David J. Halberstam, a longtime sports broadcaster and author, died June 2 after a battle with brain cancer. He was 74 years old.
Halberstam spent almost 50 years working with sports in a variety of roles. For example, he served as the voice of St. John’s University basketball from 1982 to 1992. He then moved on to call games for the NBA’s Miami Heat. He remained in this role from 1992 to 1998.
It was with the Heat that Halberstam called several winning lists. The NBA franchise reached the playoffs four times during that stretch and competed in the Eastern Conference Finals once (1996-97). The Heat fell to Michael Jordan and the Bulls that year, who went on to win the title.
“Sad News” wrote Pacers play-by-play man Mark Joseph Boyle. “I met David when I was working at (WFAN 660) and our paths crossed again after I was with the (Pacers)
a little bit and he worked for the (Miami Heat).
“He was skilled, knowledgeable and an encyclopedia when it came to the history of play-by-play broadcasts. He will be missed.”
Halberstam’s impact on sports also included his time as EVP and general manager of Westwood One Sports from 2002 to 2008. He also launched Sports Broadcast Journal in 2018.
He also authored two books – the 1998s Sports on New York Radio: A Play-by-Play History and the 2016s Sports media and sponsorship sales: Development of new accounts.
“Wow. Very sad to hear this,” Howie Rose, longtime voice of the Mets, published on X. “I knew David since my school days in the mid 1970s. Even then it was clear he was on his way. A true dynamo who left his mark wherever he went. Condolences to his family. RIP.”
Michelle Tafoya, a four-time Sports Emmy winner, also offered her condolences after hearing of Halberstam’s passing. She wrote”RIP, David J. Halberstam. What a good, decent, kind, hard-working gentleman.”
