5. Charley Eckman
A fascinating character in the history of Baltimore sports, Eckman’s resume was impressive as an NBA coach and basketball official before he settled into his iconic role as a local sportscaster with a style unique to anyone else.
Never one to like using scripts, Eckman used his vast experiences, humor, and knowledge to inform and entertain as older fans remember his WCBM show with the legendary Art Donovan as programming gold that eventually landed the pair on television as kindred spirits. His trademark “call a cab” was iconic, even if he was sometimes guilty of forgetting the names of his sponsors.
It just added to his charm.
The late Eckman will always be revered for his relationship with the Baltimore Blast during the height of indoor soccer’s popularity, but he also had the privilege of calling Orioles games with Chuck Thompson and Bill O’Donnell, providing the famous and frantic “Get out of here!” call of Doug DeCinces’ dramatic game-winning home run that birthed “Orioles Magic” during the 1979 season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uqdwPLIpsA
Continue to next page for No. 4
