R.I.P.: Lee Leonard, First Voice Heard On ESPN

Lee Leonard

Sports anchor Lee Leonard, who made an impact both in New York and nationally, died at 89 this weekend at his New Jersey home, ESPN announced Tuesday.

In New York in the 1970s, Leonard was a part of Sunday viewing for legions of fans with “The Amazin’ ” Bill Mazer of New York Channel 5’s long-running “Sports Extra.” It grew in popularity at a time when cable TV was just burgeoning and the internet wasn’t a thought.

In 1979, Leonard made broadcasting history by saying the first words in the history of a small cable-sports company that went by four letters: ESPN. On Sept. 7 of that year, Leonard appeared with George Grande on a new show called “SportsCenter” that would expand on the idea of “Sports Extra.”

When Leonard arrived in Bristol, Conn., he brought his big name and some gravitas to a fledgling network where he was surrounded by young people, including a kid just out of Seton Hall named Bob Ley.

“A bit of him was larger than life,” Ley said via phone. “He was a very well-rounded guy. He taught me a great lesson about being a pro. I’m 24. Growing up in North Jersey, I had seen him on Channel 5. We are working together doing shows. Not a lot, but a number of them. Absolutely, true pro, treated me as an absolute co-equal. He didn’t condescend at all. He was a team player. He brought life to the newsroom. He didn’t take himself too seriously. He didn’t take the games so seriously. There was a lot to this guy, more than just anchoring ‘SportsCenter.’”

According to The NYPost, Leonard stayed at ESPN for only half a year because he was determined to cover show business. He did just that when he left ESPN for another little network, this time in news. It was CNN.