Curt Gowdy, 1919-2006

The Providence Journal: He wasn't flashy. He wasn't self-obsessed. He wasn't a motormouth. And he never shook the unassuming ways of his native Wyoming. Curt Gowdy, who died Monday (Feb. 20) at 86, was one of the great sports broadcasters because he let the game tell the story. His most famous call may have been Ted Williams's very last at-bat in the major leagues, when Teddy Ballgame dramatically delivered a home run.
Gowdy's smooth, laid-back style and consummate professionalism propelled him to the highest ranks of sports announcing. He called seven Super Bowls from 1967 to 1979, including the legendary Jets-Colts upset in 1969, and 10 consecutive World Series, capped by arguably the best ever played: the 1975 seven-game classic between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds. He was beloved in New England as the announcer for the Red Sox for 15 years.
Gentleman
Those who dealt with Gowdy almost universally seemed to regard him as a gentleman. The contrast with today's brand of bombastic, self-promoting blowhards could not be sharper. Curt Gowdy's great virtue was understanding that the sports he covered, and not the announcer, provided the drama.