James Brown (sportscaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Brown
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Brown in 2000.
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James Talmadge Brown
February 25, 1951 Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Other names | J.B. |
| Education | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Sportscaster, sport correspondent |
| Employer | CBS, CBS Sports |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothy |
| Children | 1 |
James Talmadge Brown, born on February 25, 1951, is a famous American sportscaster. He is well-known for hosting sports shows like The James Brown Show and The NFL Today on CBS Sports. He also works as a special reporter for CBS News. Before joining CBS again, he hosted the popular NFL pregame show Fox NFL Sunday for eleven years on Fox Sports.
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Early Life and Education
James Talmadge Brown was born in Washington, D.C. on February 25, 1951. His parents were John and Maryann Brown. He is the nephew of the famous Hollywood actor Clifton Powell.
High School Sports Star
Brown went to DeMatha Catholic High School. He was a top player on the boys' basketball team in 1967 and 1968. His teammates included Sid Catlett, Steve Garrett, Aubrey Nash, and Wayne Locket. Their team was ranked number one nationally under Coach Morgan Wootten. Seven players from that team went on to play for Division I college teams.
College Years at Harvard
After high school, Brown attended Harvard University. He lived in Grays Hall during his first year. He earned a degree in American government. He also played for the basketball team. He received special honors in his last three seasons. He was the team's captain during his senior year. His college roommate was Cornel West, who later became a well-known professor and activist. In 1973, the Atlanta Hawks picked him in the NBA draft.
Broadcasting Career Highlights
After trying out for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks in the mid-1970s, Brown decided to work in the business world. He worked for companies like Xerox and Eastman Kodak.
Starting at CBS (1984–1994)
Brown began his career in sports broadcasting in 1984. He was offered a job doing television broadcasts for the Washington Bullets. He also worked as an analyst for The NBA on CBS, alongside Frank Glieber. Later, he became an anchor at WDVM-TV (now WUSA) in Washington. He also did some work for CBS Sports.
CBS Sports hired Brown again in 1987. He was a play-by-play announcer for the network's NFL and college basketball games. He also reported for the NBA Finals. He called games with Tom Heinsohn during the 1990 NBA Playoffs. He also reported on the 1990 National League Championship Series. Brown hosted the afternoon show for the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1994 Winter Olympics. While at CBS, he also co-hosted CBS Sports Saturday/Sunday.
Moving to Fox and Back to CBS (1994–Present)
In 1994, Brown became the host of the NFL on Fox pregame show. He worked with former football players Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long. Former coach Jimmy Johnson also joined them. Cris Collinsworth and Ronnie Lott appeared on the show during Brown's time there.
From 1994 to 1998, Brown was the main studio host for NHL on Fox. He even appeared in the EA Sports video game NHL '97. His voice was also heard in Madden NFL 2001. On August 23, 1997, Brown filled in as the studio host for Fox Saturday Baseball.
James Brown also worked for a special boxing match between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.
After the 2005 NFL season, Brown left Fox to return to CBS Sports. He wanted to be closer to his home in Washington, D.C.
Brown hosted college basketball pregame, halftime, and postgame shows for CBS. He did this from the CBS studios in New York City.
Other Media Appearances
Brown has hosted other shows like The World's Funniest!. He also hosted Coast to Coast, a radio show. He worked as a reporter for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Brown appeared on an episode of Married... with Children in 1996.
He also hosted a weekday sports talk show on Sporting News Radio for several years. He later returned to Sporting News Radio with Arnie Spanier.
In March 2009, Brown became the Community Ambassador for AARP.
On August 10, 2009, Brown interviewed NFL quarterback Michael Vick for a segment on 60 Minutes. On March 24, 2013, Brown reported on Brian Banks in a segment called "Blindsided: The Exoneration of Brian Banks" on 60 Minutes.
Since 2014, Brown has been a substitute anchor for the CBS Evening News. He has also contributed to CBS This Morning (now CBS Mornings) and CBS Sunday Morning. In 2023, he interviewed Henry Louis Gates Jr. for a segment on the newsmagazine America in Black.
Personal Life
Brown lives outside of Washington, D.C., in Bethesda, Maryland. This is his hometown. He lives there with his wife Dorothy and their daughter Katrina. He used to have a second home in Century City, California, when he worked for FOX in Los Angeles.
The NCAA named him one of the 100 most influential student athletes. He has three granddaughters and one grandson. They are the children of his daughter, Katrina, and her husband John.
On May 3, 2006, Brown became a part-owner of the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team. He was one of several investors in the group led by real estate developer Ted Lerner.
Career Timeline Overview
- 1984–1985: NBA on CBS – Color Commentator
- 1984–1986: College Basketball on CBS – Color commentator
- 1987–1990: NBA on CBS – Sideline reporter
- 1987–1993: NFL on CBS – Play-by-play
- 1989–1990: NBA on CBS – Play-by-play
- 1990–1993, 2007: College Basketball on CBS – Play-by-play
- 1990: Major League Baseball on CBS – Sideline reporter
- 1994–2005: Fox NFL Sunday – Host
- 1994–1998: NHL on Fox – Studio host
- 2006–present: The NFL Today – Host
- 2008–2023: Inside the NFL – Host
- 2014–present: CBS Evening News – Substitute anchor
- 2017–2019: The James Brown Show - host
Images for kids
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Brown in 2000.
