Bob Ley
Encyclopedia
Bob Ley is a sportscaster
for ESPN. He, along with Chris Berman, is one of only two original SportsCenter
anchors still with the network.
, where he attended Bloomfield High School. He got his start in broadcasting at WSOU at Seton Hall University
. After graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Communications, Ley worked several minor broadcasting jobs, including public address announcer with the New York Cosmos
soccer
team, before landing his first major position with the ESPN in 1979.
In 1980, Bob Ley hosted the first televised NCAA Selection Show
, though the airing would switch to CBS two years later.
Ley is famous for breaking the banishment of Pete Rose
from Major League Baseball
for life in 1989. He also anchored, along with Trey Wingo
, the lone SportsCenter
on September 11, 2001, to announce there would be no games for at least one week.
Ley currently hosts ESPN's investigative program Outside the Lines
. He did host SportsCenter
for much of his career at ESPN, returning on August 9, 2004 to host an "old school" edition with longtime partner Charley Steiner
.
He is the primary studio host for ESPN's telecasts of major international professional soccer tournaments such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup
and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
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...
for ESPN. He, along with Chris Berman, is one of only two original 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...
anchors still with the network.
Biography
Ley grew up in Bloomfield, New JerseyBloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
, where he attended Bloomfield High School. He got his start in broadcasting at WSOU at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. After graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Communications, Ley worked several minor broadcasting jobs, including public address announcer with the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team, before landing his first major position with the ESPN in 1979.
In 1980, Bob Ley hosted the first televised NCAA Selection Show
College Basketball on ESPN
College Basketball on ESPN is a presentation of the college basketball television package on the ESPN family of networks. The television network broadcasts games of all the major conferences and many mid-major conferences of Division I NCAA basketball....
, though the airing would switch to CBS two years later.
Ley is famous for breaking the banishment of Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
from Major League Baseball
Major 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...
for life in 1989. He also anchored, along with Trey Wingo
Trey Wingo
Hal Chapman Wingo III or Trey Wingo is the co-host of ESPN's SportsCenter from time to time but is best known as host of NFL Live alongside football analysts Mark Schlereth, Merrill Hoge, Mike Golic, and Tom Jackson, among others...
, the lone 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...
on September 11, 2001, to announce there would be no games for at least one week.
Ley currently hosts ESPN's investigative program Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines, or also referred to as OTL, is an American television program on ESPN that looks "outside the lines" and examines critical issues in American sports on and off the field of play....
. He did host 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...
for much of his career at ESPN, returning on August 9, 2004 to host an "old school" edition with longtime partner Charley Steiner
Charley Steiner
Charles Harris "Charley" Steiner 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.-Early career:...
.
He is the primary studio host for ESPN's telecasts of major international professional soccer tournaments such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Honors
- 1987 - Bloomfield High School Athletic Hall of Fame
- 1995 - Northeastern University Center for Study of Sport and Society and School of Journalism Excellence in Sports Journalism Award
- WSOU-FMWSOU-FMWSOU is a non-commercial, college radio station. The station broadcasts from the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. It is a student-run station with university administrator Mark Maben serving as its current General Manager...
Hall of Fame Member - Eight Sports Emmy Awards for Sports Journalism
- Three CableACE AwardCableACE AwardThe CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
s for Sports Information Series - Four CableACE AwardCableACE AwardThe CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
s (with Suburban Cablevision, East Orange, New JerseyEast Orange, New JerseyEast Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
) - 2008 - Commencement Speaker for the University of HartfordUniversity of HartfordThe University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
(West Hartford, CT)
External links
- http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2009/12/ley_bob/