “NFL Prime Time” will move to Monday nights at 6pm this season, ending an 18-year run on Sunday nights and will be hosted by Stuart Scott, Mike Ditka and Ron Jaworski, who replace ASA member Chris Berman and Tom Jackson.

TBS Superstation will stop broadcasting Atlanta Braves baseball in 2008 when a national Sunday afternoon Game of the Week replaces Braves’ games. TBS also acquired all first-round baseball playoff games beginning in 2007.

Jenny Dunn is the new weekend sports anchor at WFTV in Orlando, Fla. Jenny comes to Orlando from WLOS in Asheville, N.C.

NBC has decided to add four more regular season NHL games and three more post-season NHL games to its schedule beginning next season. That will bring the regular season total to 10 and up to 17 post-season games, depending how long the Stanley Cup Finals go.

Eddie Olczyk, NBC NHL studio analyst, was been named the new lead game analyst for the network’s NHL coverage.

ASA Chairman Dick Enberg has signed on with Fox Sports Net to do a show called “In Focus,” which will highlight great sports moments.

ASA member Bonnie Bernstein is replacing Sam Ryan as ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” reporter. She will also work on college football telecasts for the network.

NBC announced that golf analyst Johnny Miller has signed a six-year contract extension.

Former New York Met Mookie Wilson will be a studio analyst on SportsNet New York for the Mets-Red Sox series in Boston June 27-29.

Former ESPN and ABC sportscaster Sam Ryan has joined WCBS-TV in New York as a weekend sports anchor. Sam will also do work on CBS’ coverage of college basketball and NFL football.

Bob Wolff, a Ford Frick Award honoree in the Baseball Hall of Fame, has signed a two-year contract extension as a special correspondent for News-12 Long Island.

Fred Roggin has given up his daily radio show on KMPC-AM in Los Angeles to concentrate on his TV work for KNBC-TV.

Mike Francesa has signed a four year contract extension to continue his Sunday night sports wrap-up show, “Mike’d Up,” on WNBC-TV in New York.

The New Jersey Devils have fired their radio broadcast team of John Hennessey and Randy Velischek.

The Chicago Black Hawks have fired their play-by-play man of the past 25 years, Pat Foley.

Best wishes to Colorado Rockies’ radio voice Jack Corrigan who recently suffered a mild stroke.

Mike Tyson will return to the ring in August-sort of. In what could be the beginning of a new career for the former undisputed champion, Tyson has signed on to work ringside as a TV analyst for the international broadcast of Hasim Rahman’s August 12 WBC heavyweight title defense against Oleg Maskev. (For Full Story, Click Here)

Now that Barry Bonds has passed Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list, ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez will no longer be covering Bonds on a daily basis. Gomez had been on this assignment since last year's spring training.

Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs was an analyst for the Big East Baseball Championship on ESPNU on May 27.

ASA member Tina Cervasio, formerly of WCBS-TV in New York, is now a Boston Red Sox reporter for NESN.

Tony Roberts, the voice of Notre Dame college football on the Mutual/Westwood One radio network for 26 years, is being replaced by Don Criqui

Dick Enberg, the Chairman of the Board of the ASA, is expected to be named by Westwood One as the radio voice of the new Thursday/Saturday night NFL series of games which begin on Thanksgiving night and continue through the end of the regular season.

Pam Oliver and Jeanne Zelasko are strongly being considered as replacements for James Brown as the Studio Host for Fox Sports’ Sunday NFL pregame show. Brown left Fox to become the host of CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show.

Doug Flutie has retired from the NFL and will join ABC/ESPN as a college football studio analyst.

Ken Rosenthal will have a weekly segment on Fox’s Saturday MLB pregame show.

Former Dallas Cowboy Charlie Waters will replace ASA member Babe Laufenberg as the game analyst on Cowboys’ radio broadcasts. Waters had been a regular on the Cowboys’ pre-game show.

ESPN baseball analyst and former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman John Kruk has been hired to host a weekly Saturday afternoon radio show on WPEN in Philadelphia.

Stan White and Rob Burnett have been hired to be the game analysts on Baltimore Ravens broadcasts.

WEWS-TV in Cleveland has re-signed sportscaster Sue Ann Robak to a multi-year contract.

ABC college football studio analyst Aaron Taylor has left the network to pursue other interests.

ASA member James Brown is a minority partner in the group selected to own baseball’s Washington Nationals.

Bob Rathbun and Jeff Torborg have replaced the TBS broadcast crew on Atlanta Braves’ baseball games scheduled to be telecast on Turner South, as Time-Warner has sold the network to Fox. Rathbun and Torborg already broadcast the Braves’ games telecast on FSN South.

Bruce MacGowan, a sports reporter and host on KNBR radio in San Francisco for seventeen years, has been fired.

NBC announced that Sterling Sharpe will be a studio analyst on the network’s Sunday night NFL games. He will join Bob Costas, Cris Collinsworth, Jerome Bettis and Peter King.

Sam Ryan is negotiating to leave ABC/ESPN to become the evening weekend sports anchor for WCBS-TV Ch. 2 in New York. Ryan, the sideline reporter for ABC’s college football and ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” wants to be closer to home and spend more time with her two young children.

Chris Bevilacqua, one of the co-founders of CSTV, is leaving the company.

ASA Hall of Famer Keith Jackson thinks this is the right time for him to retire. Jackson, widely regarded as the voice of college football, has decided to stop broadcasting games. (For Full Story Click Here)

ASA Member Nancy Newman has been named official back-up to Bob Lorenz as Yankees Studio-Host for the YES Network, having been promoted to a YES Network staffer. Duties will also include New Jersey Nets studio hosting, Yankees field reporting and more.

Lou Schwartz,, President of the American Sportscasters Association (ASA), announced today that, at his recommendation, Gary McKillips, Advisory Board Member of the ASA, was chosen to play legendary ABC sportscaster and ASA Hall of Famer Jack Whitaker, in the new ESPN film, “Ruffian.” (For Full Story, Click Here)

Bob Sheppard, New York Yankees public address announcer since 1951, made his return to Yankee Stadium on April 21 after a hip injury caused him to miss his first-ever home opener on April 11.

Ralph Kiner ASA member and New York Mets announcer since the team’s inception in 1962, will make around 25 appearance on the Mets’ studio show on SportsNet New York.

It has been reported that Lou Piniella will be working for Fox Sports as an analyst on one of the “Game of the Week” broadcast teams.

Deion Sanders is in discussions with ESPN about a possible role on the network’s NFL coverage.

The Toronto Blue Jays will be wearing a special patch on their uniform this year in honor of their longtime play-by-play announcer, Tom Cheek, who passed away in October of 2005. The patch will include the initials "T.C." and a microphone.

The late Jack Buck, an ASA Hall of Famer, became the 25th person inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians in Jefferson City, Mo. Buck was born in Holyoke, Mass. in 1924, started calling St. Louis Cardinals games in 1954 and became the lead Cardinals’ announcer in 1969. Buck died in 2002.

Babe Laufenberg, ASA member and the color commentator for Dallas Cowboys’ radio broadcasts since 1997, has quit to spend more time with his family. Laufenberg is also the lead sports anchor for KTVT-TV in Dallas.

Anita Marks, who was the co-host of the afternoon drive-time show on ESPN Radio 1400 in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. has resigned in order to become the afternoon drive-time host at ESPN Radio 1300 in Baltimore, Md.

Boomer Esiason will remain at MSG Network after signing a new three-year deal. Esiason, who was pursued by Sports Net New York, will do 30 "Boomer Esiason Shows," more than double the amount from last year, and several specials beginning with an NFL Draft show in two weeks.

The Oakland A’s have renamed the broadcast booth at the MacAfee Coliseum the Bill King “Holy Toldeo” Broadcast Booth in honor of the late great A’s announcer who passed away in October of 2005. The team will also be wearing a special patch on their uniform in his honor.

Bryant Gumbel, host of HBO’s “Real Sports,” has had discussions with the NFL Network to do the play-by-play for the eight-game TV package the network will be airing beginning on Thanksgiving night.

Former Yankee pitcher Al Leiter, who retired after playing in the WBC, will call about 50 Yankee games for the YES Network.

The NFL Network, which for the first time will have counter-coverage to ESPN’s presentation of this year’s NFL Draft on April 29, is interested in having Ryan Leaf, the 1998 No. 2 pick, as part of its draft show.

Peter Gammons will not be in the booth on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” but he will be joining Jon Miller, Joe Morgan and Sam Ryan on the broadcasts in what the network is calling a “scout position,” which could be a position in the stands.

The Washington Nationals have hired Bob Carpenter and Tom Paciorek as the team’s new television broadcast team, replacing Mel Proctor and Ron Darling. Carpenter is being replaced in the St. Louis Cardinals’ KPLR-TV booth by Wayne Hagin, who was fired from the Cardinals’ radio team this past winter.

Duke Castiglione has joined ESPN and left his job as the morning sports anchor at WCBS-TV in New York City.

David Halberstam, a former play-by-play man for the Miami Heat and St. John’s University basketball has been named Executive Vice-President /General Manager of the Westwood One radio network.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that ASA Hall of Famer Vin Scully, has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him broadcasting Dodgers’ games through 2008. After the contract expires, Scully will likely retire from broadcasting.

CBS has hired Gary Danielson away from ABC-TV to replace Todd Blackledge on their college football telecasts. Danielson will team with Verne Lundquist.

Gene Elston has been named this year’s recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence. Elston was the voice of the Houston Astros from 1962-1986 and also broadcast CBS Radio’s “Game of the Week,” Mutual’s “Game of the Day” and Chicago Cubs games.

Rory Markas has signed a five-year contract extension to continue to broadcast Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball.

Bob Socci is the new voice of the Norfolk Tides of the International League. Socci replaces Jeff McCarragher, who is now working for the ABC television affiliate in Topeka, Kansas. Socci is the play-by-play man for Navy college football and basketball and has broadcast Albuquerque Isotopes baseball the past three seasons.

Kansas University honored Max Falkenstein at their final 2005-06 basketball home game on March 1st. Max is retiring at the end of the season, concluding sixty years of broadcasting Kansas’ games. Max has called more than 1,750 basketball games and 650 football games for K.U. In 2004, Max was presented the prestigious Curt Gowdy Award by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The College Football Hall of Fame has also honored him and in 2001, The Sporting News named Max “the best college radio personality in the country.”

ASA member Lesley Visser has been awarded a Gracie Allen Award by the American Women in Radio and Television. She will be presented with an individual achievement honor at a dinner in New York on June 19.

Dan Patrick is the new studio host for ABC’s NBA coverage replacing ASA member Mike Tirico who is now the No. 2 play-by-play man.

Suzy Kolber of ESPN was named the “Sports Broadcaster of the Year” by the prestigious Maxwell Club of Philadelphia. She is the first female recipient of the award.

Tony Kubek, Peter DiMaggio and Lou Schwartz were among those in attendance at the funeral services for sportscasting legend Curt Gowdy. (For full story, click here)

Curt Gowdy, legendary sportscaster and Vice President of the American Sportscasters Association, died on February 20, 2006, of leukemia. He was 86. (For Full Story, Click Here)

(For an Exclusive Interview of the late great Curt Gowdy, Click Here)

With his coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics, Jim Lampley now holds the record for most Olympic assignments with 13. The record was previously held by ASA Hall of Famer and veteran ABC sportscaster Jim McKay.

Orel Hershiser, who retired as a pitcher in 2000 and worked as an ESPN analyst in 2001, will work as a game and studio analyst on ESPN’s baseball coverage.

Tony Gwynn has left ESPN after four years as a part-time baseball analyst. The network wanted someone full-time but Gwynn decided to focus on his career as a baseball coach at San Diego State, where he begins his fourth year. He will continue to call about 30 San Diego Padres games for Channel 4 San Diego.

Bob Wright, Chairman of NBC Universal, was honored by the Museum of TV & Radio for his many years of work in the broadcasting industry.

NBC is paying $613 million for the U.S. TV rights for the 2006 Winter Olympics, has more than 2,700 workers and more than 247,000 square feet of space at event venues and in the International Broadcast Center

Ryan Chiaverini is joining WLS-TV in Chicago as a sports reporter/fill-in sports anchor. Ryan comes to Chicago from KUSA-TV in Denver where he had been a sports reporter since 2002.

WFLD-TV in Chicago has fired their morning sports anchor Bruce Wolf.

Todd Blackledge is leaving CBS Sports to call Saturday night ESPN college football, teaming with ASA member Mike Patrick.

Scott Frantzke, formerly the pre-and post-game host for Texas Rangers’ baseball on KRLD in Dallas, is the newest member of the Philadelphia Phillies’ broadcast team. Frantzke replaces Tom McCarthy who will broadcast Mets’ baseball this season.

Randy Karraker, formerly of KTRS radio in St. Louis was hired by KSLG in St.Louis to host a daily mid-morning sports-talk show.

"Monday Night Football" will have a new broadcast team when it debuts on ESPN in 2006. ASA member Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser will be part of a three-man booth calling the games on Monday nights next season and Suzy Kolber and ASA member Michele Tafoya will be sideline reporters. (For Full Story, Click Here)

SportsNet New York added nine anchors/reporters to its lineup. They include: CBS(New York) weekend sports anchor Gary Apple; ESPN's Steve Berthiaume; CNN Sports Anchor Steve Overmyer; Fox Sports' Kenny Choi; Comcast Sports Southeast host Chris Cotter; CBS(Dallas) Sports Anchor Brian Custer; "Miami Heat TV" host Julie Donaldson; WHBQ-TV Sports Director David Lee: and Comcast SportsNet reporter/anchor Matt Yallof. SNY, the new network for the New York Mets, will make its debut on March 16.

ESPN and ESPN 2 have announced they will broadcast the World Baseball Classic. The two networks will broadcast 16 games, inlcuding the semifinals and finals on March 18 and 20. ESPN Deportes will televise all 39 games. XM Satellite Radio will also carry the games.

ASA member Bonnie Bernstein has left CBS Sports. She plans to start a business that will help mentor young broadcasters.

ASA member Phil Rizzuto is planning to sell all his sports memorabilia this summer when he moves into a smaller house.

Jaime Jarrin has signed a five-year contract extension to continue to broadcast Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games through the 2011 season. Jarrin has been the Dodgers’ Spanish language broadcaster for the past forty-seven seasons.

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News is reporting that James Brown, the host of Fox NFL Sunday, will be leaving the network to join CBS to host their football broadcasts, as well as NCAA basketball. Raissman also reports that Greg Gumbel wants to return to a play-by-play role and may be teamed with Dan Dierdorf on NFL telecasts.

Mike Cairns, the weekend sports anchor for WKYC-TV in Cleveland, is leaving the station.

Thom Brennaman will be lead play-by-play voice of the BCS College Football bowl series when it moves to Fox starting next season. He will do one BCS bowl game and the BCS national title game each season.

According to several reports, Al Michaels is seriously considering joining John Madden in the broadcast booth on NBC’s new Sunday night NFL telecasts instead of moving to ESPN to broadcast their new Monday night NFL series.

Dave Jageler will replace Dave Shea in the Washington Nationals radio booth in 2006. Jageler broadcast Pawtucket Red Sox games last season and has also worked in Boston and Charlotte N.C. broadcasting college and pro basketball.

ASA member Ann Meyers, widow of baseball Hall of Famer and former broadcaster Don Drysdale, has won the U.S. Sports Academy Ronald Reagan Media Award. Previous winners have included Howard Cosell, Bob Costas, Keith Jackson, Frank Deford and Rupert Murdoch.

WSCR Radio in Chicago will not renew the contract of Jimmy Piersall, who did baseball analysis for the station.

Jay Gilmore is the new weeknight sports anchor for WPTV in West Palm Beach. He previously worked for WHNT in Huntsville, Ala.

Vince Cotroneo, who formerly broadcast Houston Astros and Texas Rangers baseball games, has signed a two-year contract to join the Oakland A’s broadcast team.

New York Newsday has reported that Andrea Kremer will leave ESPN to join NBC as sideline reporter for its Sunday Night NFL broadcasts.

The New York Mets’ new cable network, SportsNet NY, will have Keith Hernandez as their lead game analyst and Ron Darling as their secondary analyst. Hernandez will join lead play-by-play man Gary Cohen, who makes the move from radio to TV, on approximately 100 games. The WFAN Radio team will consist of Howie Rose and former Philadelphia Phillies radio man Tom McCarthy.

WSCR Radio in Chicago has hired former player Chris Singleton to team with ASA member Ed Farmer on Chicago White Sox broadcasts in 2006.

KMOX sports director Ron Jacober has been elected into the St. Louis Radio Hall of Fame. Jacober has worked in St. Louis radio and television since 1970.

Dean Blevins of KWTV in Oklahoma City has been voted the Oklahoma Sportscaster of the Year for the fifth time.

St. Louis Rams radio analyst and former wide receiver Jack Snow, died on Monday, January 9, 2006, after struggling with complications from a staph infection for the better part of the past month. He was 62. (For Full Story Click Here)

Gary Miller has been hired by KCAL TV in Los Angeles as a full-time sports anchor.

Gerry Sandusky is expected to be named the new voice of the Baltimore Ravens radio broadcasts and Stan White is expected to be the analyst as the Ravens move to their new station WBAL radio.

The Houston Astros have hired Brett Dolan,, from the Tucson Sidewinders, and Dave Raymond, from the Brockton (Mass.) Rox, to broadcast their road games on radio in 2006. Both men will alternate between analyst and pre-and post game show host for home games. Alan Ashby has not been rehired for 2006 and ASA member Milo Hamilton will only do play-by-play for home games.

Mike Dempsey, the afternoon sports talk host at WFXJ in Jacksonville, Fla., has jumped to rival sports talk station WZNZ to host its afternoon show with co-host Tom McManus.

Larry Krueger, former evening sports talk host at KNBR in San Francisco, has been hired by KGO to be the afternoon sports reporter. This job had been vacant since Joe Starkey left KGO in the summertime to continue broadcasting San Francisco 49ers games on KNBR.

ABC aired its final telecast of “Monday Night Football” on December 26. MNF made its debut on the network on September 21, 1970 with a matchup between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns. The telecast featured a three-man booth of Howard Cosell, Keith Jackson and Don Meredith. It ended its 36-year run with the Jets taking on the New England Patriots with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden calling the action. Ironically, both games resulted in a Jets loss, 31-21. ESPN will take over the broadcast rights to the Monday night institution starting in 2006.

Marv Albert, former voice of the New York Knicks, returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time as the play-by-play man for his new team, the New Jersey Nets, on December 26. Albert, who had been associated with the Knicks since 1965 when he was a fill-in for broadcast legend Marty Glickman, is now paired with fellow New York native and former Knick guard Mark Jackson.

The finalists for the Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2006 Ford C. Frick Award are: Dave Niehaus, Gene Elston, Tom Cheek, Denny Matthews, Bill King, Jacques Doucet, Dizzy Dean, Graham McNamee, Ken Coleman and Tony Kubek. The winner will be chosen by a 20-man committee and announced in February, 2006.

Danni Boatwright, who co-hosts a Sunday morning sports-talk show on KCSP-AM 610 Sports in Kansas City, Mo., won the $1 million prize on the popular CBS-TV show “Survivor.”

ESPN “Sunday Night Football” broadcasters, ASA Member Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire, will team to broadcast NCAA football games on ESPN next season.

Jennifer Mills is leaving The Golf Channel after 11 years to spend more time with her family. She covered the PGA Tour, all the major championships and the Ryder Cup for the network she has been with since its debut in 1995.

Tom McCarthy has been hired to replace Gary Cohen on New York Mets radiocasts. McCarthy has broadcast Philadelphia Phillies games, is the voice of St. Joseph’s Hawks college basketball and has broadcast Princeton and Rutgers college football games.

Sid Rosenberg, formerly of WFAN in New York, was hired to work the midday sports-talk show on WAXY in Miami, Florida, co-hosting with former Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver, O.J. McDuffie.

Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick, who teamed for years on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” have been reunited on ESPN Radio’s “Dan Patrick Show." Olbermann who had been appearing on the show for an hour each Friday, will now join Patrick for an hour each day (2-3pm).

Zach Zaidman is the new voice of DePaul Blue Demons basketball on WSCR in Chicago. Zaidman replaces Ron Gleason who became the new program director of WBBM.

David Stein, formerly of Fox Sports Radio, has joined Sporting News Radio as its overnight host.

Sal Messina, radio voice of New York Rangers for 30 years, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as the 2005 recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.

“Monday Night Football” sideline reporter and ASA member Michele Tafoya gave birth to a baby boy, Tyler Bruce Vandersall. Al Michaels made the announcement on MNF’s November 21st telecast. Tafoya's baby also has a date with the Super Bowl.

"I don't know if he'll actually go to the game, but he's coming on the trip [to Detroit]," said the new mom. "He may have good seats."

Under doctor's orders, Tafoya, got benched early in the season. "I had to stop traveling [for "MNF"] much earlier than I expected because they had seen that I was risking having a pre-term [delivery]. So they sat me down."

Wayne Hagin, who replaced the late Jack Buck on St. Louis Cardinals broadcasts, has been fired and will be replaced by former Chicago White Sox voice John Rooney.

ASA member Terry Bradshaw is interested in being part of a group that would buy the New Orleans Saints from current owner Tom Benson and keep the team in New Orleans.

Gary Cohen is moving from radio broadcasts of New York Mets baseball games to TV play-by-play on the Mets’ new TV network, SportsNet NY. Howie Rose continues on radio and the Mets are looking for partners for both announcers.

ASA member Ken Korach has signed a new four-year contract to be the Oakland A’s lead radio announcer. Korach moves up to replace his long-time partner, the late Bill King.

Evan Cohen has been named the voice of Florida Atlantic University college basketball on WLVJ in Miami, Fla.

Madison Square Network announced that it has added Kenny Smith as a game analyst for New York Knicks broadcasts. Smith, who will continue as a studio analyst for TNT, will fill in for Walt “Clyde” Frazier on about 20 games. His first Knicks game will be on Nov. 23 in Charlotte.

Tony Petitti was promoted to executive vice president of CBS Sports. Petitti will remain as the network’s executive producer. The move was made because CBS Sports President Sean McManus will also be the head of CBS’ news department.

Dave O’Brien has turned down the opportunity to be the full-time play-by-play man for the New York Mets’ new network, SportsNet, New York in favor of a new five-year multi-sport deal with ESPN. O’Brien will work Monday Night Baseball, college basketball, grand slam tennis and soccer.

Jim Spanarkel is back with the New Jersey Nets on the YES Network. Spanarkel will call 20 to 25 games, complimenting Mark Jackson’s 50-game ledger. Spanarkel will be teamed mostly with Ian Eagle, with whom he formed a strong bond with during his previous 17-year run with the Nets.

WWZN-AM Radio in Boston has cut back on its local programming, due to cost-cutting by its ownership, Vulcan Sports (Sporting News Radio), and has fired the local hosts, including ASA member Eddie Andelman, and former Boston Celtic radio play-by-play man Ryen Russillo.

Dick Galiette, the radio play-by-play man for Yale football for 33 seasons, has died at 72.Galiette died on October 21, 2005, at St. Raphael's Hospital, the school said. No cause of death was given. (For Fully Story, Click Here)

Longtime Oakland Athletics play-by-play announcer Bill King passed away on October 18, 2005, at San Leandro Memorial Hospital after suffering a pulmonary embolus. King was originally admitted to the hospital last Friday where he underwent hip surgery. (For Full Story, Click Here)

ASA Member Herb Carneal will return for his 51st season in the Minnesota Twins booth in 2006. Carneal will work three innings of weekend games at the Metrodome and three innings of weekday afternoon games at the Metrodome. John Gordon, and Dan Gladden are the primary Twins radio broadcast team.

ASA Member Casey Coleman is recovering from surgery for pancreatic cancer at the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic. Coleman had his spleen, half his pancreas and some lymph nodes removed during his surgery. Coleman hopes to return to work at WTAM-AM after a six-to-eight week recovery period.

Former Dallas Maverick and New York Knick, Derek Harper, has been hired as a weekend sports anchor at KTVT-TV in Dallas, Texas.

Dionne Miller is the new sports anchor at XETV in San Diego, replacing Katy Temple.

ASA member Tom Cheek, who broadcast 4,306 regular-season Toronto Blue Jays games and all of their 41 postseason games, including both their World Series, has died. Cheek, 66, had been convalescing at his home in Oldsmar, Fla. He had surgery for a brain tumour on June 13, 2004, his 65th birthday. (For Full Story Click Here)

Longtime American Hockey League broadcaster, Dave Ahlers, has been signed to be the play-by-play voice of the new Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights team in the A.H.L. Ahlers spent nine years as the voice of the A.H.L.’s Portland Pirates.

Kevin Boryczki has been hired as the Manager of Public Relations and play-by-play voice of the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. Kevin joins the Bruins after spending two seasons broadcasting Adirondack Frostbite games in the United Hockey League. Joe Babik replaces Boryczki in Adirondack.

John Michael is the new play-by-play voice of the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League. Michael was previously the voice of the Johnstown Chiefs of the East Coast Hockey League and was voted the league’s Broadcaster of the Year in 2004-05.

ASA member Herb Carneal was honored by the Minnesota Twins before their last game of the season upon completion of fifty years of broadcasting major league baseball games.

Jack Edwards, formerly of ESPN, will be the television play-by-play man for Boston Bruins’ road games this season on NESN, replacing Dave Shea.

ASA member Marty Brennaman will be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame on November 5th.

WSVN-TV in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale has hired Larry Ridley as a sportscaster, replacing Rod Burks. Ridley comes to Miami from Jackson, Miss.

ASA member Paco “Puck” Chavez has become the Spanish Voice for the ECHL’s Long Beach Ice Dogs.

ASA Member Doug Ormay of the Kentucky News Network has been named sideline radio reporter for the University of Louisville's football broadcasts. He's been a member of Louisville's radio basketball broadcast team for the last four seasons.

Mike Riggs has joined KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City as a sports reporter. Mike has also worked in Lawrence and Topeka, Kansas, Rockford, Illinois, and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Mike Rice, the radio analyst for the Portland Trailblazers for the past fifteen years, is moving to TV to replace Steve “Snapper” Jones. Rice will be replaced on radio by former Trailblazers player, Antonio Harvey. Ann Schatz, the Blazers’ sideline reporter, is leaving that job to become a women’s basketball play-by-play announcer on the College Sports Television network.

Jason Smith has replaced Todd Wright as host on ESPN Radio’s overnight show.

Dave Palet and Jeff Dotseth were fired from their show on ESPN Radio 800 in San Diego.

Dan Terhaar is the new TV voice of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League.

Former ESPN college football sideline reporter, Adrian Karsten, was found dead after he hung himself in his garage at his home in Wisconsin. Karsten was scheduled to start an 11-month federal prison term for income tax evasion.

Sid Rosenberg resigned from his job at WFAN in New York the day after he failed to appear to host the New York Giants’ pre-game show on the station.

Jody McDonald has been hired to do an afternoon show on Philadelphia’s new all-sports radio station WPEN-AM.

Jerry Coleman, ASA Lifetime Member and voice of the San Diego Padres, was honored as “Mr. San Diego 2005” by the Rotary Club of San Diego.

Dave Hodge has signed a new five-year deal with Canadian all-sports network TSN. He will continue his hockey and hosting duties.

Chris Schenkel, legendary sportscaster and ASA Hall of Famer whose easygoing baritone won over fans during a more than six-decade broadcasting career in which he covered everything from bowling to the Olympics, died September 11, 2004, following a long battle with emphysema. He was 82.(For full story see In Memoriam & News sections.)

John Rooney, the veteran play-by-play announcer for the Chicago White Sox, will not be returning in 2006 as he couldn’t reach a contract agreement with the White Sox new flagship station, WSCR-AM. Rooney’s partner, ASA member Ed Farmer, signed a five-year agreement with the station and is expected to be the club’s primary play-by-play man starting next season.

ESPN is developing consistent anchor teams for its “Sportscenter” shows. The 6pm team will be Dan Patrick and Fred Hickman. The 11pm team will be John Anderson, and Steve Levy and the 1am team will be Scott Van Pelt and Neil Everett. The late-night teams will switch spots every month. Bob Ley and Chris McKendry will handle weekend mornings. Hickman, 48, was scheduled to co-host the 11pm show but after being diagnosed with a heart condition recently he was given the 6pm slot so he could have a more normal lifestyle.

Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen has been let go by CBS. Allen started on the “NFL Today” in 1998 as a studio analyst with Brent Jones, George Seifert and Jim Nantz. The group never clicked which prompted the network to make some changes over the years before finally settling on the current team of Nantz, Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe and Boomer Esiason. During that time, Allen was moved into the booth as an analyst before being reduced to a sideline reporter.

The NFL Network has added all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith to its signature show, “NFL Total Access.”

Reggie Miller will join TNT for the 2005-06 NBA season. Miller, who retired at the end of last season after an 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers, will split time doing studio work and game analysis.

Speed Network announced that NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Brian Vickers will replace Johnny Benson as a weekly guest on “Inside Nextel Cup” once the 10-race chase for the cup begins.

ASA member Solomon Wilcots will join Sirius Satellite Radio and have a weekday radio show.

Jill Arrington, ESPN college football sideline reporter, will not return this season because she wants to spend more time with her family.

Mark Followill, the Dallas Mavericks’ radio play-by-play man, will replace Matt Pinto in the TV play-by-play spot and ASA member Chuck Cooperstein will replace Followill on radio. Pinto has been hired as the new radio play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Howard Simon is the new voice of University of Buffalo Bulls college football on WGR.

Skip Irwin has been let go from his hourly radio spot on WGNU in the St. Louis area after 16 ½ years.

ASA member Milo Hamilton will be inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame on November 5th. The late Bill Enis, who worked for KPRC in Houston and NBC Sports, will be inducted into the group’s Hall of Honor.

Kim Coyle has been hired as a sports reporter/anchor at KPIX-TV in San Francisco. Kim previously worked at WTEV/WAWS in Jacksonville, Fla.

Mike Emrick and John Davidson will be the lead broadcast team for OLN’s hockey telecasts.

Steve “Snapper” Jones will no longer be the television analyst on Portland Trailblazers NBA games. He will continue to do pregame segments and host the Trailblazers’ weekly call-in show on KXL radio.

Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton is being replaced as the afternoon drive-time host on KLAC/ XTRA Sports in Los Angeles by Joe Grande and Matt Smith effective September 7th. Hamilton, a west coast sports-talk legend, has been hosting weekday afternoons for nineteen years. Hamilton will continue with the station doing commentaries on XTRA’s morning and midday shows and his “greatest fifteen minutes in sports radio” segment at the beginning of Grande and Smith’s show. He will also have four hour shows every Saturday and Sunday.

Myron Cope, color analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 35 years who retired this past June, received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 6.

Jason Shaver has been named the play-by-play voice for the Iowa Stars, an expansion team in the American Hockey League.

After more than half a century on powerful KMOX, the St. Louis Cardinals are moving their broadcasts starting in 2006 to all-sports KTRS, a station with a much weaker signal. The team has purchased half of KTRS. KMOX has broadcast baseball continuously since 1929.

ASA member Milo Hamilton will only call Houston Astros’ home games on radio starting in 2006 and continuing through 2010.

Larry Krueger was fired as host of KNBR Radio’s “Sportsphone 680” in San Francisco for comments he made during his show on August 3 about Caribbean baseball players and Giants manager Felipe Alou.

In the heat of describing his disappointment with the Giants' season, Krueger characterized some of the players by their nationality and made inappropriate comments about the Giants manager. The following day, Krueger apologized on the air for his remarks and requested the opportunity to apologize personally to Alou.

On August 5, KNBR suspended Krueger for one week without pay, while weighing the gravity of his offense. On August 9, the KNBR Morning Show opened with a discussion of Felipe Alou's related comments on ESPN's Outside the Lines, which aired the previous evening. The segment, featuring comedy sound bytes, was deemed unacceptable by station management.

On August 10, Program Manager Bob Agnew, Morning Show Producer Tony Rhein and Sportsphone 680 Host Larry Krueger were released by the station.

Rod Simons has been named lead sports anchor and Ryan Kibbe, formerly a sportscaster in Milwaukee, has been hired as a sports reporter at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, MN.

Recently retired NFL quarterback Rich Gannon has joined CBS Sports and will team with Craig Bolerjack on regional “NFL on CBS” telecasts this season.

Troy Aikman signed a six-year contract to continue in the Fox Sports’ NFL TV booth with Joe Buck.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, Comcast Cable is considering revamping its OLN digital TV network into a national all-sports network directly challenging ESPN for programming.

Joe Starkey has left his Sports Director’s job at KGO in San Francisco after 26 years. He continues as voice of the 49ers, a job he’s had since 1989, on their new station KNBR. Starkey will continue to be heard on KGO because he is the voice of the California Golden Bears Football Network.

The weekend of July 29-31 was an unforgettable one for ASA Lifetime Member, Jerry Coleman. On July 29th he was inducted into Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in Quantico, Va., and on the 31st he was presented the Ford C. Frick Award for baseball broadcasting excellence at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

Katy Temple is leaving her job as reporter and backup sports anchor at XETV in San Diego.

Jim Hughson will be the new “Hockey Night in Canada” western region play-by-play man.

Paul Mittermeier has quit his job as drive-time talk show host at all sports radio WJFK-AM in Baltimore.

Cris Collinsworth signed a six-year deal to be co-host of NBC’s Sunday Night Football along with Bob Costas. Collinsworth will not work NFL games for Fox Sports this season leaving Joe Buck and Troy Aikman as a two-man announcing team.

Clay Matvick is leaving FSN North. Matvick primarily hosted Minnesota Twins, Gophers and Timberwolves pre- and post-game shows on the network. Cheri Hardmon is joining FSN North from Milwaukee.

John Riggins is replacing Bob Trumpy as lead analyst on Westwood One’s Sunday Night Football radio broadcasts.

Jimmy Cefalo and Joe Rose will be the Miami Dolphins new radio broadcast team on the Dolphins Radio Network. Both are ex-Dolphins who made the move to television sportscasting after their careers ended. Cefalo, who will call the play-by-play, and Rose, who will handle the analysis, also do radio shows on the Dolphins’ flagship station, WAXY 790 in Miami.

Ron Johnson, a former sports anchor and reporter in Mobile, Ala., has been hired by FSN North to be an anchor and reporter on the new nightly program “FSN Live”.

Michele Tafoya, ASA member, is due to give birth to her first child on November 28th. Tafoya, who works for ABC Sports as a sideline reporter for NFL and NBA games, plans to work as long as she is able during her pregnancy.

Bill Rosinski, former Carolina Panthers play-by-play announcer and ASA member, was hired by WFNZ in Charlotte to do a 2-hour daily midday sports talk show.

Josh Lewin has been hired to be the new play-by-play voice of San Diego Chargers’ football on KIOZ-FM, replacing Don Rowe. Lewin is also the TV play-by-play voice of the Texas Rangers and does games for Fox’s Saturday “Game of the Week”.

Dave Campbell, the analyst for baseball broadcasts on ESPN Radio, has signed a five-year deal to continue in that position.

Kendall Lewis, a former talk show host at WKNR-AM in Cleveland, has been hired to do the afternoon drive-time sports talk show at KSUD-AM, Radio ESPN Memphis.

Bob Ortegel, ASA member and Dallas Mavericks television analyst, received a contract extension from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban making the upcoming 2005-06 season his 18th year with the team. It will be Ortegel’s 25th year overall as a TV basketball analyst. Ortegel will also be appearing in the movie "Glory Road" to be released in January 2006. It is the story of the 1966 NCAA Basketball Championship that was won by Texas Western. He was cast after being recommended by ASA President Lou Schwartz.

Spero Dedes, YES Network Studio Host, has been named the new radio voice of the Los Angeles Lakers. Dedes, a Fordham University graduate, got his start in New York as a fill-in for Ian Eagle on New Jersey Nets telecasts on YES. He also worked on the YES Net and Yankee pre- and post-game shows. Nationally, Dedes has been a host and play-by-play man for NBA-TV and has done some NFL games for Fox and college basketballl on CBS. He also covered the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece for NBC.

Hall of Fame coach and former sportscasterHank Stram, who took the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowls and was known for his inventive game plans and exuberance on the sideline, died on July 4, 2005. He was 82.(For full story see "News" or "In Memoriam")

Lesley Visser, ASA Advisory Board member, was inducted into the New England Sports Hall of Fame.

Brad Palmer of WLS-TV in Chicago will retire in January after a 39-year career as a sportscaster in that city.

Myron Cope, the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers’ color commentator, has retired after 35 years in the radio booth due to health reasons.

Barry Buetel, the Sports Director at WTEV-TV and WAWS-TV in Jacksonville, Fla., has resigned effective June 30th.

Pete Cataldo, the former Sports Director at WGXA-TV in Macon, Ga., is the new weekend sports anchor at First Coast News in Jacksonville, replacing Jeff Prosser.

Dave Grosby of KJR-AM in Seattle underwent heart bypass surgery on June 23rd, in which six bypasses were performed. Grosby hopes to be back on the air by late July.

John Madden is moving to NBC when the network resumes broadcasting National Football League games in the 2006-07 season, the network announced. (For full story see “News” section)

Scott Palmer, the 5pm sports anchor on WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, has retired after 24 years anchoring sports on the station. Gary Papa, 6 and 11 p.m. jock, will fill in at 5 until a replacement is named.

Joel Meyers will move from radio to take Paul Sunderland's spot as the television play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers. Among the finalists for the radio job are Spero Dedes from the Nets TV booth and NBA-TV, Matt Pinto,, TV voice of the Dallas Mavericks and ASA member Brian Wheeler from the Portland Trailblazers.

ASA member Lesley Visser will no longer be able to work as a sideline reporter for CBS-TV’s NFL games. “It’s not a job for someone with a history of two major hip surgeries,” Visser told the Boston Globe. Lesley will continue to do reports for the CBS pregame show “The NFL Today”.

John McAdams, the public address announcer for the Big Five in Philadelphia, as well as Drexel University basketball, died in his sleep at his home in Upper Darby, Pa., on June 16th. Known as “the voice of the Palestra”, Mr. McAdams also was a broadcaster for WIP Sports Radio 610, and, at one time, was a backup broadcaster for the Philadelphia Flyers. He was 64.

Keith Olbermann will rejoin his former ESPN SportsCenter partner on “The Big Show”, Dan Patrick, for a weekly one-hour segment on Patrick’s ESPN Radio show starting in August. Olbermann is the host of a nightly talk show on MSNBC.

Bill Campbell, a Philadelphia area sportscaster since 1940, will receive the 2005 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies from September 8-10 in Springfield, Mass. His NBA broadcasting career included broadcasting Wilt Chamberlain’s record-setting 100 point game vs. the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pa. He broadcast Philadelphia Warriors and 76ers games on and off from the late fifties through 1981. Campbell also broadcast Big Five basketball for many years, was the voice of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1952-1966 and broadcast Phillies games from 1962-1971. Campbell still does commentary work for KYW newsradio 1060.

Rod Trongard, a sportscaster in Mankato, Minn., for the past 23 years and a member of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame, died of liver cancer on June 17th. He was famous nationally as a wrestling broadcaster for the American Wrestling Association, for which he worked in the 70s and 80s, and brief work for the World Wrestling Federation. Trongard, who began his career as a radio announcer in 1953, was 72 years old.

Adam Kuperstein, a sportscaster from Toledo, Ohio, has been hired by WTVJ-TV6 in Miami, Fla., to replace Lindsay Czarniak who recently took a new job in Washington D.C.

Katy Brown is the new Sports Director at KATU-TV in Portland, Oregon. Katy is the first woman Sports Director in a top-25 market.

Bob Costas has signed a deal with CNN to be a substitute host on 20 “Larry King Live” shows. Costas’ first CNN show aired on June 12.

Don Dunphy, Jr., vice president and executive director of news and services for ABC news, will step down on June 30 after 40 years. The son of legendary boxing announcer Don Dunphy plans to form a news consulting service later this year.

Mike Tirico, ASA member, will call ESPN's NFL exhibition game in Japan this summer. He will be filling in for fellow ASA member Mike Patrick, who won’t make the long trip after having heart surgery last year.

Bobby Hurley is one of the candidates in line for the job of New Jersey Nets analyst on the YES Network. The former Duke star impressed YES’ president of production John Filipelli when he analyzed some Ivy League games for YES last season.

Doug Brown, ESPN Radio sportscaster, will be the radio voice of Boston University college basketball during the 2005-06 season, Before joining ESPN radio Brown broadcast BU sports on Boston radio and TV from 1981-1999.

ESPN is planning to speak with recently retired Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller about joining the network as an NBA analyst for next year.

Sid Rosenberg of WFAN Radio's "Imus In The Morning Show" was fired due to insensitive comments he made about singer Kylie Minogue's battle with breast cancer. He will remain with at the station as the co-host of the mid-day sports talk show with Joe Benigno.

Todd Blackledge signed a new one-year contract to remain a CBS college football analyst.

Robin Ventura, in his first year of retirement from baseball, filled in for ASA member Ken Harrelson on four Chicago White Sox games on WGN. Harrelson needed time off because of eye surgery.

Boomer Esiason will no longer do his syndicated NFL show, "In the Huddle."

Brent Musburger, veteran sportscaster for ABC/ESPN, celebrated his 66th birthday on May 26, 2005.

Curt Gowdy, Jr., longtime producer for ABC, has been hired by the New York Mets Network to be its Vice President of Production and Executive Producer. The new network will launch next season.

CBS Sports has extended the contracts of “NFL on CBS” analyst Phil Simms and “NFL Today” analyst Boomer Esiason, as well as those of basketball studio/game analyst Clark Kellogg and sports announcer Ian Eagle. Kellong and Eagle are both ASA members.

All are new multi-year extensions, although the lengths were not announced. Simms, the 15-year NFL veteran, joined CBS Sports in 1998. Esiason, a 14-year NFL vet, joined CBS Sports in 2002.

Kellogg has been with CBS Sports since 1993, while Eagle joined CBS Sports in 1998.

Sal “Red Light” Messina, ASA member and longtime analyst with the New York Rangers, will receive the 2005 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence from the Hockey Hall of Fame during the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on November 7.

ASA Board member Jim Nantz has signed a seven-year contract extension with CBS Sports.

ESPN will launch the first 24-hour Spanish language national sports radio network, ESPN Deportes Radio, in September.

Lindsay Czarniak, the host of FINS-TV on WTVJ-TV in Miami, is leaving to become a sports anchor on WRC-TV in Washington D.C.

ASA member Lee Corso will no longer be an analyst for ESPN’s Thursday night college football broadcasts. ESPN has decided to go with a two-man booth of Kirk Herbstreit and ASA member Mike Tirico. Corso will continue to be a part of the “College Game Day” Saturday show with Herbstreit and Chris Fowler.

NBC has signed a deal to continue broadcasting the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness horse races for the next five years.

Bob Wolff, Hall of Fame broadcaster, and his wife, Jane, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 4th.

Robin Roberts, former ESPN anchor, has been promoted to co-anchor of "Good Morning America," joining Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer. She will continue as newsreader.

Skip Caray, ASA member, is celebrating his 30th year as a broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves.

There is speculation that Spero Dedes, YES Network announcer, is a prime candidate to fill the position in the Los Angeles Lakers’ radio or TV booth. One scenario has Dedes replacing TV play-by-play man and ASA member Paul Sunderland, who was recently let go by the Lakers. Another is to move radio voice Joel Myers to the TV side and put Dedes on the radio broadcasts.

THE NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY 26th ANNUAL SPORTS EMMY AWARD WINNERS

Winners of the 26th Annual Sports Emmy Awards were presented Monday, May 2nd, 2005 by the National Television Academy at a special ceremony at Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. Here is a partial list of the winners:

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY-STUDIO HOST: BOB COSTAS NBC/HBO

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY-PLAY-BY-PLAY: JOE BUCK FOX

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY-STUDIO ANALYST: CRIS COLLINSWORTH HBO

OUTSTANDING SPORTS PERSONALITY-SPORTS EVENT ANALYST: JOE MORGAN ESPN

THE DICK SCHAAP OUTSTANDING WRITING AWARD: WIMBLEDON on ESPN2 ESPN2 writer: Dick Enberg

OUTSTANDING SPORTS JOURNALISM: REAL SPORTS with BRYANT GUMBEL HBO Sport of Sheikhs

SUMMARY OF WINNERS BY NETWORK:NBC-7, ESPN-5, HBO-5, CBS-3, FOX-3, ABC-2, ESPN2-1, HBO/NBC-1, NFL Network-1, TNT- 1

Mick Mixon,, the longtime broadcast partner of Woody Durham on the North Carolina Tar Heels Sports Network, is leaving that job after 16 years to become the new voice of Carolina Panthers’ NFL football.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and ESPN have agreed on an eight-year deal for ESPN to broadcast the Breeder’s Cup racing program starting in 2006 from Churchill Downs. The annual show will be a seven-hour broadcast from noon-7 PM, two hours longer than the current broadcast on NBC-TV. ESPN and ABC will also have five two-hour broadcasts of major stakes races from June through October.

Chris Cuthbert, a 21-year veteran of the CBC in Canada is the new voice of the Canadian Football League on Canadian all-sports TV network, TSN. Cuthbert will also broadcast National Hockey League games.

Howard Cosell must be spinning in his grave. ABC's "Monday Night Football," an American TV institution for 35 years, will end after next season. The stunning word came on April 18, when the NFL announced it had inked new TV deals with NBC and ESPN.(For complete story, see "News" section)

Pat Summerall, ASA Hall of Famer and legendary sportscaster, did some of the voice overs for the Master Golf Tournament on CBS to commemorate 50 years of the network airing the event.

Larry Zimmer, ASA member and Denver Broncos broadcaster for 26 years, has a book published - Stadium Stories: The Denver Broncos- available on amazon.com. Zimmer will be the voice of the Colorado Buffaloes for the 32nd season this fall on KOA.

WFAN Radio in New York held its 16th annual Radiothon to benefit the Tomorrow's Children Fund, the CJ Foundation Fund for SIDS, and the Imus Ranch on April 15 and 16. Radio hosts Sid Rosenberg and Joe Benigno, Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, Steve Somers and Chris Carlin took donations and bids on sports and entertainment packages during their shows. Last year the Radiothon raised $3 million.

Mike Adamle has been hired as a weekend host at WSCR-AM in Chicago.

Rudy Martzke, USA Today media columnist, is retiring as of April 15th.

Wally Matthews and Tom Keegan ("Wally and the Keeg") have been let go from ESPN 1050 in New York. Their midday show will be replaced by two hours of the ESPN-syndicated Colin Cowherd program and a new daily 2-hour program hosted by Stephen A. Smith. Matthews is still a newspaper columnist with the New York Sun newspaper, while it is rumored Keegan may go to Chicago to work at ESPN 1000 radio.

Max Kellerman, formerly of ESPN and FSN, has been hired by ESPN 1050 to do a nightly one-hour show.

Bryan Dolgin is the new pre and post game radio host for the Chicago White Sox. Dolgin was the voice of the minor league Joliet Jackhammers.

Mel Proctor, ASA member, is the first television voice of the Washington Nationals. Proctor is also the radio voice of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.

Mike Lindskog is the new Broadcaster/Manager of Public Relations for the Class AA Springfield (Ill.) Cardinals baseball team.

Paul Steigerwald, the radio voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is the new voice of the Altoona Curve baseball team of the Class AA Eastern League.

Mike Antonellis has joined the Class AA Portland Sea Dogs broadcast team alongside veteran broadcaster Todd Jamison.Justin Kutcher is the new voice of the Erie SeaWolves, on WFNN-AM, replacing Antonellis.

Terry Byrom is the new play-by-play announcer for the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League on WKBO-AM. Byrom was previously the voice of the Fort Wayne Wizards of the Class A Midwest League.

Brett Pollock is the new voice of the Huntsville Stars Class AA Southern League team. Pollock previously announced Lakewood Blue Claws games.

Tim Hagerty comes from Idaho to become the new voice of Mobile BayBears baseball in Alabama.

Tony Bruno is the new morning host on KMPC-AM in Los Angeles. Vulcan Sports Media, which owns KMPC, plans to syndicate Bruno’s show on its national Sporting News Radio Network by the end of summer.

David Kelly is the new radio and TV voice of the Class AAA baseball team, Memphis Redbirds. Kelly formerly worked as a sportscaster at WTAM radio in Cleveland.

Nominations for the Sports Emmy Awards were released recently. ESPN led all networks with 29 nomitaions, followed by NBC (23), Fox (18), ABC (17), HBO (17) and CBS (12). NBC earned 14 nominations for its coverage of the Athens Olympics. Some of the key categories are as follows:

Live Sports Special: MLB Division Series (ESPN), World Series (Fox), Super Bowl (CBS), The Masters (CBS), Wimbledon (NBC).

Live Sports Series: Monday Night Football (ABC), Sunday Night Football (ESPN), IRL (ABC, ESPN), MLB (Fox), NBA (TNT).

Studio Show Weekly: NFL Sunday (Fox), Inside the NFL (HBO), Baseball Pregame (Fox), NASCAR (Fox), Sunday Night Countdown (ESPN).

Studio Show Daily: Baseball Tonight (ESPN), BDSSP (FSN), Inside the NBA (TNT), OTL Nightly (ESPN), PTI (ESPN), SportsCenter (ESPN).

Studio Host: Bob Costas (HBO, NBC), Bryant Gumbel (HBO), Dan Patrick (ESPN), Greg Gumbel (CBS), Mary Carillo (NBC).

Studio Analyst: Cris Collinsworth (Fox), Harold Reynolds (ESPN), Howie Long (Fox), Michael Irvin (ESPN), Steve Young (ESPN).

Play-by-Play: Al Michaels (ABC, ESPN), Dick Enberg (CBS), Jim Lampley (CBS), Jim Nantz (CBS), Joe Buck (Fox).

Analyst: Cris Collinsworth (Fox), Joe Morgan (ESPN), John Madden (ABC), Johnny Miller (NBC), Tim McCarver (Fox).

Jay Bilas will return as a color analyst for CBS during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, working alongside ASA Chairman Dick Enberg. Bilas was absent from the tournament last year because his primary employer, ESPN, could not work out a deal with CBS.

David Justice has left ESPN to join the YES network as an analyst for the New York Yankees. Justice, a one-time Yankee player, replaces Joe Girardi who is now Yankee manager Joe Torre's bench coach.

A decision by WBBM management to cut the Chicago Bears' 3-man broadcasting team to two men has cost ASA member Hub Arkush his job. Arkush will continue as the Publisher and Editor of Pro Football Weekly.

Dave Jageler is the new voice of the Pawtucket Red Sox. Jageler replaces Andy Freed, who is now the voice of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Dan Miller is the new radio voice of the Detroit Lions on WKRK-FM, replacing ASA Member Mark Champion, who continues as the radio voice of the Detroit Pistons on WWJ-AM.

Roxy Bernstein has joined the Florida Marlins' radio play-by-play team. Bernstein was the radio voice for California Golden Bears college basketball games.

Charlie Slowes and Dave Shea were named as the radio voices of the new Washington Nationals baseball team.

Phil Samp, the original voice of the Cincinnati Bengals, has died at age 76. Samp broadcast the Bengals' games from 1968 until his retirement in 1990.

Beginning in 2005, San Francisco 49ers football broadcasts will be heard on KNBR-AM, KTCT-AM and KSAN-FM in the Bay Area after being broadcast on KGO-AM for 18 seasons. The 49ers hope their broadcasters will also make the move, but play-by-play announcer and ASA member Joe Starkey is also KGO's Sports Director.

Mark Vandermeer, ASA Member, has signed a new three-year deal to remain with KILT-AM in Houston as the afternoon talk-show host and Houston Texans play-by-play announcer.

Dave Harbison, ASA Member, has been named KILT's Sports Director.

Teddy Ebersol, the 14-year-old son of NBC Sports executive Dick Ebersol and actress Susan St. James who was killed in a plane crash in November, had a trail named after him at The Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado. "Teddy's Way" was dedicated on Saturday, March 12th, 2005. Ebersol and Saint James, who own a home in Telluride and are active in the community, attended.

WAXY-AM in Miami has gained the rights to broadcast Miami Dolphins football through the 2006 season. WAXY is looking for a new broadcast team as the old team Howard David and Jim Mandich are under contract to the old station, WQAM-AM.

The American Sportscasters Association was a guest at the 7th annual Gourmet Gala Charity Auction in Washington, D.C., on February 22 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.(For complete story see "News" section)

Chuck Thompson, whose familiar radio voice painted the picture of Baltimore sports for more than half a century, died on March 6, 2005, after suffering a stroke the day before. He was 83.(For complete story see "News" and "In Memoriam" sections)

The YES Network and the New Jersey Nets announced on February 28 that legendary sportscaster and ASA Advisory Board member Marv Albert has signed a multi-year agreement to handle play-by-play duties for the Nets beginning in the 2005-2006 NBA season.

Kenny Smith, NBA analyst for TNT, and Jody McDonald, former WFAN Radio talk show host, are hosting a new NBA show on Sirius Satellite Radio. The show airs Monday- Thursday from noon to 3 p.m.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced on February 22, 2005, that Jerry Coleman, long-time voice of the San Diego Padres and ASA member, has been named the 2005 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. Coleman also broadcast games for the New York Yankees, California Angels and CBS Radio’s Game of the Week. (See Full Story in "News" section.)

Bob Costas' HBO talk show, "On the Record," will start its fifth season on April 29 with a new name and format. The show, now titled "Costas Now," will air once a month for 12 months, a change from its usual 12-week run.

John Litner was named the President of the regional sports network the New York Mets are scheduled to launch prior to the 2006 season. Litner had been the COO of the NHL since 1999. The backbone of the network will be Mets' telecasts and Mets-related programming.

Dave Willis and Andy Freed are the new radio play-by-play team for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, replacing Paul Olden and Charlie Slowes.

Rich Waltz has been hired as the TV voice of the Florida Marlins. Waltz has worked for the Seattle Mariners and ESPN.

Nestor Aparicio has given up his daily talk show on WNST in Baltimore to concentrate on the business side of the network, which he owns.

Tom Leyden, ASA member and former WFMZ-TV sports anchor in New Jersey, is now a sports anchor for WXYZ in Detroit.

Dan Marino, ASA member, studio analyst for CBS and HBO, and former All-Pro quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and Super Bowl XXIX MVP Steve Young, now an ESPN NFL studio analyst, will also join Marino in Canton as a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Steve Lyons and Al Downing have been added to the Los Angeles Dodgers' broadcasting team as analysts. Both will work approximately 45 games that Vin Scully, takes off. In those games, Charley Steiner and Lyons will do the TV side and Rick Monday and Downing will provide the radio broadcasts. For the rest of the season, Scully will do the TV telecasts by himself and Steiner will do radio play-by-play with Monday as the analyst.

John "Boog" Sciambi has resigned as a Florida Marlins broadcaster to host a daily 2-hour talk show on ESPN Radio 790 in Miami and broadcast one ESPN baseball game of the week per week.

Skip Erwin, ASA member, was recently inducted into the University of Missouri, St. Louis, Sports Hall of Fame.

Bob Brown, a longtime radio host who did pre- and post-game show for the Mets during the late 1960s and early '70s, died at his home of lung cancer on January 26. He was 79.

Jim Simpson, ASA member and an original ESPN NCAA basketball announcer, is doing the play-by-play on a series of Wednesday night telecasts on ESPN Classic. These games are telecast in a similar format as ESPN used when it started broadcasting games 25 years ago.

Bill Rosinski, ASA member, was relieved from his duties as the play-by-play man for the Carolina Panthers. Rosinski had been the voice of the Panthers since the team's inception.

Lisa Leslie, three-time Olympic gold medal winner and two-time WNBA MVP, has joined ESPN as a studio analyst for NCAA women's basketball games

ESPN has inked a deal with Sprint to launch the first ESPN branded cell phone. The sports network already offers scores, games and news to a number of wireless providers but the new deal with Sprint will give ESPN total control and subscribers the ability to customize their phones to receive pop up news and stats on their favorite teams as well as video clips and ring tones. ESPN Mobile is set to hit the market in the second half of 2005.

The NFL has agreed to $8 billion in contract extensions with Fox Sports and CBS Sports to televise Sunday afternoon games for six more years.

Spero Dedes has become the pre- and post-game studio host for New Jersey Nets basketball on the YES network. Dedes continues a long line of sports broadcasting excellence produced by Fordham University's WFUV Radio that began with the legendary voice of the Dodgers' Vin Scully in the late 1940s.

Omar Claro, ASA Member and Sports Anchor for Univision WLTV 23 in Miami since 1998, signed a new three-year deal.

Hubie Brown, ASA Lifetime member and former coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, will join Al Michaels on ABC's lead announce team this season. Brown, who resumes his broadcasting career that spanned from 1982-2001, will make his return to the booth on Christmas Day for the much anticipated Lakers-Heat game. It will be the first meeting of ex-teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Lesley Visser, ASA Advisory Board member, made her return from hip replacement surgery on CBS' "NFL Today." Visser, sideline reporter for CBS' No. 1 broadcast team, had to relinquish that role for this season because it is too risky to be on the field after her operation.

Charley Steiner has left the New York Yankees' broadcast team to join the Los Angeles Dodgers' broadcast team. Steiner is replacing Ross Porter, who teamed with Rick Monday on Dodgers' radiocasts and approximately 45 TV games.

Len Casper has replaced Chip Caray as the television voice of the Chicago Cubs. Casper was the TV voice of the Florida Marlins.

Chris Carlin is the new overnight host of WFAN Radio in New York. He replaces Joe Benigno.

Norm Hitzges, longtime Dallas-area sportscaster, was elected to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

Fred Hickman is leaving the YES Network to join ESPN's "SportsCenter."

Dawn Mitchell, ASA member and former CLTV sports anchor in Chicago, is the new sports anchor for KMSP-TV, a Fox affiliate in Minnesota.

Jason Solodkin, ASA member, is the new Director of Operations for 790 ESPN Radio in Hollywood, Fla.

NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol and his college-aged son emerged from the fiery wreckage of a corporate jet after it crashed during takeoff and burst into flames, killing two crew members. Rescuers were still searching for Ebersol's younger son, whose seat was missing from the smoldering ruins. For the complete story, see our "News" section.

Chip Caray, play-by-play man for the Chicago Cubs, has left the Cubs to join his father, Skip, as a broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves.

Tom Kelly and Ross Porter have been elected to the Southern California Sportscasters Hall of Fame.

David Aldridge, NBA reporter who was recently let go by ESPN, is the new sideline reporter for the "NBA on TNT."

Gary Gerould, ASA member, is in his 20th season as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings. Last season, Gerould called his 1,500th game for the Kings.

Mike Patrick, ASA member and ESPN NFL analyst who underwent heart bypass surgery and missed the preseason and the first four regular season NFL telecasts on ESPN, made his return to the broadcast booth on October 10.

Lesley Visser, ASA Advisory Board member and sideline reporter for CBS' No. 1 NFL team, is recuperating after undergoing hip replacement surgery. Bonnie Bernstein, ASA member, will serve as Visser's fill-in.

Mike Breen was offically named by MSG Network as the new TV voice of the New York Knicks. Breen replaces ASA Advisory Board member and longtime Knicks broadcaster Marv Albert, who was let go after a dispute with management for comments he made during game broadcasts. Albert will continue to call NBA games for TNT.

Kevin Frazier, former NBA and "SportsCenter" anchor for ESPN, is leaving the sports broadcasting field and has accepted a position with "Entertainment Tonight Weekend" in Los Angeles.

Bobby "Slick" Leonard is in his 20th season as the radio broadcaster for the Indiana Pacers.

Mike Gorman, ASA member and longtime voice of the Boston Celtics, began his 24th season of calling Celtics games on TV. On September 24, Gorman was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the University of Rhode Island.

New York Jets and WADO 1280 AM Radio have announced a partnership in which the station will serve as the official Hispanic play-by-play station of the Jets. Veteran Spanish radio personality Clemson L. Smith Muniz will broadcast the games from the Meadowlands.

With the end of the 2004 baseball regular-season, ASA member Joe Nuxhall, who began pitching in the major leagues at the age of 15 and announced Reds' games for more than three decades, has retired from the broadcast booth.

Van Earl Wright has replaced Tony Bruno on Fox Sports Radio. Bruno left after he and Fox failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Mike Vaccaro, ASA member and former Director of Broadcasting at Campbell University, has accepted a position at UNC-Wilmington as the radio voice of the Seahawks. Vaccaro will also serve as the school's Assistant Director of Sports Marketing.

Steve Cohen, former NFL reporter for WFAN Radio, is the new head of Sirius NFL Radio. The new satellite radio system boasts intensive coverage of NFL.

Jenna Wolfe, former MSG network sports anchor, has joined WABC-TV ‘s Eyewitness News. Wolfe will report on all New York/metro team coverage and serve as a backup to sports anchor and ASA Advisory Board member Scott Clark.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, ASA member and Spanish radio voice for the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners, was inducted into the Cuban Sports Hall of Fame in Miami, Fla. Gonzalez, who was also nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame's 2004 Ford C. Frick Award, is in his tenth season with the Giants and his second with the Mariners.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, hosts of ESPN's "Pardon the Interuption," signed a new five-year deal.

Scott Lauer, former WFAN Radio intern, is the new studio host for the NBA-expansion Charlotte Bobcats' radio games. Lauer will also do play-by-play on 15 games.

Warner Wolf, longtime sports anchor for WCBS-TV in New York, has been hired as the morning sportscaster for WABC Radio's "Curtis & Kuby Show." As part of the new deal, Wolf will also host a Saturday sports talk show on ESPN-1050 Radio. Both stations are owned by Disney. Wolf made his WABC Radio debut on Labor Day and his first ESPN show was Sept. 4.

Eddie Andelman, ASA member and WWZN midday host, co-sponsored the "Clash for Cash:Under the Stars," an outdoor pro boxing event at Fraser Field in Lynn, Mass. The card was broadcast live on AM 1510 "The Zone" and featured Dave Jageler and ASA member Ed Berliner behind the mike calling the action. A portion of the proceeds went to The Joey Fund and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Phil Rizzuto, ASA Member and New York Yankees broadcaster for 40 years, had a park in New Jersey named in his honor on July 21, 2004. "The Scooter," who was on hand to speak to the crowd during the dedication ceremony at the new Phil Rizzuto Park in Union County, has lived in nearby Hillside for the past 50 years. The 10.4 acre site boasts a soccer field to accommodate the area's growing Latino population, a gazebo with a replica of the Yankee Stadium facade and some oversized bats and balls.

Greg Glynn, ASA Member, has been hired as the new Director of Communications of the Portland Pirates Hockey Club of the American Hockey League. In his new position, Glynn will manage all team and franchise information, coordinate all print and electronic publishing, and work with Pirates management to execute and manage all external communications and advertising strategies for the franchise.

Bob Murphy, ASA member and longtime New York Mets sportscaster, died on August 3, 2004, at a hospice in West Palm Beach, Fla., from lung cancer. He was 79. Murphy, who retired after the 2003 season, was a fixture in the Mets broadcast booth since the team’s inception in 1962.

Before coming to New York, Murphy worked with ASA Hall of Famer Curt Gowdy calling Boston Red Sox games from 1954-59. After spending two years in Baltimore, Murphy was chosen as the nuts and bolts broadcaster to join nationally known Lindsey Nelson and former player Ralph Kiner as the broadcasting trio for the newly formed Mets franchise.

Along the way, Murphy has called over 6,000 Mets games. But maybe none have been more memorable than Game 6 of the 1986 World Series when the Mets were trying to keep a rally alive in the 10th inning. “It gets by Buckner!,” Murphy’s call of Mookie Wilson’s ground ball that rolled through the legs of Boston Red Sox first basemen Bill Buckner, still brings a smile to the face of every Mets fan. That fluke play forced a Game 7 which the Mets won to become World Champions.

Murphy, who was born in Oklahoma, began his broadcasting career with the Class C Muskogee Reds after coming out of the Marines at the end of WWII. Besides baseball, he has done college basketball and football, New York Titans football and one season of “Bowling for Dollars.” In 1994, Murphy was inducted into the Broadcasters’ Wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Lon Simmons, legendary Bay area broadcaster, received the Ford C. Frick Award during the annual Induction Ceremonies at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, on July 25, 2004.

An original voice of the Giants when they moved west, Simmons called games for San Francisco and the Oakland A's for 41 years before retiring after the 2002 season.

When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Russ Hodges was the only announcer to make the move, and Simmons joined him for the team's initial broadcasts at Seals Stadium. Simmons and Hodges worked together for 13 years before Simmons retired in 1973 after the death of his first wife. He returned to the Giants in 1976 for three more years, then moved across the bay to Oakland, where he teamed with Bill King to broadcast Athletics games from 1981-95. In 1996, he returned to the Giants and worked a partial schedule until his retirement in 2002.

Simmons broadcast the pennant-winning Giants team of 1962 and the A's teams which reached the World Series from 1988 to 1990. He counts as his biggest thrills calling the 600th home run of Willie Mays and the dramatic home run that marked the return of Willie McCovey to San Francisco in 1977. For those and many other home runs, Simmons gave his trademark call of "tell it goodbye!

Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons, ASA member and longtime announcer for the Phoenix Suns, died on July 24 due to complications from lung cancer. He was 72.

In April, a malignant tumor was found on Fitzsimmons' lung and he had been in a Phoenix-area care center since suffering a stroke earlier this month.

Before his work as a sportscaster, Fitzsimmons coached in the NBA for 21 seasons. His record of 832-775 ranks him 10th in career vistories. Fitzsimmons also served as executive vice president of the Suns, a team he coached on three occassions.

Bob Brenly, recently fired as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is one of the candidates being considered by Fox to work as a game analyst for this year's NLCS. If the New York Mets don't make the playoffs, Mets pitcher Al Leiter, who worked the NLCS for Fox last year, is also a strong possibility.

Chris Wragge is the new sports anchor at WCBS-TV Channel 2. He replaced longtime New York sports anchor Warner Wolf who was recently let go. Wragge will likely work some national telecasts for CBS.

Shannon Sharpe, former All-Pro tightend, signed a deal with Sirius NFL Radio that will give him a three-day-a-week, three-hour football talk show. Sharpe also replaced Deion Sanders as a studio analyst on CBS' "The NFL Today." John Davidson, New York Rangers TV announcer for 18 years, signed a multi-year contract extension with MSG network to remain with the club.

Tom Cheek, ASA member and veteran Toronto Blue Jays radio announcer, is recovering after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor on June 13.

Charles Chitwood, ASA member and voice of East Texas Baptist University and Jefferson High School athletics, was named the play-by-play voice of the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings Arena Football team.

ESPN signed a four-year deal with the International Skating Union to broadcast figure skating and the World Figure Skating Championships. The deal, which starts in November and averages $5 million a year, is down from the just-expired ABC contract that averaged $22 million a year.

David Briggs, former weekend anchor for Fox affiliate Channel 23 in Tulsa, Okla, has been hired by WHDH-TV Channel 7 in Boston. The hiring brings the station's sports department back to full strength for the first time in a year.

Michele Tafoya, ASA member and NBA sideline reporter for ABC and ESPN, is the new sideline reporter for ABC's "Monday Night Football." She replaces fellow ASA member Lisa Guerrero who will continue to do other assignments for the network.

Rick Majerus, former University of Utah basketball coach, will become an ESPN analyst on college basketball and possibly the NBA this season.

Mike Ditka, former head coach of the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, has joined ESPN on its NFL show, "Monday Quarterback." Ditka will also contribute to other shows on the network.

Tiki Barber, New York Giants running back, has decided he will not continue doing his weekly radio show, "The Tiki Lounge," on ESPN Radio. According to Barber, his decision had nothing to do with new Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and the strict guidelines he sets for his players. Barber's show aired every Thursday during the football season from 6-7 p.m.

Ross Coyle, ASA member of ABC 6 in Providence, Rhode Island, recently won the 2004 Associated Press Award for Best Sports Feature.

Rich Ackerman was hired by NBA TV as a studio host. Ackerman worked at ESPN radio and hosted the 1997 NBA Draft Lottery, "The NBA on ESPN" studio show and the WNBA finals before joining WFAN and NBA TV. The NYU graduate handles updates for WFAN.

If you have any news on ASA members' promotions please E-mail Zach Links at NETSZRL@AOL.com