Chic Anderson (1968-1978) - Starting in 1969, Anderson's Derby calls would not only be heard by Churchill patrons but also on the
CBS Television Network, where he assumed
Jack Drees' role on the network's coverage of all three
Triple Crown races, as well as other thoroughbred events. Anderson would eventually gain a level of fame as a national race caller exceeded only by that of
Clem McCarthy and
Ted Husing. Because of his TV experience and knowledge of horses, CBS adopted him as a full-fledged member of their sportscasting team for big races, providing jockey interviews and insights as well as the race calls.
Marshall Cassidy (1979-1985) - Cassidy was the most prominent announcer in racing in the early to mid-1980s, not only for his on-track work but also as a sportscaster calling races for
WCBS radio,
CBS television,
ABC television,
NBC television and
ESPN television. He was best known for his accuracy, precise diction and upbeat delivery, especially early in his career when calling a close race as the horses ran down the stretch.
Fred Capossela (1954-1960) - From 1950 to 1960, Capossela was the "Voice of the Triple Crown" on CBS Radio and Television.[1]
Jack Drees (1963-1968) - In 1960, he was hired by CBS to call
St. Louis Cardinals football games. In 1967/68 he called
Super Bowl I and II for the
CBS Radio Network. In addition to NFL games, Drees also called college football, golf, and horse races for CBS.
Mel Allen (1953-1954; 1956) - Shortly after graduating, Allen took a train to
New York City for a week's vacation. While on that week's vacation, he auditioned for a staff announcer's position at the
CBS Radio Network. CBS executives already knew of Allen; the network's top sportscaster,
Ted Husing, had heard many of his Crimson Tide broadcasts. He was hired at $45 a week.[9] He often did non-sports announcing such as for
big band remotes, or "emceeing"
game shows such as Truth or Consequences, serving as an understudy for both sportscaster Husing and newscaster
Bob Trout.[10] In his first year at CBS, he announced
the crash of the Hindenburg when the station cut away from singer
Kate Smith's show. He first became a national celebrity when he
ad libbed for a half-hour during the rain-delayed
Vanderbilt Cup from an airplane.[11] In 1939, he was the announcer for the Warner Brothers & Vitaphone film musical short-subject, On the Air, with
Leith Stevens and the Saturday Night Swing Club.[12][13] Stephen Borelli, in his biography How About That?! (a favorite expression of Allen's after an outstanding play by the home team), states that it was at CBS's suggestion in 1937, the year Melvin Israel joined the network, that he go by a different last name on the air. He chose Allen, his father's middle name as well as his own, and legally changed his name to Melvin Allen in 1943.
Win Elliot (1955) - Elliot broadcast horse racing events in the 1960s and conducted one of the early
call-insports radio talk shows on
WCBS-AM in New York.
Jim Kelly (1982-1984) - Substitute host for Brent Musburger.[14]
Eddie Arcaro (1963-1970) - After working as a television commentator on racing for
CBS and
ABC, he was a public relations officer for the Golden Nugget Casino in
Las Vegas before retiring to
Miami, Florida.
Frank I. Wright (1971-1985) - Wright got his start in broadcasting announcing races locally in New York and Maryland. After
Canonero II won the 1971
Kentucky Derby, Wright was hired by
CBS as an analyst for its horse racing coverage. The network felt that his ability to speak Spanish would allow him to speak with the horse's owner, trainer and jockey.
Pia Lindström (1971-1972) - Lindström began her broadcasting career as a
reporter at
KGO-TV in
San Francisco in 1966[20][21] and in 1971 went to
WCBS-TV in
New York City. From 1973 to 1997, she was a news
anchorwoman and also a theater and arts critic for
WNBC-TV in New York City, and made television appearances and did some acting (in mostly Italian films) before she became a news correspondent.
Gil Stratton (1962; 1965) - While working for
CBS Sports in both television and radio, he covered the
1960 Summer Olympics from Rome. He also covered the
NFL as "the voice" of the
Los Angeles Rams in the 1960s, and called
Major League Baseball games,
Kentucky Derbies, and feature races from Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar. He also covered many other sports, such as hockey, tennis, track and field and golf.
Chic Anderson (1968-1978) - Starting in 1969, Anderson's Derby calls would not only be heard by Churchill patrons but also on the
CBS Television Network, where he assumed
Jack Drees' role on the network's coverage of all three
Triple Crown races, as well as other thoroughbred events. Anderson would eventually gain a level of fame as a national race caller exceeded only by that of
Clem McCarthy and
Ted Husing. Because of his TV experience and knowledge of horses, CBS adopted him as a full-fledged member of their sportscasting team for big races, providing jockey interviews and insights as well as the race calls.
Marshall Cassidy (1979-1985) - Cassidy was the most prominent announcer in racing in the early to mid-1980s, not only for his on-track work but also as a sportscaster calling races for
WCBS radio,
CBS television,
ABC television,
NBC television and
ESPN television. He was best known for his accuracy, precise diction and upbeat delivery, especially early in his career when calling a close race as the horses ran down the stretch.
Fred Capossela (1954-1960) - From 1950 to 1960, Capossela was the "Voice of the Triple Crown" on CBS Radio and Television.[1]
Jack Drees (1963-1968) - In 1960, he was hired by CBS to call
St. Louis Cardinals football games. In 1967/68 he called
Super Bowl I and II for the
CBS Radio Network. In addition to NFL games, Drees also called college football, golf, and horse races for CBS.
Mel Allen (1953-1954; 1956) - Shortly after graduating, Allen took a train to
New York City for a week's vacation. While on that week's vacation, he auditioned for a staff announcer's position at the
CBS Radio Network. CBS executives already knew of Allen; the network's top sportscaster,
Ted Husing, had heard many of his Crimson Tide broadcasts. He was hired at $45 a week.[9] He often did non-sports announcing such as for
big band remotes, or "emceeing"
game shows such as Truth or Consequences, serving as an understudy for both sportscaster Husing and newscaster
Bob Trout.[10] In his first year at CBS, he announced
the crash of the Hindenburg when the station cut away from singer
Kate Smith's show. He first became a national celebrity when he
ad libbed for a half-hour during the rain-delayed
Vanderbilt Cup from an airplane.[11] In 1939, he was the announcer for the Warner Brothers & Vitaphone film musical short-subject, On the Air, with
Leith Stevens and the Saturday Night Swing Club.[12][13] Stephen Borelli, in his biography How About That?! (a favorite expression of Allen's after an outstanding play by the home team), states that it was at CBS's suggestion in 1937, the year Melvin Israel joined the network, that he go by a different last name on the air. He chose Allen, his father's middle name as well as his own, and legally changed his name to Melvin Allen in 1943.
Win Elliot (1955) - Elliot broadcast horse racing events in the 1960s and conducted one of the early
call-insports radio talk shows on
WCBS-AM in New York.
Jim Kelly (1982-1984) - Substitute host for Brent Musburger.[14]
Eddie Arcaro (1963-1970) - After working as a television commentator on racing for
CBS and
ABC, he was a public relations officer for the Golden Nugget Casino in
Las Vegas before retiring to
Miami, Florida.
Frank I. Wright (1971-1985) - Wright got his start in broadcasting announcing races locally in New York and Maryland. After
Canonero II won the 1971
Kentucky Derby, Wright was hired by
CBS as an analyst for its horse racing coverage. The network felt that his ability to speak Spanish would allow him to speak with the horse's owner, trainer and jockey.
Pia Lindström (1971-1972) - Lindström began her broadcasting career as a
reporter at
KGO-TV in
San Francisco in 1966[20][21] and in 1971 went to
WCBS-TV in
New York City. From 1973 to 1997, she was a news
anchorwoman and also a theater and arts critic for
WNBC-TV in New York City, and made television appearances and did some acting (in mostly Italian films) before she became a news correspondent.
Gil Stratton (1962; 1965) - While working for
CBS Sports in both television and radio, he covered the
1960 Summer Olympics from Rome. He also covered the
NFL as "the voice" of the
Los Angeles Rams in the 1960s, and called
Major League Baseball games,
Kentucky Derbies, and feature races from Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar. He also covered many other sports, such as hockey, tennis, track and field and golf.