Could you imagine watching your favorite sport without hearing the color commentary? Sport commentators have become so much a part of the experience of watching a game that it would be hard to imagine how it would be without hearing them in the background. Today, we would like to present you with a list we have compiled of the top 7 sports commentators of all time. Ranking commentators based on their impact and influence might be a subjective task, but we are sure you are going to agree with our countdown.
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Curious to see who the top sports commentators of all time are? Let’s take a look at the countdown.
No. 7: Bob Costas
Since the early 80s, Bob Costas has been a regular with the NBC network, broadcasting everything from the NBA and the NFL to the NHL and the Olympic Games. His career as a sportscaster began early on, while he was still attending college at Syracuse.
No. 6: Jack Buck
Jack Buck is most famous for the time he spent announcing for the Saint Louis Cardinals, starting with the 1954 season. His distinctive descriptive style and deep voice made him popular and beloved amongst fans. Broadcasting runs in the Buck family, as Jack’s son, Joe Buck is nowadays Fox’s leading man.
No. 5: Ernie Harwell
Ernie Harwell is one of the most popular voices in baseball. For 55 years, Harwell was the play-by-play announcer of the Dodgers, Giants, Tigers, Orioles, and Angels. In 1948, he became the only broadcaster in baseball history to ever be traded for a player, when he was acquired by the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Crackers. Harwell passed away in 2010, at age 92, but he will forever be remembered as the Voice of the Tigers, thanks to the 42 years spent with the team.
No. 4: Walter “Red” Barber
In the four decades he spent in front of the mic, broadcasting for teams such as the Cincinnati Reds, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees, Red Barber perfected his image as the ultimate Southern gentleman. His commentaries were full of witty and inventive lines, and he often referred to players as “Big fella”,”Mister” or „old”.
No. 3: Mel Allen
Even though almost 2 decades have passed since his death, Mel Allen is still fondly remembered as being the Voice of the Yankees. Allen spent more than 5 decades in front of the mic, during which he also broadcast pro football, college football, bowling, as well as several non sport-related programs.
No. 2: Vin Scully
Dubbed “The Voice of the Dodgers”, Vin Scully currently has 65 seasons under his belt, making him the sports commentator with the longest tenure with one single team. Known for his lyrically descriptive style and dulcet voice, it’s hard for fans to imagine watching the LA Dodgers without hearing his commentary. However, as Scully is well into his 80s, we might hear him say his legendary “It’s time for Dodger baseball” for the last time very soon.
No. 1: Jim McKay
Jim McKay is a true legend in the world of sports commentators. For over 4 decades, his charismatic and unmistakable voice made him a great host for ABC’s Wide World of Sports. In addition, McKay also did color commentary on no less than 12 Olympic Games, including the most infamous ones in history: the Munich Olympic Games. In 2008, before he died at age 86, McKay was last heard on the World Cup and the Indy 500.
