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AMM Sportscaster and Philanthropist
Bob Costas

talks
with

AMM: How did you first become affiliated with Cardinal Glen-
non Children’s Hospital?
Bob Costas: A prominent St. Louis Attorney, Allen Allred, who
was affiliated with the hospital came to me in the late 1980’s
and said: “We know you help out several charities around
town, but we’d like Cardinal Glennon to be the one you are
involved with on a consistent basis.” From there we put to-
gether an annual event without the usual dais and speeches.
We went to the old Fox Theatre in St. Louis, a great venue that
seats upwards of 4000, and every year we presented a show
(Billy Crystal and Sheryl Crow, Martin Short and Diana Ross,
Seinfeld, Leno, Conan, Ray Charles, Paul Simon, John Mellen-
camp Tony Bennett, etc.) The kind of show people would want
to attend, even if there wasn’t a great cause involved. So.. every
year it was a special event, and in the process we raised a whole
lot of money for the hospital.

AMM: Why is philanthropy important to you?
Bob Costas – 28-time Emmy Award-winner has been recog- BC: I’ve always felt that celebrity, especially in modern Ameri-
nized with awards and nominations in the categories of hosting, ca, is an empty value. But if you have some sort of recognition,
play-by-play, writing, journalism, news, and entertainment. He and perhaps appreciation for what you have done, then you
is the only broadcaster in television history to win Emmy’s for have an opportunity to pay it forward. It’s an opportunity I
news, sports and entertainment. hope I’ve made good use of.

Bob has been named the “National Sportscaster of the Year”
a record eight times. He is a member of the broadcaster’s wing AMM: Which sporting event are you most proud to have com-
of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the National Sportscasters mentated/covered and why?
and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. Among his many honors, Bob BC: Over the years I hosted a dozen Olympics. I guess that’s
was also selected for the Walter Cronkite Award for distinction what people most often associate me with. But I’m also very
in journalism. proud of the World Series and NBA Finals I was part of since
baseball and basketball are my favorite sports.
Bob hosted a dozen Olympics for NBC. He was also part of
the coverage of eight Super Bowls, seven World Series, ten
NBA Finals, and seventeen Kentucky Derby’s. AMM: What is your favorite question to ask your interviewees?
What was your favorite interview?
Over the past four decades, Bob’s work, both in and out of BC: It completely depends on who they are and what the topics
sports for NBC, HBO, and the Major League Baseball Net- are at hand. I don’t have any one formula or approach, other
work, have won widespread praise. He has often been referred than to be well-prepared, but at the same time listen closely
to as his generations most-respected sports broadcaster. enough so that if something unexpected comes up, I can ditch
whatever loose plan I might have had and react spontaneously.
Bob grew up on Long Island. He attended Syracuse University.
His professional career began on KMOX radio in St. Louis in To learn more about Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital,
1974. He began his network career with NBC in 1980. please visit: www.glennon.org

Bob and Kirk Gibson Bob and Jay Leno Frank Deford, Bob Costas, Ahmad Rashad, Paul Maguire

16 Arts Management Magazine I www.ArtsManagementMagazine.com