03-01-2021, 05:50 PM
Football player and sportscaster Irv Cross:
Irvin Acie Cross (July 27, 1939 – February 28, 2021) was an American professional football player and sportscaster. He played cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Philadelphia Eagles. Working with CBS, Cross was the first African-American sports analyst on national television. He was an initial co-host of The NFL Today, the first network football pregame show to be completely live.
After playing college football for the Northwestern Wildcats, Cross was selected by Philadelphia in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He played six of his nine NFL seasons with the Eagles. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams before returning to the Eagles and finishing his playing career. While he was playing, Cross was also a radio and TV sports reporter in Philadelphia. He joined CBS in 1971, where he worked until 1994. The Pro Football Hall of Fame awarded him the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2009, becoming the first black person to receive the award. He was also an athletic director at Idaho State University and Macalester College.
Cross became an analyst and commentator for CBS Sports in 1971, when he became the first African American to work as a sports analyst on national television.[1] In 1975, he teamed with Musburger and Phyllis George on The NFL Today, the first completely live network pregame show,[2] which he co-hosted from its inception in 1975 through 1989.[8] He became the first black to co-anchor a network sports program.[2] In addition to his work on CBS's NFL coverage, Cross called NBA basketball, track and field, and gymnastics at various times for the network. He stayed with CBS through 1994.[8]
Cross served as athletic director at Idaho State University from 1996 to 1998.[11] He then was the director of athletics at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota for six years until June 2005.[12] He was the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota until May 2010, and returned to football commentary for the Twin Cities' Fox station KMSP-TV.[1]
Cross was the 2009 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award – the award, given annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizes "long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football."[8] He was the first black person to receive the award.[10]
Irvin Acie Cross (July 27, 1939 – February 28, 2021) was an American professional football player and sportscaster. He played cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Philadelphia Eagles. Working with CBS, Cross was the first African-American sports analyst on national television. He was an initial co-host of The NFL Today, the first network football pregame show to be completely live.
After playing college football for the Northwestern Wildcats, Cross was selected by Philadelphia in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He played six of his nine NFL seasons with the Eagles. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams before returning to the Eagles and finishing his playing career. While he was playing, Cross was also a radio and TV sports reporter in Philadelphia. He joined CBS in 1971, where he worked until 1994. The Pro Football Hall of Fame awarded him the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2009, becoming the first black person to receive the award. He was also an athletic director at Idaho State University and Macalester College.
Cross became an analyst and commentator for CBS Sports in 1971, when he became the first African American to work as a sports analyst on national television.[1] In 1975, he teamed with Musburger and Phyllis George on The NFL Today, the first completely live network pregame show,[2] which he co-hosted from its inception in 1975 through 1989.[8] He became the first black to co-anchor a network sports program.[2] In addition to his work on CBS's NFL coverage, Cross called NBA basketball, track and field, and gymnastics at various times for the network. He stayed with CBS through 1994.[8]
Cross served as athletic director at Idaho State University from 1996 to 1998.[11] He then was the director of athletics at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota for six years until June 2005.[12] He was the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota until May 2010, and returned to football commentary for the Twin Cities' Fox station KMSP-TV.[1]
Cross was the 2009 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award – the award, given annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizes "long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football."[8] He was the first black person to receive the award.[10]
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.