Request More Info
Print Page
Auto Racing
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golf
Hockey
Olympians
Soccer
Sports Commentators
|
|
FRANK GIFFORD
Football Hall-of-Famer
ABC sports commentator Frank Gifford marked his 25th consecutive season as a member of ABC,'s NFL "Monday Might Football" broadcast team in 1995.
In addition to his work on the six time Emmy Award-winning series, Gifford has served an host of ABC Sports' weekend programming on ABC's "Wide World of Sports" as well as other ABC Sports specials. He has covered the 1972, 1976 and 1984 Summer Olympic Games, the Winter Olympics in 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988, and Super Bowls I,III, IV, XIX, XXTI, XXV AND XXIX.
Frank Gifford's broadcasting career started in 1957 while he was still playing halfback for the New York Football Giants. He was a commentator for CBS on the NFL pre-game show and joined the CBS staff in 1961 as a part-time sports reporter. Upon retirement from football, Gifford joined CBS full time; moving to ABC in 1971.
In 1994,Gifford, an alumnus of the University of Southern California, was inducted with the first class into USC's Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1976, Frank Gifford was inducted into the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame and into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, the same year he won an Emmy Award as the Outstanding Sports Personality for the 1976-77 season.
In 1984, Gifford received the prestigious Christopher Award for his coverage of the 1983 International Special Olympics on ABC's Wide World of Sports. That same year the Multiple Sclerosis Society of New York honored him with their Founders Award. A research grant in the amount of $100,000 was established in his name.
The NFL Alumni bestowed their Career Achievement Award to Gifford in 1985 for "demonstrating the higher values of football throughout his career, and after." The March of Dimes honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989.
A first draft choice of the Giants in 1952, Gifford earned all Pro honors six times as halfback and was the NFL's Most Valuable Player when he led them to the World Championship in 1956. Gifford was voted to the NFL's Pro Bowl seven times, the only player ever selected to play three different positions: defensive back, running back and wide receiver; and was voted the Most Valuable Player in the 1959 game. His final season with the Giants was 1964, the year he was named Sportsman of the Year. Gifford set Giants record that still stand, including most touchdowns (78) and most yards gained pass receiving (5,434). During his twelve year career Gifford scored 484 points, leading the Giants to two division titles in the last three years of his football career. He holds the Giants record for rushing average for career at 4.3 yards per attempt.
Much of Gifford's time and energy is spent in charitable activities. In addition to serving as a member of the-Board of the NY Society of Multiple Sclerosis, he has been the chairman of the Sportscasting Committee for the Special Olympics and at present is a member of the Board of Directors.
Since 1991, Gifford and his wife, Kathie Lee have worked on behalf of the Association to Benefit Children, the New York based children's advocacy organization that has helped thousands of needy children and their families through enriched day care, parenting workshops, family therapy, healthcare and drug and AIDS prevention. They were instrumental in establishing the Cody Gifford House (named after their son) which serves as a transitional foster home and therapeutic nursery for homeless infants with special needs. Presently they are raising funds for a second facility to be called Cassidy's Place (in honor of their daughter) which will be a therapeutic day care program specifically geared to children suffering from terminal illnesses such as cancer and AIDS.
In addition to writing numerous magazine articles on sports and sportscasting, Frank Gifford is the author of several successful books, including "GIFFORD ON COURAGE" about ten of the most courageous athletes that he has known, and "THE WHOLE TEN YARDS" based on his own experiences.
Gifford's wife, Kathie Lee, is co-host of "Live With Regis and Kathie Lee." The Gifford's make their home in New York and Connecticut with their son Cody Newton, born March 22, 1990 and daughter, Cassidy Erin, born August 2, 1993.
|
865 - 546 - 0000
