Al Sanders facts for kids

Al Sanders (born March 13, 1941 – died May 5, 1995) was a famous American television anchorman. He worked at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. Al Sanders helped his news show go from third place to first place. It stayed number one for his whole career!

Early Life and Career Beginnings

In 1967, Al Sanders started his career in radio. He worked for a radio station called KXLW in St. Louis, Missouri. Back then, he used the name Al Gay.

A couple of years later, in 1969, he moved to another radio station, KWK. This is when he started using the name Al Sanders. This was his "on-air" name, which means the name he used when he was broadcasting. He kept this name for the rest of his career.

Becoming a Top News Anchor

Al Sanders joined WJZ-TV in 1972. Five years later, he became the co-anchor with Jerry Turner. He took over from Oprah Winfrey.

Jerry Turner and Al Sanders became Baltimore's top news team. They were very popular together. Sadly, Jerry Turner passed away in 1987. After that, Denise Koch joined Al Sanders as a temporary co-anchor. She then became his permanent partner in 1988.

Al Sanders was also known for his special reports. He created a segment called "Picture This." He won Emmy Awards for this work in both 1993 and 1994. An Emmy Award is a very important prize for people who work in television.

In March 1995, Al Sanders became very ill. He passed away on May 5, 1995, at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. After his passing, Vic Carter took his place as anchor.

Remembering Al Sanders

Al Sanders left a lasting impact on his community. Each year, the Baltimore Community Foundation gives out college scholarships in his name. These scholarships help students who love music.

In Baltimore, a street corner was named "Al Sanders Place" to honor him. It's located near the WJZ-TV station. The next block over is named "Jerry Turner Way," honoring his former broadcasting partner. This shows how much they were respected.