Frank John Glieber (April 5, 1934 – May 1, 1985) was a versatile American sportscaster known primarily for his play-by-play commentary on NFL telecasts for CBS Sports.[1] Along the way, he served as a mentor to several athletes and coaches who made the transition to the broadcast booth, a list that included Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Joe Greene, Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil among others.
Frank Glieber | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 5, 1934 |
| Died | May 1, 1985 (aged 51) |
| Education | Northwestern University, 1956 |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Spouse | Kathy Glieber |
| Children | 5 |
Early life and career
editBorn and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Glieber was the oldest child of immigrants—John, a native of Austria, and Mary, a native of Germany.[2] He attended Northwestern University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1956.[3] Glieber moved to the Dallas area, where he began his career broadcasting local sports events on area radio stations.
In 1965, Glieber relocated to Cleveland to become sports director at WJW-TV. In 1966 and 1967, he also handled the play-by-play for the CBS broadcasts of the NFL Cleveland Browns alongside Warren Lahr, who served as the color commentator.
Glieber returned to Dallas in 1968. As sports director of KRLD radio, he called play-by-play of local college basketball and minor league baseball teams and served as a color commentator on Dallas Cowboys broadcasts. From 1978–80, he was a television announcer for the Texas Rangers. Glieber was named Texas Sportscaster of the Year seven times.[4]
CBS Sports career
editIn 1963, Glieber began a long career with CBS television. Over the next two decades, he broadcast a variety of events for the network including NFL football, NBA and NCAA basketball, professional bowling, tennis, NASL soccer, and golf (including the Masters Tournament each spring). Glieber continued to broadcast local Dallas area sports events during his time at CBS, working as many as sixteen hours a day. He was also a commentator for the World Series of Poker.[5]
Sudden death
editIn 1985, at age 51, Glieber collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack while jogging at the Ken Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas.[1] He was transported to Medical City Hospital, where he died during treatment. He was survived by his fourth wife, Kathy,[3] and his five children, Jon, Lynne, Robin, Craig, and Mitchell.[5]
Glieber's final assignment for CBS Sports was Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Playoff series between Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers, which he called with color commentator James Brown. Before his death, Glieber was also assigned to call Game 4 of the series. He ultimately was replaced by Verne Lundquist. Tom Brookshier, who previously served as Pat Summerall's color commentator prior to John Madden, replaced Glieber in the NFL on CBS broadcast booth.
References
edit- ^ a b Freeman, Denne H. (May 2, 1985). "CBS announcer Glieber dies of apparent heart attack". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. p. 2B.
- ^ "FamilySearch.org". FamilySearch. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "TSHA | Glieber, Frank". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "Frank Glieber is Dead; CBS Sports Announcer". The New York Times. May 2, 1985.
- ^ a b "Archives". Los Angeles Times. May 2, 1985.