Gary Bender
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Gary Bender is an American sportscaster.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early career
Bender began his broadcasting career calling games of the University of Kansas' football and basketball programs in the 1960s.
[edit] CBS Sports
He was the play-by-play announcer for the 1981 NBA Finals along with color commentators Rick Barry and Bill Russell, both members of the Hall of Fame.
In 1982 and 1983, he called NCAA college basketball games for CBS Sports, including the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Both championship games he called were memorable:
- On March 29, 1982, Michael Jordan hit a jump shot with 17 seconds remaining to give North Carolina a 63-62 lead over Georgetown, but the Tar Heels were not assured of victory until James Worthy stole a pass from Fred Brown. Bender yelled out, "Oh, he threw it to the wrong man! He threw it to Worthy!"
- On April 4, 1983, Lorenzo Charles scored on a slam dunk to give North Carolina State a 54-52 upset win over Houston. Bender said, "[Dereck] Whittenburg, it's a long way..." then his voice trailed off as Charles grabbed the ball. Partner Billy Packer then intoned, "They won it...on the dunk!"
[edit] ABC Sports
On October 27, 1987, Bender called the Monday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings. That game had been scheduled for October 26, but when the Minnesota Twins (who shares the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome with the Vikings) played Game 7 of the World Series that day, the football game was moved to Monday.
In 1988, Bender did play-by-play for the American League Championship Series alongside Baseball Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Reggie Jackson.
He also announced college football games for ABC Sports, where he formerly worked alongside Dick Vermeil.
[edit] Major League Baseball on ABC
As previously mentioned, Bender did play-by-play for the 1988 American League Championship Series between the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. Bender spent two years (1987-1988) as the #2 baseball play-by-play man for ABC behind Al Michaels. Bender worked the backup Monday Night Baseball broadcasts as well as serving as a field reporter for ABC's 1987 World Series coverage.
After Bender spent an entire summer developing a team with Joe Morgan, ABC brought in Reggie Jackson to work with the duo for the 1988 ALCS. According to Bender's autobiography Call of the Game, ABC's decision to bring in Jackson to work with Bender and Morgan caused problems:
| “ | Reggie is one of the strongest personalities I've ever met. He epitomizes the big-name athlete who has become a great player, in part because of his ego, but who does not have the sensitivity to let go of that ego when working with others. Consequently, Reggie demanded things he hadn't earned the right to demand. He wanted more attention. He insisted we adjust our way of doing things for him. He even made demands of the producer and director. - (118-119) | ” |
Bender went further in his criticism of Jackson by saying:
- "The whole week went badly. Finally, during the production meeting before the final game of a four-game sweep by the Oakland Athletics over the Boston Red Sox, Reggie confronted me in front of the whole broadcast crew, saying, "I just can't be comfortable with you." I was floored. I asked him, "What do you mean?" "Well, anytime, I turn to talk to you, you break my concentration." I said, "I'm sorry. What can I do to change?" He didn't have an answer." "We tried an informal walk-through where I turned to Joe, told him how I would lead to him, and he described how he would respond. Then I turned to Reggie to do the same. Reggie froze just as he had been doing during the three previous broadcasts. He couldn't get anything out. I said, "Am I making you uncomfortable right now?" He didn't say anything, but everybody realized at that moment that he was blaming me because he couldn't pull the trigger."
When writing about working the fourth and ultimately final game of the 1988 ALCS, Bender says:
- "I was into wrap-up at the end of an inning, just before going to commercial when Reggie signaled that he had something to add. The countdown was already down to seven or six and he knew I couldn't throw it to him. But he furiously waved his arms for me to do so. As soon as we got to commercial, Reggie ripped his headset off, slammed it down, turned his back on me, and stomped out of the booth." "Joe Morgan talked to me after the series. "I want you to know you did all you could do," he said. "If it's possible, I want to continue to work with you. Bringing Reggie in was the worst decision they ever made. I fought it. I want you to know I thought it was bad going in. It was even worse than I thought." (119)
Bender concludes by saying:
- "Working that ALCS was one of the hardest times in my broadcasting career. It is a painful memory because I've always believed I could make everything work, that no situation could not be resolved. However, it did illustrate a maxim I've always believed in: It's all right to have an ego as long as you don't become one. Reggie Jackson's ego is huge and has been detrimental to his career in broadcasting." (120)
Gary Bender would ultimately be taken off ABC's baseball team in favor of Gary Thorne in 1989.
[edit] Turner Sports
Bender also called Sunday night NFL games for TNT from 1992 to 1994, teaming with Pat Haden.
[edit] FSN-Arizona and Versus
Today, Bender is the television play-by-play announcer on Fox Sports Net (FSN-Arizona) for the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns, he works alongside former Suns star Dan Majerle. In 2006, he was named as the play-by-play announcer for the Versus network's coverage of Mountain West Conference football, where he would be partnered with former NFL player Glenn Parker.
- See also: College Football on Versus
[edit] Personal
Bender is also author of the biography Call of the Game, in which he shares his life story, tips on how to become a better broadcaster, and his Christian testimony.
In the first five months of 2001, Bender presided as host of the nationally syndicated Focus on the Family radio show after the resignation of previous host Mike Trout (1985-2000) because of an extramaritial affair. Bender was replaced on a full-time basis by Focus vice president of broadcasting John Fuller.
His son, Trey Bender, is also a sportscaster and played Pop Warner Little Scholars.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Brent Musburger |
Play-by-Play announcer, NBA Finals 1981 |
Succeeded by Dick Stockton |
| Preceded by Dick Enberg |
Play-by-Play announcer, NCAA Men's Final Four 1982-1984 |
Succeeded by Brent Musburger |
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