1979 – Lindsey Nelson

Born in Campbellsville, Tennessee, on May 25, 1919, sportscasting legend Lindsey Nelson announced almost every headline sports event during his career, and was known for his psychedelic and multicolored plaid sports jackets. Nelson began his broadcasting career in 1948, after a short stint as a newspaper reporter at the Columbia Daily Herald. He was the first ever play-by-play announcer on the Vol network, which was setup to broadcast University of Tennessee games. In 1957, Nelson joined NBC where he began announcing Major League Baseball; then in 1962 he was hired by the New York Mets to announce Mets games on both television and radio, a position he held for 17 years. After his time with the Mets, Nelson worked for the San Francisco Giants for three years. During his broadcasting career Nelson also covered college football for 33 years, including 26 Cotton Bowls, 5 Sugar Bowls, 4 Rose Bowls, and 14 years announcing Notre Dame Games. He also announced NFL games, including the first NFL game to use instant replay. During his career Nelson received many awards, including the first NSSA National Sportscaster of the Year Award; the Ford C. Frick Award, from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988; the Pete Rozette Radio-Television Award, from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990; and an Emmy for career achievement in 1991. Nelson died in 1995. He was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportwriters Association Hall of Fame on April 9, 1979.