Gib Shanley
Gib Shanley | |
|---|---|
| File:GibShanley.jpg | |
| Born | Gibson R. Shanley August 6, 1931 |
| Died | April 6, 2008 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | TV sports anchor Radio color commentator |
| Employer(s) | 1967–1985: WEWS-TV 1988–1996: WUAB 1961–1984: Cleveland Browns Radio Network (via stations: WGAR (AM), WERE (1300 AM), and WHK/WMMS) |
Gib Shanley (August 6, 1931 - April 6, 2008) was a sports anchor/reporter for ABC-TV affiliate WEWS-TV, Channel 5 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Biography
Shanley was born in Bellaire, Ohio and grew up in nearbyShadyside, attending Shadyside High School. He then went to radio broadcasting school in Washington D.C., and from there got his first job in the business at a Pontiac, Michigan station, primarily covering high school sports.
Shanley first came to Cleveland in 1961 after four years doing play-by-play for University of Toledo sports. Once in Cleveland, he worked for WGAR AM-1220 Radio in the same capacity for both the Cleveland Browns and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Over the next 24 years, Shanley continued his work with the Browns, teaming with local sportcaster Jim Graner through 1974, a popular pairing that was ended due to Graner's failing health due to brain cancer. [1] Taking Graner's place was another local sports anchor, Jim Mueller, who served with Shanley for the remaining decade of his career with the Browns.
Shanley's tenure in Cleveland television first began on WKYC as a weekend sportscaster, but flourished once he took over as sports director on WEWS in January 1967. Shanley's duties at the station would also later include hosting a weekly Browns highlights show, "Quarterback Club" until 1976.
Never afraid to speak his mind on the air, Shanley gave a blistering commentary on the night of June 4, 1974, after the Cleveland Indians' promotion of Ten Cent Beer Night disintegrated into a riot, and led to a forfeit in favor of the visiting Texas Rangers. Noting the raucous nature of the fans that evening, Shanley began by apologizing to the regular fans not involved, and then said to those who caused the trouble, "Next time, why don't you stay home and make an ass out of yourself."
Shanley's most controversial moment on the air came in November 1979, when he gained widespread attention by making an on-air statement against the public displaying of the Iranian Flag and the burning of the American Flag by pro-Ayatullah Khomeini supporters in New York City by burning an Iranian flag himself on a WEWS-TV 11 p.m. telecast during the Iranian Hostage Crisis.[2][3]
Shanley continued full time in his job capacity at WEWS until February 1985, when he resigned to move to California. Unable to find steady work (outside of serving as a substitute during Los Angeles Rams in 1985, Shanley eventually returned to Cleveland, becoming Sports Director for the then-fledgling independent station WUAB-TV channel 43's 10 p.m. newscast in 1988. Shanley was the lead sports anchor, and he continued there until 1996.
During his time at WUAB, Shanley was inducted in the Ohio Broadcasters' Hall of Fame in 1991.
In 1996, Shanley became guest commentator on the weekly sports wrap-up/NFL coverage and commentary show "Countdown to 99" that was hosted by the late Casey Coleman and former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Reggie Rucker.
In the 2000s, Shanley served as a commentator on WEWS-TV sports wrap-up show Sports Sunday.
Shanley died on April 6, 2008 of pneumonia.[3][4]
References
- ^ "The voices of Browns games past". The Plain Dealer. The Plain Dealer Publishing Co. November 10, 2002. p. J6 - Sunday Arts.
The Browns' primary radio announcing teams: ... 1963-74: Gib Shanley and Jim Graner...
- ^ Gib Shanley. ClevelandSeniors.com.
- ^ a b Dolgan, Bob (2008-04-07). "Colorful sportscaster was voice of Browns". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "TV Sportscaster Gib Shanley Dies". WEWS-TV. 2008-04-06. Archived from the original on 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
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