On Wednesday, I had the great opportunity to watch the screening of the HBO Documentary: Glickman, made by James Freedman. I myself, want to be a sportscaster and thus this film was not only good because it was a story of adversity, prejudice, sports and success, but appealed to people like me who want to be in the field itself.
Marty Glickman was born in Brooklyn to Romanian Jews that escaped to avoid further persecution. Marty was a star athlete in high school. He played basketball, football, ran track and did almost everything else in between. When he was eighteen he took part in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and his life changed forever. He was one of only a few Jews that looked Hitler straight in the eye and lived to tell the story. Unfortunately, this story would haunt Marty until his death because he was unable to take part in the Olympics because of his Jewish background. Instead Jesse Owens and others from the American Track Team took his place. The world would never be able to witness to athletic prowess of Marty Glickman.
Using this event as motivation Glickman became one of the most famous broadcaster in a generation of broadcasters. He would become what others had only hoped to be and set the bar. He came up with the terms swoosh and was able to paint a picture in the minds of viewers and listeners alike of what was going on. He did this by using simple, catchy phrases and exuberant personality. He would retire in 1992 but, would help other famous broadcasters, many from Syracuse University, his alma mater. He went to Syracuse in the 1930’s before Newhouse had set a name for itself.
Marv Albert, Mike Breen and Bob Costas would all take Marty’s place in the world of broadcasting by using some of his language in their presentations, but added their own flair. Marty would also mentor Women as well. Now they too have become premier sports commentators as well.
All In all I learned that the end is truly not the end. Overcoming hardships only leads you to strive for more. This idea lives on in all of us today. Prejudice still exists but has fallen. Marty lives on in all of us and has taught us that we are all humans and can strive to be only what our heart desires. He might have died in 2001, but his language and enthusiasm lives on in sports commentators and people alike.