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.