Ray Scott (sportscaster)
Encyclopedia
Ray Scott was an American sportscaster
, best known for his broadcasts for the Green Bay Packers
of the National Football League
. His brother Hal Scott
was also a sportscaster.
over the DuMont
network; three years later he began doing play-by-play on Packers broadcasts for CBS-TV
, and it was in Green Bay that his terse, minimalist style (e.g. : "Starr
. . . Dowler
. . . Touchdown, Green Bay.") developed its greatest following.
on Packers telecasts. As the team's announcer, Scott broadcast Super Bowl I
and II
for CBS, along with the brutally cold "Ice Bowl
" NFL championship game of 1967
. In 1968
, CBS ended its practice of assigning dedicated announcing crews to particular teams, and Scott was appointed to the network's lead NFL crew, teaming with Paul Christman
(1968–69) and Pat Summerall
(1970–74). During his tenure with CBS he called four Super Bowl
s and seven NFL (later NFC
) championship games.
's Minnesota Twins
from to , calling the 1965 World Series
on NBC television. After leaving Minnesota he called games for the Washington Senators
in 1970–71 before returning to the Twins as a part-time announcer in 1973–75.
, replacing him with Summerall (who had been paired with Scott as a color commentator
). He was subsequently employed as a local announcer by several teams (including the Kansas City Chiefs
(1974-1975), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, Minnesota Vikings
, and Milwaukee Brewers
). Scott also served as a narrator for the NFL Films Game of the Week
in the 1970s, called syndicated broadcasts of Penn State
football from 1975–81, and was play-by-play announcer for the USFL
's Arizona Wranglers
in 1983 and 1984 and the Portland Breakers
in the 1985 season. In 1988
, Scott was one of several veteran announcers to call some September NFL telecasts for NBC
, while many of the network's regular broadcasters were working at that year's Summer Olympics
in Seoul
. Scott also called UCLA
, Arizona, Minnesota
, and Nebraska
football in the '80s, broadcast college basketball
and golf
at various points in his career, and teamed with Patrick Ryan
while doing high school and college football in and around Billings, Montana
. In the later years of his life he hosted a syndicated talk show on the short-lived SportsAmerica Radio Network. In addition to sportscasting, Ray Scott also read newscasts at WCCO-FM in Minneapolis in the late 1970s and early '80s.
, was given regional awards by that organization 12 times in four different states, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1982. Posthumous honors include the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
by the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2000, and induction into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
as a contributor in July 2001.
Scott's bare-bones style has inspired many sportscasters.
Sportscaster
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...
, best known for his broadcasts for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. His brother Hal Scott
Hal Scott
Hal Scott was an American sportscaster. He worked primarily at Minneapolis's television station WCCO-TV in 1960s and 1970s. He also worked for CBS. He was the television voice for the Minnesota Vikings in the mid 1960s on CBS games. He was the brother of fellow sportscaster Ray Scott.-External...
was also a sportscaster.
Early life and career
Scott began his broadcasting career on local radio in the late 1930s. His first NFL broadcasts came in 19531953 NFL season
The 1953 NFL season was the 34th regular season of the National Football League. The names of the American and National conferences were changed to the Eastern and Western conferences....
over the DuMont
NFL on DuMont
The NFL on DuMont was an American television program that broadcast National Football League games on the now defunct DuMont Television Network. The program ran from 1951 to 1955.-1951-1952:...
network; three years later he began doing play-by-play on Packers broadcasts for CBS-TV
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
, and it was in Green Bay that his terse, minimalist style (e.g. : "Starr
Bart Starr
Bryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and head coach from 1975 to 1983, compiling a record of 52–76–3 ....
. . . Dowler
Boyd Dowler
Boyd Hamilton Dowler is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played twelve seasons for the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins from 1959 to 1971...
. . . Touchdown, Green Bay.") developed its greatest following.
Green Bay Packers and CBS Sports
Scott was paired primarily with Tony CanadeoTony Canadeo
Anthony Robert "Tony" Canadeo was a professional football player, a halfback and quarterback for the NFL's Green Bay Packers from 1941 to 1944 and 1946 to 1952, having missed the 1945 season while serving in the United States Army during World War II.Born and raised in Chicago, Tony Canadeo...
on Packers telecasts. As the team's announcer, Scott broadcast Super Bowl I
Super Bowl I
The First AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later known as Super Bowl I and referred to in some contemporary reports as the Supergame, was played on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.The National Football League ...
and II
Super Bowl II
The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida....
for CBS, along with the brutally cold "Ice Bowl
NFL Championship Game, 1967
The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...
" NFL championship game of 1967
1967 NFL season
The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and...
. In 1968
1968 NFL season
The 1968 NFL season was the 49th regular season of the National Football League. As per the agreement made during the 1967 realignment, the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants switched divisions; the Saints joined the Century Division while the Giants became part of the Capitol Division.The...
, CBS ended its practice of assigning dedicated announcing crews to particular teams, and Scott was appointed to the network's lead NFL crew, teaming with Paul Christman
Paul Christman
Paul Joseph Christman was an American football player and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He played college football for the University of Missouri and professionally for the Chicago Cardinals and Green Bay Packers.-Collegiate career:A St...
(1968–69) and Pat Summerall
Pat Summerall
George Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...
(1970–74). During his tenure with CBS he called four Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s and seven NFL (later NFC
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
) championship games.
Baseball broadcasting
Scott was also the lead television and radio announcer 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 Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
from to , calling the 1965 World Series
1965 World Series
The 1965 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the American League champion Minnesota Twins, who had won their first pennant since 1933 when the team was known as the Washington Senators...
on NBC television. After leaving Minnesota he called games for the Washington Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in 1970–71 before returning to the Twins as a part-time announcer in 1973–75.
Later life and career
CBS dismissed Scott in 19741974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
, replacing him with Summerall (who had been paired with Scott as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
). He was subsequently employed as a local announcer by several teams (including the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
(1974-1975), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
). Scott also served as a narrator for the NFL Films Game of the Week
NFL Films Game of the Week
The NFL Films Game of the Week, formerly known as the NFL Game of the Week, is a program that airs on NFL Network, the official television channel of the National Football League...
in the 1970s, called syndicated broadcasts of Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
football from 1975–81, and was play-by-play announcer for the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
's Arizona Wranglers
Arizona Wranglers
The Arizona Wranglers were a professional American Football team in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix.-Founding:...
in 1983 and 1984 and the Portland Breakers
Portland Breakers
The Portland Breakers were a professional American Football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. Before moving to Portland, Oregon, the franchise was previously in Boston, Massachusetts as the Boston Breakers and New Orleans, Louisiana as the New Orleans...
in the 1985 season. In 1988
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
, Scott was one of several veteran announcers to call some September NFL telecasts for NBC
NFL on NBC
NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
, while many of the network's regular broadcasters were working at that year's Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Scott also called UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, Arizona, Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
, and Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
football in the '80s, broadcast college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
at various points in his career, and teamed with Patrick Ryan
Patrick Ryan
Patrick Ryan is the name of:*Patrick Ryan , U.S. Olympic athlete and NYC Police officer from Limerick*Patrick Ryan , English author*Patrick Ryan , LGBT American novelist...
while doing high school and college football in and around Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
. In the later years of his life he hosted a syndicated talk show on the short-lived SportsAmerica Radio Network. In addition to sportscasting, Ray Scott also read newscasts at WCCO-FM in Minneapolis in the late 1970s and early '80s.
Awards and honors
Scott was twice named National Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters AssociationNational Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association
The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, or NSSA, is an organization of sports media members in the United States. It constitutes the American chapter of the International Sports Press Association ....
, was given regional awards by that organization 12 times in four different states, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1982. Posthumous honors include the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award
The Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, created in 1989 and named for the late longtime NFL commissioner, is bestowed annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame "for longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football". Unlike the Baseball Hall of Fame's comparable...
by the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2000, and induction into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame was the first hall of fame built to honor a single professional American football team. After receiving approval from coach Vince Lombardi, William L. Brault, a Green Bay restaurateur and Packers fan, founded the Hall of Fame in 1966...
as a contributor in July 2001.
Scott's bare-bones style has inspired many sportscasters.