Howard William Cosell Sports commentator Date of Birth: 25.03.1918 Country: USA

Biography of Howard Cosell

Howard Cosell, whose real name was Howard William Cohen, was born in 1918 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to Nellie and Isidore Cohen. He spent most of his childhood in Brooklyn, New York. His parents had dreams of him becoming a lawyer, so after finishing school, he attended New York University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in law. He also studied at the New York University School of Law.

During World War II, Cosell enlisted in the United States Army Transportation Corps and quickly rose in rank to become a Major, making him one of the youngest Majors at that time. In 1944, he married Mary Abrams in a wedding held at the Presbyterian Church in New Jersey.

After the war, Cosell began working at a law firm in Manhattan. He was a passionate sports fan, with his favorite athlete being baseball player Jack Robinson. In 1953, a manager at ABC Radio Networks offered Cosell a job as a commentator for the Little League Baseball season on the radio. He remained in this position for three years, refusing the salary offered to him by the radio station.

Cosell approached Robert Pauley, the president of the radio station, and proposed the creation of a new sports show that would be different from others. Pauley explained that the station did not have the funds for "new talent" and that Cosell would have to find a sponsor himself. After some time, Cosell returned to Pauley with a signed contract, and thus the show "Speaking of Sports" was born. Over the years, Cosell's popularity grew, and he received numerous offers to participate in various shows. His own show, originally known as "Speaking of Sports," became so popular that its name was changed to "Speaking of Everything."

Cosell was known for his close friendship with legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, whom he always portrayed in a positive light on his show. He was also friends with Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won medals at the 1968 Olympics. Unlike his contemporaries, Cosell was not afraid to address issues of racism, society, and other "awkward topics" in his reporting. In response to any criticism, he would simply shake his head and say, "I'm just telling it like it is." His reports differed from the standard format, as he focused more on analysis, sharing his own thoughts and impressions with the viewers.

Cosell worked as a commentator on the program "Monday Night Football" for a long time, with many believing that the show owes its current popularity to him. In 1972, he was among the reporters giving coverage near the building where Israeli athletes were taken hostage at the Olympic Games.

On December 8, 1980, Cosell announced the news of John Lennon's murder live on air, shocking millions of unsuspecting Americans. After the death of his wife in 1990, Cosell appeared less frequently on screens. In 1995, he posthumously received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Cosell passed away on April 23, 1995, due to natural causes. Even after his death, he was ranked first in the "Top 50 All Time Network Television Sports Announcers" list.