?The boxing world was very good to us. With his trademark modesty, I?m sure Howard would say he was very good to the world of boxing as well ? tongue in cheek, of course.”–Colin Cosell acknowledging the posthumous induction of his famed grandfather, Howard Cosell, into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.
The last time I think I saw Colin Cosell he was a toddler, crawling around on the 12th floor of “ABC Sports Beat” office on Sixth Avenue in midtown.
And his doting grandpa may have been calling him and his siblings, “little monkeys” as he was wont to do. They were little “rugrats” at the time.
When Cosell made the same reference to African American Washington Redskins player Alvin Garrett (“look at that little monkey run”) a few idiots tried to turn it into a racial incident.
Cosell, the most important sports announcer in American history, was a lot of things starting with egomaniacal but racist he was not. Almost alone, he stood in public support of Muhammad Ali’s refusal to fight against the Viet Cong “who never called me nigger…”
But Cosell’s induction into the Boxing Hall, deserved based on the excitement and drama he brought to the sport for so many years, reminds me of the Groucho Marx crack about “not wanting to join any club that would have me as a member.”
You think Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin could be funny? Howard Cosell and Muhammad Ali could shtick like a butterfly and sting like a pair of broadcasting bees, says Michael Marley who idolized the fighter and worked for the sportscaster who injected constant social commentary into his amazing work (AP Photo)
His grandson may not know but I do. Cosell would have refused to participate in his own IBHOF induction.
He migh’ve been tempted to go to Canastota and give the entire crowd the lecture of a lifetime, a spiel about abolishing boxing for the better of society, but he would not have worn their mantle proudly.
No question, no doubt.
I was a producer for his “60 Minutes” like “Sports Beat” when Cosell swore off boxing.
The death of Duk Koo Kim after a fight with Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini (on rival CBS) followed by Larry Holmes total domination of hapless but game Randall “Tex” Cobb, with Cosell bemoaning the fight not being stopped at ringside, convinced Cosell to cut all ties with professional boxing.
He did briefly continue to call Olympic boxing justifying that by citing the protective headgear, bigger gloves and the fact that bouts were stopped much quicker than in the pro ranks.
My job was to dig up sports stories with some social value or impact.
Suicide by NBA journeyman Bill Robinzine was reported on ABC “Sports Beat” by Cosell and tennis hero Arthur Ashe and produced by four time Emmy Award winner, Michael Marley
I’m most proud of a piece I produced and had tennis great Arthur Ashe and Cosell involved in regarding the suicide of NBA journeyman Bill Robinzine.
Robinzine played for the Kings, Cavaliers, Mavericks and the Jazz in seven NBA seasons. When his hoops career ended, he went into a Kansas City rental garage, turned on his ignition and died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The year was 1982.
“Who Was Bill Robinzine, Why Did He Kill Himself” was a segment about the shockwaves many pro athletes experience when the game is over, what UC Berekley professor and social activist Dr. Harry Edwards, also included in the sgement, calls “career transitional trauma.”
I was able, using Ashe’s good name, to convince Robinzine’s widow to come to New York for a sitdown interview with Cosell. I warned Howard to tread softly with Claudia Robinzine but he couldn’t help but be his prosecutorial self, asking her bluntly what the contents of the former Bulls and Kings player suicide note were.
Widow Robinzine demurred, calling that question just “too personal” and Cosell moved on.
Cosell would ask the hardball questions unlike the softball TV sports inquisitors of today, who generally ask a jock or a coach, “How did you feel when…” or “What were you thinking when…” or my favorite “Some people say, Kobe, that…”
Cosell was also way ahead of the pack on steroids, on pro franchises moving from city to city and other hot button issues.
But, once he turned his back on pro boxing and called for its abolition, there was no turning back.
