Normally, sports reporters wouldn’t make it into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame just for doing their job. But if an excerpt of their onscreen reporting is seen on a television set belonging to a fictional character, even if it’s a fictional sports event, that would count as part of the sportscaster’s qualifications to be inducted into the Hall. (This was the case for Vin Scully.) If they appear just as a regular member of the League of Themselves in an “ordinary” slice of life (like Bob Uecker), then they could become a Hall member as well.
But this may be a special situation….
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."
Trautwig only had one appearance as his fictional televersion. But even though that cameo was only in one episode, it was in a powerhouse series in the foundation of the TV Universe, with plenty of other shows in that franchise linked to it. I think that with the “Empire of the Wolf” behind him, it is enough to bring several of his of sportscasting appearances along for the ride. Along with a movie!
It’s likely that it could be argued that many of his appearances in so many sports presentations could be included, even if there isn’t any evidence that he showed up in fictional TV shows to back that claim up. But the odds are likely that there are a few TV characters who watched those sporting events during which Trautwig appeared – Oscar Madison of ‘The Odd Couple’ and Arliss Michaels from ‘Arli$$’ to name just two. Both men might have even known his televersion.
AL TRAUTWIG
From Wikipedia:
Alan "Al" Trautwig (February 26, 1956 – February 23, 2025) was an American sports commentator who worked with MSG Network, ABC, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and USA Network. He most recently did pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as fill-in play-by-play for both teams.
From Caleb Bouchy on X:
If you watched Arena Football during our NBC era in the early 2000s, you definitely saw his face. Al was the lead studio host for the AFL on NBC from 2003-2006. One of the best to ever do it.
The following screencaps are from a video produced by USA Today:
In 1994, Trautwig hosted his own eponymous talk show, so I’m including that in his tally.
Here is that one appearance by his fictional televersion….
AMERICAN DISGRACE (2014)
From the IMDb:
A basketball legend is accused of raping multiple women, but exactly what role did the powerful CEO of the sports apparel company who had a contract with him play in the situation?
Basketball superstar Shakir "The Shark" Wilkins announces his partnership with the Orion Bay clothing line, owned by billionaire Orion Bauer and his daughter Cordelia. But the SVU intervenes when Orion press rep Carla Cannon tells reporters she was raped by Wilkins. When more women come forward, Benson and Detective Carisi disagree on the authenticity of each woman's story, and Barba takes a shaky case to court. Meanwhile, the case takes Rollins to her former precinct in Atlanta, where ex-colleagues bring up old memories.
From a 'Law & Order' Wiki:
Over the course of his career, Trautwig won four national Emmy Awards, 28 New York Emmys and a New York State Sportscaster of the Year Award.
He covered 16 Olympic games for NBC, ABC and CBS and began his career calling New York Apollo soccer games in 1978 for Adelphi's student-run radio station WBAU before broadcasting their matches on WMCA radio after graduating.
VANCOUVER 2010: XXI OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
CONNECTION:
30 ROCK
In one episode, Jack Donahy mentioned that NBC would be covering that event.
O'Bservation:
So, in this case, it was a projection of Trautwig appearing on Toobworld TVs in that near future.
CALGARY 1988: XV OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
CONNECTION:
MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM
One of the characters mentioned the Olympics for that year.
O’Bservation:
This would suggest that Al Trautwig was a multidimensional. “Monday Night Mayhem” can be found in the alt-Toobworld dimension of Toobworld-Toobworld, which is founded on the TV movies and certain TV show episodes which show the behind the scenes activities which would lead to the production of TV shows.
But the 1988 Winter Olympics still has a presence in the main Toobworld. However, TV characters had to go to the movie theaters to make its presence legitimate.
There is a movie which gave the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team a “Cineversion” in the main Toobworld – similar to televersions, but these are real world people who are seen as movie characters.
This movie will not be absorbed into Earth Prime-Time, as the real world version already existed there, as seen on TV. But even so, this is a movie which qualifies for membership in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame… as a movie, in much the same way as "The Wizard of Oz" and "It's A Wonderful Life" have.
And with these shows, there are characters within them who have seen that movie, in which Al Trautwig appeared as himself:
- 30 ROCK
- KING OF QUEENS
- NYPD BLUE
- NIGHT COURT
- ONE TREE HILL
- DERRY GIRLS
- SUBURGATORY
- AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS
- ALMOST ROYAL
Al Trautwig died three days before his birthday. Today is that day. So I’m offering up this tribute as a remembrance for that occasion.
Good night, Mr. Trautwig, and may God bless.
