History is full of memorable and iconic moments in sports, and many of them wouldn’t be possible without the announcers behind it all. They are the ones that brought the game to life for millions of viewers.

Yet, there is no doubt that there are some announcers out there that are more iconic than others. Every sports fan out there has a favorite, and they won’t hesitate to explain all of the reasons why.

Vin Scully

Vin Scully was a sportscaster for 67 seasons – starting in 1950 and running all to way to 2016. His run is the longest to date, and he happily was an announcer for the Dodgers that whole time. He also worked for CBS Sports during this time (1975-1982) and was the lead baseball play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports (1983-1989).

If you look up nearly any list of iconic and favorite sportscasters, the odds are strong that you will find Vin Scully on the top. He was that beloved and is still considered to be that memorable.

Keith Jackson

Keith Jackson is another famous icon, for he managed to announce nearly every sport in the game (no pun intended). However, he’s arguably the most famous for his time with college football. 

He worked with ABC Sports from 1966 to 2006 and college football from 1952 to 2006. So you can see why he had plenty of opportunities to worm his way into the hearts of fans.

Ken “Hawk” Harrelson

Ken Harrelson earned the nickname ‘The Hawk’ due to his profile. He is yet another iconic member of the sportscaster elite. But first, he was an All-Star first baseman and outfielder in Minor League Baseball.

He then took to his job as a sportscaster for the Chicago White Sox with all of his heart. There he stayed for 33 years. He is also the recipient of 2020’s Ford C. Frick Award.

Howard Cosell

Howard Cosell is another famous sportscaster, working most prominently with ABC from 1953 until 1985. While he was known for stirring up some controversy, Cosell did take bold stances, such as siding with NFL players when they wanted the opportunity to become free agents. He’s arguably most famous for his personality and his “tell it like it is” way of announcing.

Joe Garagiola

Joe Garagiola Sr. first started his career as a baseball catcher (St. Louis Cardinal, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and New York Giants) in Minor League Baseball. But he eventually became an announcer in his own right. One of the many ways in which he became so iconic is through his many appearances on The Today Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson