Al Trautwig, one of the most recognizable sports broadcasters in New York and a fixture at numerous international sporting events for more than three decades, has died. He was 68.
Trautwig’s son, Alex, told The Associated Press his father died Sunday at his home on Long Island from complications of cancer.
Trautwig was part of MSG pre- and postgame broadcasts of the NBA’s Knicks, NHL’s Rangers and Major League Baseball’s Yankees. He also worked 16 Olympics, the Indianapolis 500, the Tour de France and the US Open tennis tournament and won four national Emmy Awards and more than 30 in New York.
“Al was a staple on MSG Networks’ Knicks, Rangers and Yankees coverage for more than 30 years, and his passion for the teams he covered was undeniable,” MSG said in a statement. “He leaves behind one of the great legacies in New York sports broadcasting history. Our thoughts and prayers are with Al’s family and friends.”
For many fans watching games on TV in New York, Trautwig’s voice was often the first they heard. With a natural storytelling style, he used his pregame introductions to make big games at Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium feel even bigger, while rarely needing to raise the level of his voice.
MSG Networks studio analyst Alan Hahn, who called Trautwig a friend, mentor and a career resource of support, said the accomplished sportscaster “was a skilled host who knew how to make every game feel like something you don’t want to miss.”
“We lost a legendary voice in sports. But we lost a lot more than that,” Hahn wrote in a series of social media posts. “Al Trautwig had an amazing voice and knew how to use it the way a tenor could bring depth and intensity to a song. … He loved sports and had incredible versatility from baseball to basketball and hockey. And that’s not even counting his incredible work at the Olympics.”