It’s a call that’s stood the test of time. Al Michaels’ iconic “miracle on ice” call from the 1980 Winter Olympics, on home ice in New York.
Few, if any, sportscasters worth their weight have not heard it and it’s a perfect example of sportscasting 101 on a big moment where less is often more.
Recently, the New York Post published a great retrospect on the goal, the preparation that went into it and some behind the scenes of Al Michaels’ iconic utterance that has stuck with him through one of the most successful careers in broadcast.
The greatest call in the history of sportscasting doesn’t just happen. It takes extraordinary events to line everything up just right.
There is growing up in Brooklyn at 670 Ocean Avenue between Albemarle and Beverley. There is looking at the green grass of Ebbets Field, hearing Vin Scully call games and wondering how you can spend a lifetime at arenas and stadiums. And, like the Dodgers, there is a move to Los Angeles, where you use the backyard garden hose as an imitation mic to hone your craft.
Finally, there is one last ingredient mixed in. It is a cherished book about the history of the Olympics, a gift from your grandparents, that makes you dream big. This is how the cement was mixed to produce the most iconic set of words that a sportscaster has ever uttered.
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