Curt Gowdy

There are few masters of the mike whose voices have become so trusted and familiar that they too earn the title of "Superstar". One such master is Curt Gowdy.

Gowdy got his "big break" in Oklahoma and has remained one of the Sooner state's best ambassadors. His first job was as an unpaid assistant to Frank Thomas, who did play-by-play broadcasting of local high school football games, Gowdy provided the color commentary.

In 1946, Gowdy was hired as the sports director at KOMA radio in Oklahoma City commentating daily sports, news, Henry Iba's OSU basketball games, Bud Wilkinson's OU football games and Texas League baseball games. His first national exposure came in 1948, when he announced the OU-Texas Christian football game over CBS. He won a national audition in 1949 and left the Sooner state for Yankee Stadium where he became Mel Allen's partner on Yankee broadcasts.

In 1951, Gowdy became the voice of the Boston Red Sox beginning a relationship that would last 15 years. He covered eight Super Bowls, 16 World Series, 12 Rose Bowls and seven Olympic games.

He has been inducted into four Sports Halls of Fame: The American Sportscasters Hall of Fame in 1985, the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, the Sports Writers and Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1981 and the International Fishing Hall of Fame in 1981. He has won the Peabody Award for outstanding journalistic achievement, and six Emmys for ABC's American Sportsman, which he hosted for 20 years.

In 1990, Gowdy received the first Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame Award for outstanding achievements and contributions to the field of broadcasting. In 1992, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sports Emmy Awards.

Gowdy was born in Greenriver, Wyoming in 1919. He passed away February 20, 2006.