Longtime MSG Network Announcer Al Trautwig Dies; He Grew Up On LI

LONG ISLAND, NY — Veteran sportscaster Al Trautwig, who grew up on Long Island, has died. He was 68.

Trautwig was a national presence for years, but to New Yorkers, Trautwig was the voice for MSG Network on New York Knicks' and Rangers' pre-and post-games. He also led New York Yankees coverage on MSG for a decade.

Trautwig, who grew up in Garden City South, was a graduate of Carey High School in Franklin Square. He later attended Adelphi University. When he was 22 years old, Trautwig called New York Apollo soccer matches on Adelphi's student-run radio station, Wikipedia said.

"Al is who you would call a pro's pro. My first memory of him goes back to the early 80s. He was doing gymnastics coverage before just about anyone did," Len Berman recalled. "He was really a jack-of-all-trades. I remember asking him years ago if he loved sports. He was taken aback by the question. At that point in my career, sports had become a 'job' and some of the joy had ebbed. But he answered "yes" without hesitation. Was there a sport he couldn't handle with ease? Doubt it.

Trautwig's Long Island connection to sports started years earlier as a stick boy for the Islanders and a ball boy for the Nets, when they both played at the Nassau Coliseum.

"So terribly sad to hear about the passing of Al Trautwig," longtime Mets radio play-by-play voice Howie Rose tweeted. "If I was ever asked for advice, I would simply say, 'Just watch Al Trautwig.'"

A winner of four National Emmy Awards and over 30 NY Sports Emmys in his illustrious career. Trautwig also worked at NBC Sports, ABC Sports and USA Sports. He would call 16 events at Olympics.

"I have been blessed to work with some amazing broadcasters but there was no one better than Al Trautwig," Yankees announcer Michael Kay tweeted. "He was meant to be on the ait. Smooth. Unflappable."

Trautwig died of cancer, his wife Cathleen told Newsday.