Charley Steiner
Encyclopedia
Charles Harris "Charley" Steiner (born July 17, 1949) is an American
sportscaster and broadcast journalist. He is currently the main play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network
, paired with Rick Monday
.
area, Steiner attended Bradley University
in Peoria, Illinois
, and began his career as a newscaster for WIRL radio in Peoria, in 1969. After graduating from Bradley in 1971, he hosted his first sports show on KSTT radio
in Davenport, Iowa
. A year later, Steiner moved to New Haven, Connecticut
, and worked for WAVZ radio
as its news director, before moving north to Hartford
and WPOP radio
in a similar capacity.
In 1977, Steiner relocated to WERE radio
in Cleveland, Ohio
, where he served as a sportscaster and later news director. While in Cleveland, he received his first television exposure when WKYC-TV
hired him as a sports commentator.
Steiner entered the New York market in 1978 at WXLO-FM
where he did newscasts for, among others, then-morning host and future actor Jay Thomas
. He later moved over to sister station WOR
for several years as its morning drive
sportscaster
, while working simultaneously as the sports director
for the RKO Radio Network
. He was also the play-by-play voice for the USFL's New Jersey Generals
from 1983 to 1985, and for NFL's New York Jets
in 1986 and 1987.
It was during his time with RKO Radio that he was involved in a fracas at the conclusion of a press conference
after John McEnroe
had won his semifinals match at Wimbledon
in 1981. Throughout the tournament, McEnroe had consistently requested not to discuss the status of his relationship with Stacy Margolin, his girlfriend
at the time. When James Whittaker, a gossip columnist
from the Daily Star persisted in broaching the subject, McEnroe cursed at him and the British
media and prematurely ended the press conference by storming out of the room. Steiner confronted Whittaker to say, "C'mon, man, you are just messing it up for everybody else. We want to get our quotes." Right at that point, Nigel Clarke, another British reporter who then worked for the Daily Mirror, stuck his index finger
in Steiner's face
. Clarke then got up on a chair
and attempted to rain punches down on Steiner, who successfully wrestled his adversary to the floor. Surprisingly, Steiner later was personally thanked by the head of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
, who also had a disdain for the British tabloid
s.
in 1988, primarily as an anchor on SportsCenter
. In addition to those duties, he served as the network's lead boxing
analyst.
Steiner was involved in many comical situations during his tenure on SportsCenter, including one broadcast when Carl Lewis
"sang" The Star-Spangled Banner
prior to a New Jersey Nets
game. Amused by hearing Lewis' terrible rendition of the song, Steiner simply could not contain himself and began chortling during the SportsCenter show that night, unable to stop until the show ended. His famous comment on the event was that the song had apparently been written by "Francis Scott Off-Key," a pun on the author of the Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key
.
Steiner was featured in a series of well-known television promos from ESPN's This is SportsCenter
comical promo campaign. In 1999
, amid fears of the Y2K situation, Steiner starred in a promo where the SportsCenter cast spoke about a "contingency plan" at ESPN's studios after Y2K, and Steiner was featured wearing a tie as a head band (along with Braveheart
-style face paint) and screaming the phrase "Follow me to freedom!" He later screamed this phrase at Wrigley Field
after singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame on August 31, 2005
. A second promo featured Steiner being traded from ESPN to Melrose Place in exchange for actor Andrew Shue
. While Shue delivers a straight-up report on a meeting with Paul Tagliabue
, Steiner is then seen wearing shorts and introduces himself to Laura Leighton
(in character as "Sidney Andrews") as the new "pool boy" in the show's apartment complex. Steiner starred in a third promo with boxer Evander Holyfield
. In the opening shot, Evander questions Stuart Scott about Steiner's assessment that Holyfield is only the "50th best heavyweight of all-time"; Stuart then deadpans that he meant "the 50th best heavyweight — in Georgia". In the final scene, an angry Holyfield is seen roaming the halls of ESPN screaming, "Charley! Come on out and get your whoopin'! Charley, come on out! Steiner!". Steiner is seen cowering under a desk. And in probably his funniest promo for the This is SportsCenter
campaign Steiner talks about how at ESPN
the personalities can cover the sports that they enjoy and he says that his is boxing
. During the promo several personalities try to pick a fight with him and he walks away from them all until the end when Steiner is getting into his car and Otto the Orange
comes up to him and Steiner takes out all of his frustrations out on Otto by punching him square in the face. A clip of this promo was used on SportsCenter's coverage of a 2002 Indianapolis Colts
-Philadelphia Eagles
game in which the Eagles were defeated by numerous Colts players who'd gone to Syracuse University
, the home of the Syracuse Orange and Otto.
On August 9, 2004
, Steiner returned to ESPN to co-host an "old school" version of SportsCenter with Bob Ley
.
Steiner also hosted a program on the NFL Network
called Football America
, which ran from 2003 to 2005. He has also been shown in frequent cuts of interviews for the network's NFL Top 10
series, discussing such subjects as former Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau
.
's national radio package from CBS
in 1998
, Steiner became its lead announcer, working Sunday night games, the All-Star Game
, and postseason
games. (Steiner never worked the World Series
while he was calling games for ESPN Radio, however, as those were covered by lead TV voice Jon Miller
.)
Steiner's most controversial home run
call came in the 2001 All-Star Game
at Safeco Field
on July 10. His utterance of "Who wrote this script?" to punctuate Cal Ripken, Jr.
's third-inning
homer off Chan-Ho Park
fueled speculation about whether the achievement was legitimate or that the pitch was grooved to enable a legendary sendoff.
' radio booth, replacing Michael Kay as John Sterling
's play-by-play partner. Steiner was at the microphone when Yankees
third baseman Aaron Boone
won Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series
with a home run in the eleventh inning to defeat the Boston Red Sox
.
After Steiner completed his call, he joined Sterling in his famous "Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeeeee Yankees win!" call, saying he "had always wanted to do that".
. He was originally slated to move to the YES Network
as a studio host, but after Ross Porter, longtime radio voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers
(Steiner's favorite team growing up, with the team still based in Brooklyn) was let go by the team, Steiner was hired to take his place.
For four years covering the 2005
through 2008
seasons, the Dodgers' unique broadcasting arrangement had Steiner teamed with analyst Rick Monday
and working play-by-play on radio during all home and intra-divisional
road games. However, Steiner's duties during these games would begin with the fourth inning and cover the remainder of the game, as the first three innings were a radio/television simulcast
voiced by Vin Scully
. Steiner handled television play-by-play on all other games (with analyst Steve Lyons
), primarily road contests east of the Rocky Mountains
. For the 2009 season, the Dodgers had Steiner and Monday as their radio team for all 162 games, though the Scully simulcast of the first three innings would remain.
Steiner also used to host Baseball Beat on XM Satellite Radio
's MLB Home Plate
channel, where he talked exclusively to writers, authors, columnists, broadcasters, or celebrities on their thoughts and analysis of the current state of baseball. Steiner's last episode of Baseball Beat aired on January 16, 2009.
award for "Best Sportscaster for New York, New Jersey
and Connecticut
" in 1981, 1983, and 1985. His football play-by-play work earned him the New York State Broadcasters Association Award for "Best Radio Play-by-Play" in 1983, 1984, and 1987. During his time at ESPN, Steiner won a CableACE award for a program about Muhammad Ali
and a Clarion award for his coverage of the Mike Tyson
rape trial.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster and broadcast journalist. He is currently the main play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network
Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network
The Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network is a network of 26 radio stations that air Major League Baseball games of the Los Angeles Dodgers. , 23 stations broadcast games in English, while another 3 broadcast them in Spanish.-English:...
, paired with Rick Monday
Rick Monday
Robert James "Rick" Monday, Jr. is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball and is currently a broadcast announcer. From 1966 through 1984, Monday, a center fielder for most of his career, played for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics , Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
.
Early career
Originally from the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area, Steiner attended Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, and began his career as a newscaster for WIRL radio in Peoria, in 1969. After graduating from Bradley in 1971, he hosted his first sports show on KSTT radio
KJOC
KJOC is a radio station licensed to Davenport, Iowa, and has an oldies format. The station's frequency is 1170 kHz, and broadcasts at a power of 1 kW...
in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. A year later, Steiner moved to New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, and worked for WAVZ radio
WAVZ
WAVZ is a radio station broadcasting a Sports Talk format. Licensed to New Haven, Connecticut, USA. The station is currently owned by Cc Licenses. The station switched formats in time for Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007....
as its news director, before moving north to Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and WPOP radio
WPOP
WPOP is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Hartford, Connecticut, USA, the station serves the Hartford-New Britain-Middletown area...
in a similar capacity.
In 1977, Steiner relocated to WERE radio
WERE
WERE — branded News/Talk 1490 WERE-AM — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland Heights, Ohio broadcasting a news/talk format. The station is owned by Radio One, and has studios at 2510 St. Clair Avenue, while the transmitter is along Euclid Avenue near East 118th Street, adjacent to...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where he served as a sportscaster and later news director. While in Cleveland, he received his first television exposure when WKYC-TV
WKYC-TV
WKYC, virtual channel 3 , is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by the Gannett Company. Its studio is located on the shores of Lake Erie, while its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio....
hired him as a sports commentator.
Steiner entered the New York market in 1978 at WXLO-FM
WRKS-FM
WRKS , known by its on-air branding 98.7 Kiss FM, is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio station in New York City, owned by Emmis Communications...
where he did newscasts for, among others, then-morning host and future actor Jay Thomas
Jay Thomas
Jay Thomas is an American actor, comedian and radio talk show host.-Personal life:Thomas was born in Kermit, Texas. He was raised in his Italian American mother's Roman Catholic faith, although his father was Protestant....
. He later moved over to sister station WOR
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...
for several years as its morning drive
Drive time
Drive time is the daypart analog to prime time for radio broadcasting. It consists of the morning hours when listeners wake up, get ready, and/or head to work or school, and the afternoon hours when they are heading home and before their evening meal. These are the periods where the number of...
sportscaster
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, while working simultaneously as the sports director
Sports Director
A sports director is an individual at a television or radio station who is in charge of the sports department. In local news, the sports director is typically the station's primary sportscaster, and often anchors the primetime newscasts on weekdays. They are in charge of sports programming and...
for the RKO Radio Network
RKO Radio Network
The RKO Radio Networks, a subsidiary of RKO General, were the first commercial radio networks to distribute programming entirely by satellite. When it began operations on October 1, 1979, the initial RKO network was the first new full-service American radio network in 40 years. Satellite...
. He was also the play-by-play voice for the USFL's New Jersey Generals
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983-85, winning 31 regular-season games and losing 25 while going 0-2 in postseason competition...
from 1983 to 1985, and for NFL's New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1986 and 1987.
It was during his time with RKO Radio that he was involved in a fracas at the conclusion of a press conference
News conference
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
after John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
had won his semifinals match at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
in 1981. Throughout the tournament, McEnroe had consistently requested not to discuss the status of his relationship with Stacy Margolin, his girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
at the time. When James Whittaker, a gossip columnist
Gossip columnist
A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine. Gossip columns are material written in a light, informal style, which relates the gossip columnist's opinions about the personal lives or conduct of celebrities from show business ,...
from the Daily Star persisted in broaching the subject, McEnroe cursed at him and the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
media and prematurely ended the press conference by storming out of the room. Steiner confronted Whittaker to say, "C'mon, man, you are just messing it up for everybody else. We want to get our quotes." Right at that point, Nigel Clarke, another British reporter who then worked for the Daily Mirror, stuck his index finger
Index finger
The index finger, , is the first finger and the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the first and third digits, between the thumb and the middle finger...
in Steiner's face
Face
The face is a central sense organ complex, for those animals that have one, normally on the ventral surface of the head, and can, depending on the definition in the human case, include the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyelashes, eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, temple, teeth, skin, and...
. Clarke then got up on a chair
Chair
A chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...
and attempted to rain punches down on Steiner, who successfully wrestled his adversary to the floor. Surprisingly, Steiner later was personally thanked by the head of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club , also known as the All-England Club, based at Aorangi Park, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass...
, who also had a disdain for the British tabloid
Tabloid journalism
Tabloid journalism tends to emphasize topics such as sensational crime stories, astrology, gossip columns about the personal lives of celebrities and sports stars, and junk food news...
s.
ESPN
Steiner joined ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
in 1988, primarily as an anchor on SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
. In addition to those duties, he served as the network's lead boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
analyst.
Steiner was involved in many comical situations during his tenure on SportsCenter, including one broadcast when Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis
Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis is an American former track and field athlete, who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 gold, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were gold. His career spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and...
"sang" The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
prior to a New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
game. Amused by hearing Lewis' terrible rendition of the song, Steiner simply could not contain himself and began chortling during the SportsCenter show that night, unable to stop until the show ended. His famous comment on the event was that the song had apparently been written by "Francis Scott Off-Key," a pun on the author of the Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
.
Steiner was featured in a series of well-known television promos from ESPN's This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter is the name of a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their SportsCenter sports news show. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary style, lampooning various aspects of sports, and sports broadcasting. The commercials debuted in 1994...
comical promo campaign. In 1999
1999 in television
The year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
, amid fears of the Y2K situation, Steiner starred in a promo where the SportsCenter cast spoke about a "contingency plan" at ESPN's studios after Y2K, and Steiner was featured wearing a tie as a head band (along with Braveheart
Braveheart
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical drama war film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The film was written for the screen and then novelized by Randall Wallace...
-style face paint) and screaming the phrase "Follow me to freedom!" He later screamed this phrase at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
after singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame on August 31, 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
. A second promo featured Steiner being traded from ESPN to Melrose Place in exchange for actor Andrew Shue
Andrew Shue
Andrew Eppley Shue is an American actor, known for his role as Billy Campbell on the television series Melrose Place . He is currently on the Board of Directors for Do Something and is the co-founder of the social networking website CafeMom.-Early life:Shue was born in Wilmington, Delaware...
. While Shue delivers a straight-up report on a meeting with Paul Tagliabue
Paul Tagliabue
Paul John Tagliabue is a former Commissioner of the National Football League. He took the position in 1989 and was succeeded by Roger Goodell, who was elected to the position on August 8, 2006. Tagliabue's retirement took effect on September 1, 2006. He had previously served as a lawyer for the NFL...
, Steiner is then seen wearing shorts and introduces himself to Laura Leighton
Laura Leighton
Laura Leighton is an American actress. She is best-known for the role of Sydney Andrews, introduced in the 1990s television series Melrose Place. She reprised the role in the 2009 series of the same name...
(in character as "Sidney Andrews") as the new "pool boy" in the show's apartment complex. Steiner starred in a third promo with boxer Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
. In the opening shot, Evander questions Stuart Scott about Steiner's assessment that Holyfield is only the "50th best heavyweight of all-time"; Stuart then deadpans that he meant "the 50th best heavyweight — in Georgia". In the final scene, an angry Holyfield is seen roaming the halls of ESPN screaming, "Charley! Come on out and get your whoopin'! Charley, come on out! Steiner!". Steiner is seen cowering under a desk. And in probably his funniest promo for the This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter is the name of a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their SportsCenter sports news show. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary style, lampooning various aspects of sports, and sports broadcasting. The commercials debuted in 1994...
campaign Steiner talks about how at ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
the personalities can cover the sports that they enjoy and he says that his is boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. During the promo several personalities try to pick a fight with him and he walks away from them all until the end when Steiner is getting into his car and Otto the Orange
Otto the Orange
Otto the Orange is the mascot for the Syracuse Orange, the athletic teams of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, USA. Otto is an anthropomorphic orange, wearing a large blue hat and blue pants. Traditionally regarded as gender-neutral, though "Otto" is typically a male name...
comes up to him and Steiner takes out all of his frustrations out on Otto by punching him square in the face. A clip of this promo was used on SportsCenter's coverage of a 2002 Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
-Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
game in which the Eagles were defeated by numerous Colts players who'd gone to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, the home of the Syracuse Orange and Otto.
On August 9, 2004
2004 in television
The year 2004 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2004.For the American TV schedule, see: 2004–05 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
, Steiner returned to ESPN to co-host an "old school" version of SportsCenter with Bob Ley
Bob Ley
Bob Ley is a sportscaster for ESPN. He, along with Chris Berman, is one of only two original SportsCenter anchors still with the network.-Biography:...
.
Steiner also hosted a program on the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
called Football America
Football America
Football America is a book and film series that was released by the National Football League in 1992. It was also the name of a followup series that aired on NFL Network from 2003 to 2005 on a regular basis....
, which ran from 2003 to 2005. He has also been shown in frequent cuts of interviews for the network's NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10 is a documentary program produced by NFL Films for airing on the NFL Network. The host and narrator is Derrin Horton.The program counts down 10 items directly related to the players, coaches, and events of the National Football League, with former players, NFL Network personalities, and...
series, discussing such subjects as former Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau
Mark Gastineau
Marcus Dell Gastineau is a former American football player who was a leading defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, his 100½ quarterback sacks in only his first 100 starts in the NFL made him one of the quickest and most feared pass rushers of his generation...
.
ESPN Radio
When ESPN Radio gained broadcast rights for Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's national radio package from CBS
Major League Baseball on CBS Radio
Major League Baseball on CBS Radio was the de facto title for the CBS Radio Network's coverage of Major League Baseball. Produced by CBS Radio Sports , the program was the official national radio broadcaster for the All-Star Game and the postseason from 1976 to 1997.-Contracts:CBS first covered...
in 1998
1998 Major League Baseball season
*American League Championship Series MVP: David Wells**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Sterling Hitchcock**National League Division Series*All-Star Game, July 7 at Coors Field: American League, 13-8; Roberto Alomar, MVP...
, Steiner became its lead announcer, working Sunday night games, the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, and postseason
Major League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
games. (Steiner never worked the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
while he was calling games for ESPN Radio, however, as those were covered by lead TV voice Jon Miller
Jon Miller
Jon Wallace Miller is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He is currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also a baseball announcer on ESPN until the network chose not to renew his contract following the...
.)
Steiner's most controversial home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
call came in the 2001 All-Star Game
2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 72nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the...
at Safeco Field
Safeco Field
Safeco Field is a retractable roof baseball stadium located in Seattle, Washington. The stadium, owned and operated by the Washington-King County Stadium Authority, is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and has a seating capacity of 47,878 for baseball...
on July 10. His utterance of "Who wrote this script?" to punctuate Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
's third-inning
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
homer off Chan-Ho Park
Chan-ho Park
Chan Ho Park is a South Korean professional baseball pitcher for the Hanwha Eagles of Korea Baseball Organization. He previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League...
fueled speculation about whether the achievement was legitimate or that the pitch was grooved to enable a legendary sendoff.
New York Yankees
Steiner left ESPN in 2002 and joined the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' radio booth, replacing Michael Kay as John Sterling
John Sterling (sportscaster)
John Sterling is an American sportscaster best known as the radio play-by-play announcer of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. He has announced every Yankees game since .-Early life:...
's play-by-play partner. Steiner was at the microphone when Yankees
2003 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2003 season was the 100th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 101-61 finishing 6 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, they defeated the Boston Red Sox in 7 games in...
third baseman Aaron Boone
Aaron Boone
Aaron John Boone is a former Major League Baseball infielder whose famous home run off Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield won the 2003 American League Championship Series for the New York Yankees. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, Washington...
won Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series
2003 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 2003 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkBacked by three home runs, Tim Wakefield shut the Bombers down in Game 1.-Game 2:Thursday, October 9, 2003 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York...
with a home run in the eleventh inning to defeat the Boston Red Sox
2003 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox' 2003 season included the Red Sox attempting to win the American League East division, the ALDS, and the American League.-Offseason:...
.
After Steiner completed his call, he joined Sterling in his famous "Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeeeee Yankees win!" call, saying he "had always wanted to do that".
Los Angeles Dodgers
Steiner left the Yankees after the following season, his last game being Game 7 of the 2004 American League Championship Series2004 American League Championship Series
The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series to decide the American League champion for the 2004 season. It was played between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, at Fenway Park and the original Yankee Stadium, from October 12 to October 20, 2004...
. He was originally slated to move to the YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
as a studio host, but after Ross Porter, longtime radio voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(Steiner's favorite team growing up, with the team still based in Brooklyn) was let go by the team, Steiner was hired to take his place.
For four years covering the 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
through 2008
2008 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* Regular Season Champions* World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies** American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays** National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies* Postseason – October 1 to October 29...
seasons, the Dodgers' unique broadcasting arrangement had Steiner teamed with analyst Rick Monday
Rick Monday
Robert James "Rick" Monday, Jr. is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball and is currently a broadcast announcer. From 1966 through 1984, Monday, a center fielder for most of his career, played for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics , Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
and working play-by-play on radio during all home and intra-divisional
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
road games. However, Steiner's duties during these games would begin with the fourth inning and cover the remainder of the game, as the first three innings were a radio/television simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
voiced by Vin Scully
Vin Scully
Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
. Steiner handled television play-by-play on all other games (with analyst Steve Lyons
Steve Lyons (baseball)
Stephen John Lyons is a former Major League Baseball player and a television sportscaster. He is of French and Irish descent, and currently resides in Hermosa Beach, California....
), primarily road contests east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. For the 2009 season, the Dodgers had Steiner and Monday as their radio team for all 162 games, though the Scully simulcast of the first three innings would remain.
Steiner also used to host Baseball Beat on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
's MLB Home Plate
MLB Home Plate
MLB Network Radio is an American sports talk radio station on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio that features Major League Baseball related talk shows, as well as archives and live reports....
channel, where he talked exclusively to writers, authors, columnists, broadcasters, or celebrities on their thoughts and analysis of the current state of baseball. Steiner's last episode of Baseball Beat aired on January 16, 2009.
Awards and accomplishments
Steiner is a four time Emmy Award winner and in December 2010 was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from his alma mater Bradley University, where he gave the commencement address. Steiner received a United Press InternationalUnited Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
award for "Best Sportscaster for New York, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
" in 1981, 1983, and 1985. His football play-by-play work earned him the New York State Broadcasters Association Award for "Best Radio Play-by-Play" in 1983, 1984, and 1987. During his time at ESPN, Steiner won a CableACE award for a program about Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and a Clarion award for his coverage of the Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
rape trial.