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Marv Albert

Leaving It Behind



Albert was fired from NBC the day of his guilty plea. The following day he tendered his resignation from Madison Square Gardens Network. Albert's life was in total upheaval. Everything he had worked so hard for since he was a boy seemed to have slipped out of his hands, never to be retrieved again. Not only that but Albert had to endure the shame and humiliation, as well as the numerous jibes that were being taken at him right and left. "Marv Albert last week was booted out of the broadcast booth and into his worse nightmare…Albert was chewed up and spit out, which, some would say, means justice prevailed," reported Gerry Callahan for Sports Illustrated. Although most other reporters were not quite as harsh as Callahan, all had a hay day with the particulars of the case.



Chronology

1941 Born in Brooklyn, New York
1950 Writes essay explaining how he would become a broadcaster when he grows up
1958 Begins working as the Brooklyn Dodger's office boy
1961 Becomes an announcer for WOLF radio in Syracuse, New York
1963 Announces his first Knicks game
1964 Earns Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University
1965 Marries Benita Caress
1967 Becomes the Knicks regular announcer
1967 Starts position as Sports Director for WHN Radio New York, New York
1975 Publishes his first book on sports trivia
1977 Signs to broadcast games with NBC
1979 Writes his second book on broadcasting
1993 Publishes an autobiography
1994 Writes a book about Knicks Championship season
1997 Charged with assault and battery by Vanessa Perhach
1997 Resigns from Madison Square Garden Network after being fired from NBC
1998 Rehired by Madison Square Garden Network and Turner
1998 Marries Heather Faulkner
1999 Rehired by NBC

It was Albert's humble attitude and obvious remorse for his actions that brought him back to the Madison Square Garden company. In an interview with David Kindred for the Sporting News, MSG president Dave Checketts stated, "We think of ourselves as a family, and Marv is a member of the family. We told him at the start of this, if he did his part, we'd take him back." It was this opportunity that allowed Marv to slowly rebuild the life he had worked so hard to create for himself. Chris Bellard wrote in Sports Illustrated: "That his comeback has been so complete…is a testament not only to his skill as an announcer but also to the respect he has earned in more than 35 years in the industry."

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsSports JournalismMarv Albert Biography - Early Broadcasts, Sportscaster Extraordinaire, Skeletons In The Closet, Leaving It Behind, Chronology, Selected Writings By Albert: