Marty Glickman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marty Glickman
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Glickman in the booth above the old Giants Stadium in New Jersey
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Martin Irving Glickman
August 14, 1917 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | January 3, 2001 (aged 83) New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Occupation | Radio sportscaster |
| Known for | 1936 Berlin Olympics |
| Spouse(s) | Marjorie Glickman |
| Children | 4 |
Martin Irving Glickman (born August 14, 1917 – died January 3, 2001) was a famous American radio announcer. He was best known for broadcasting games for the New York Knicks basketball team and the New York Giants and New York Jets football teams.
Glickman was also a talented track and field athlete and a football star at Syracuse University. He was part of the U.S. team for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. However, he and another Jewish American athlete, Sam Stoller, were suddenly removed from the 400-meter relay race. They were replaced by Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe, who won the gold medal easily. Many people believe this decision was made to avoid upsetting Adolf Hitler, who was the leader of Germany at the time and had unfair rules against Jewish people. Glickman often spoke and wrote about this controversial event. A documentary film called Glickman was made about his life and shown on HBO in 2013.
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Early Life and School
Marty Glickman was born in the Bronx, New York City. His family was Jewish and came from Romania. His parents, Harry and Molly Glickmann, moved to the United States from Iaşi, Romania.
He was a star in both track and football during his time at James Madison High School in Brooklyn. He continued to excel in both sports at Syracuse University.
Track Career and the 1936 Berlin Olympics
In 1936, Glickman was an 18-year-old sprinter. He earned a spot on the U.S. team for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Marty spent two weeks practicing with the 400-meter relay team.
However, on the morning of the race, Glickman and Sam Stoller (who was also Jewish) were taken off the 4 × 100 m relay team. Ralph Metcalfe and Jesse Owens replaced them. The other two runners, Foy Draper and Frank Wykoff, stayed on the team. The U.S. team won the race easily. It is widely believed that the team would have won even without the changes. Glickman and Stoller were the only two U.S. Olympic team members who did not get to compete after arriving in Berlin. This was very unusual, as athletes who are not injured almost always compete. After practice, Glickman and Stoller had been told they would definitely run in the relay.
No official documents explain why Glickman and Stoller were removed at the last minute. Glickman believed it was done to avoid upsetting Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany. By 1936, Hitler's government had already put in place harsh laws against Jewish people. An American team winning with two Jewish sprinters might have been awkward for the German hosts.
The head of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Team, Avery Brundage, said these claims were "absurd." But many years later, in 1998, the president of the U.S. Olympic Committee, William J. Hybl, honored Glickman. He gave Glickman a plaque "in lieu of the gold medals they didn’t win." Hybl said that while there was no written proof, it was clear their removal was to please the German government.
Glickman blamed Brundage and track coach Dean Cromwell for what happened. He believed Cromwell was unfair because of his anti-Jewish views and because he favored runners from his own college. Glickman also thought Brundage was unfair and tried too hard to please Hitler.
Marty Glickman was an amazing sprinter. In 1963, when he was 46 years old, he raced against all the New York Giants football running backs and won!
Early Radio Career and Military Service
Glickman graduated from Syracuse University in 1939. Besides being a track star, he was also a great running back for the football team. He briefly played professional football and basketball. He started working at the radio station WHN in New York City. By 1943, he was in charge of sports for the station.
After the United States entered World War II in 1941, Glickman joined the U.S. Marines. He was an officer in the 4th Marine Air Wing from 1943 until the war ended in 1945.
A Voice for Sports
Glickman became a very famous sportscaster. He first worked for Paramount News, providing the voice for their sports newsreels from 1948 to 1957. He covered all kinds of sports from around the world. His unique voice and slight New York accent made him a favorite.
Later, he became best known as the voice of the New York Knicks basketball team for 21 years and the New York Giants football team for 23 years. He also broadcast some New York Rangers hockey games. In the early 1960s, Glickman and former Giants player Al DeRogatis formed a legendary broadcast team for Giants fans. Back then, home games were not shown on TV, so radio was the only way to follow the Giants.
Glickman was also a mentor to many other broadcasters. His most famous student was Marv Albert, who went on to call games for the Knicks, Giants, and Rangers. Glickman also helped the careers of Spencer Ross and Johnny Most. In 1991, Glickman was honored by the Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the second person to receive the announcers' award.
When the New York Knickerbockers basketball team started in 1946, Glickman was their first radio announcer. He was also the first TV announcer for the National Basketball Association. Glickman was also the first announcer for the New York Nets before they joined the NBA.
He was also the voice for the Yonkers Raceway for 12 years and the New York Jets for 11 years. Glickman also hosted pre- and post-game shows for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees baseball teams for 22 years.
In the 1980s, Glickman also broadcast University of Connecticut football and basketball games. He returned to college football in 1985, calling Ivy League games for PBS.
Glickman covered many different events, including track meets, wrestling, roller derbies, rodeos, and even a marbles tournament! He retired from broadcasting in December 1992, at age 74.
Books and Films
In 1996, Marty Glickman's autobiography, The Fastest Kid on the Block: The Marty Glickman Story, was published. He wrote it with sportswriter Stan Isaacs.
On August 26, 2013, a documentary film called Glickman was shown on HBO. Martin Scorsese was one of the people who helped produce the film. The movie received good reviews.
Glickman was played by Jeremy Ferdman in the 2016 movie Race. This film was about the life of Jesse Owens, another famous Olympic athlete.
Death
Marty Glickman had heart surgery on December 14, 2000. He passed away from problems related to the surgery on January 3, 2001. He was 83 years old.
See also
- Select list of Jewish track and field athletes
