Bob Wolff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Wolff
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Wolff pictured c. 1941 at Duke University
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| Born |
Robert Alfred Wolff
November 29, 1920 |
| Died | July 15, 2017 (aged 96) South Nyack, New York, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Duke University |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Years active | 1939–2017 |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Louise Hoy (m. 1945) |
| Children | Three (including Rick Wolff) |
Robert Alfred Wolff (born November 29, 1920 – died July 15, 2017) was a famous American sportscaster. He worked on both radio and television. He had an amazing career that lasted for almost 80 years!
Bob Wolff started his professional career in 1939. He worked for CBS in Durham, North Carolina. At that time, he was also attending Duke University. He was the main voice for the Washington Senators baseball team from 1947 to 1960. When the team moved and became the Minnesota Twins in 1961, he went with them. In 1962, he joined NBC.
Later in his career, you could hear and see Wolff on News 12 Long Island. He also worked on MSG Network shows. He did sports interviews for the Memories of the Game show on the YES Network.
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About Bob Wolff
Bob Wolff was born in New York City. His father was an engineer and his mother was a homemaker. He went to Duke University and was a very good student. He earned special honors there. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy. He was a supply officer in the Pacific Ocean. He finished his service as a lieutenant.
He lived in South Nyack, New York for many years. His son, Rick Wolff, is a well-known author and radio host. Rick was also a baseball player and coach.
A Long and Famous Career
Bob Wolff was known for having the longest career as a sports broadcaster in history. He received many important awards for his work. He won the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame. He also won the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame. Wolff was also honored at Madison Square Garden's Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame.
Wolff was a professional broadcaster for nine different decades. He appeared on two ESPN TV specials in 2008. He had been on the Madison Square Garden Network since 1954. He also worked on Cablevision's News 12 Long Island since 1986.
Baseball Broadcasting
Wolff became the first TV voice for the Washington Senators in 1947. He moved with the team to Minnesota in 1961. In 1962, he joined NBC. He was the play-by-play announcer for the TV Baseball Game-of-the-Week until 1965.
He also worked on Mutual's Game-of-the-Day radio show. Wolff was chosen to be a World Series broadcaster in 1956. That year, he called Don Larsen's perfect game. This was a very rare baseball game where one pitcher did not let any opposing players reach base. He called it for the Mutual Broadcast System across the country. It was also heard around the world on Armed Forces radio. He also worked for NBC Radio for the World Series in 1958 and 1961.
Other Sports and Events
Wolff was seen and heard doing play-by-play for many major TV networks. Another famous broadcast he did was the 1958 NFL Championship Game. This game was between the NY Giants and the Baltimore Colts. It is often called "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
He also broadcast many college football games. These included the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Gator Bowl. Wolff was also the TV play-by-play voice for the Detroit Pistons basketball team for several seasons.
Wolff was an announcer for many other events too. He covered the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He also announced the National Horse Show. He called college and professional basketball and hockey games from Madison Square Garden. He also covered men's and women's tennis, track, boxing, gymnastics, and bowling. He even did soccer games for the old Tampa Bay Rowdies team.
Working with Many Teams
Wolff became well-known for being the TV play-by-play voice for eight teams in five different sports. These teams included:
- The New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons in basketball (NBA).
- The New York Rangers in hockey (NHL).
- The Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins in baseball (MLB).
- The Baltimore Colts, Washington Redskins, and Cleveland Browns in football (NFL).
- The Tampa Bay Rowdies in soccer (North American Soccer League).
He was one of the few American announcers to cover all four major team sports leagues, plus soccer. For many years, Wolff was the main TV announcer for all events happening at Madison Square Garden. His broadcast partner for the Knicks for many years was Cal Ramsey.
Memorable Broadcasts
Bob Wolff called many exciting sports moments. He broadcast Don Larsen's perfect game in the World Series. He also called the Colts' first overtime championship win against the New York Giants. Wolff also announced Jackie Robinson's last major league hit. This hit won Game 6 of the 1956 World Series. He was also the TV voice for the New York Knicks' only two championships. These wins happened in 1970 and 1973.
Death
Bob Wolff passed away on July 15, 2017. He was at his home in South Nyack, New York. He was 96 years old.
