Thursday, 07 May 2026

Al Michaels

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Commentators 2026
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Sport(s): Football, Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Boxing, Horse Racing & Olympics
Statistics & Accolades: National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Pete Rozelle Radio & Television Award
Ford C. Frick Award
3x National Sports Media Association Sportscaster of the Year
8x Sports Emmy Award Winner
Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award
Television Academy Hall of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
“Do you believe in miracles?”

This was the most famous call by Al Michaels, when the United States shocked the hockey world by defeating the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. As astounding as that call was, Michaels did this in a sport that he is not commonly associated with. That is how versatile he is.

Michaels is not just a versatile sports machine; he is a virtuoso who easily moves between sports with an even keel. Coming up through the ranks as a baseball commentator for the Cincinnati Reds and later the San Francisco Giants, Michaels joined ABC in 1977, spending three decades covering all big sports, the Olympics, and major events in minor sports. While he uttered the “Do you believe in miracles” line covering hockey, that was his springboard to everything sports on a national level, which included the coveted Monday Night Football play-by-play role.

Michaels moved to NBC in a similar capacity in 2006, and as of this writing, he is the iconic and authoritative voice of American sports.

We are proud to nominate Al Michaels for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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