Al Michaels has been a lead network television sportscaster for over three decades. After spending 30 years working at ABC Sports, he moved to NBC Sports in 2006. He is partnered with lead NFL analyst John Madden on Sunday Night Football. He has also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality five times.
Fast Facts:
- Born: November 12, 1944
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY
- Covered 8 World Series
- Covered 9 Super Bowls
- Has acted on television series Hawaii Five-O, Coach, and Spin City
- 5-time Emmy Award winner
- ABC Sports play-by-play announcer for the Miracle On Ice
- Acquired by NBC in 2006 in trade for rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
From Olympic Gold...
After starting his career in the minor leagues, he covered the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, before joining ABC in 1977. Three years later, he was assigned to call hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Little did he, or anyone else, know what was about to happen. The Miracle On Ice came to be known as such thanks to the finals seconds countdown by Michaels, followed by his now infamous phrase, "...do you believe in miracles? YES!"
...to the Golden Gate
During the 1980s, Michaels raised his profile to that of one of the preminent in sportscasting. He became the play-by-play man for Monday Night Football in 1986, and also called baseball for ABC, including the 1989 World Series during which the Loma Prieta Earthquake prior to Game Three in San Francisco. His reports about the aftermath, and his ability to help navigate anchor Ted Koppel of all the location sites around the city that night led Michaels to be nominated for an Emmy for news broadcasting.
Other Career Highlights
Michaels has also been involved in many other famous sporting events of the late 20th Century. These would include: Super Bowl XXV when Scott Norwood's field goal sailed wide right; the 1985 World Series involving the blown out call by umpire Don Denkinger; several NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals.
