The Bronx Journal/September 2001 A 1 4 S P O RT S Howie Karpin Tells

GREG VAN VOORHIS SPORTS EDITOR Howie Made It

FILE Howie in

oes anybody was shocked. I was real happy,” says of the best, your game elevates to another “Yeah, it is tough sometimes, but I know Karpin. level. It was a great experience.” baseball; I’ve followed it since I was a little remember the There is a good reason, though, for his H o w i e ’s brushes with celebrities first kid, and I have all of the rules down pat,” being the first broadcast media journalist to came not with sports players, but with a says Karpin. “That Cleveland PR guy was famous line in the become an official scorer for the Yanks: political figure. In elementary school, he hounded by Manny, and he came to me to movie “Malice” when Alec Howie’s resume reads like a menu for the went to school in the Bronx with the son of have my ruling switched to a hit. You have perfect sports meal. Just after graduating an ambassador during the time of the Shah 24 hours to change a call, but it was an Baldwin is on trial and is from Lehman College in ‘79, he was hired of Iran. “The ambassador’s son went to my error, so I didn’t change the ruling. The left- asked, “Do you have a God at Sportsphone in 1980, and worked there school, and there were bodyguards around fielder could have had that ball.” for two years. HIs next sports stop was him every day, all day long. That was inter- Being an official scorer does have its complex?” and Alec radio station WCBS 880, where he esting. I guess that was the first time I was perks, though. “Over the past two seasons I responds, “I am God!”? anchored sports on the air from ‘92-’98. ever near anybody famous.” was able to meet Robin Ventura and Mike Aside from his scoring job, he also current- Howie’s most memorable interview came Piazza, and they always rag on me when Well, Howie Karpin, a for- ly works over at ABC sports and he can be very early on in his career, and it happened they see me, since I work for the Yankees, seen giving his take on local sports on on our very own Lehman College campus. but it’s all in fun. I get a kick out of it,” mer Lehman Lightning BronxNet every weekday morning on On September 29, 1978, after baseball prac- Karpin adds. “Also, I grew up just a few pitching star in the late 70’s, BronxTalk with Gary Axelbank at 11:45 tice, Yankee great Bucky Dent came by minutes from Yankee Stadium and I was a.m. Lehman to talk with a few players. Howie always a huge fan, so it’s real special for might feel the same way “I’ve covered all the local sports teams was fortunate enough to grab Dent for an me.” Howie’s greatest moment came last these days. Howie has been since ‘80 in some way: hockey, baseball, i n t e r v i e w, and just three days later, on season when he scored Game 2 of the basketball, football, everything. I’ve cov- October 2nd, Dent hit the famous home-run . “Man, that was the greatest an official scorer for the ered a Super Bowl, the NBA against the in the one- ever. They let me cover the game and I had for the Championships, and the . My game playoff series for the rights to the the best time.” dream job, though, is to do play by play for division and a playoff berth. Howie Karpin and Kathy Karpin ’82 met past three seasons, and every the Yankees.” Howie remembers two seasons ago, when at the Lehman College radio station and Before he took to the airwaves and the Clevelands’s was chasing have pursued radio careers ever since. “It’s time he scores a game, he scoreboards, Howie was scouted for the the single season RBI record. When the a plus to be in the same business,” Kathy makes history. pros by the Detroit Tigers and the Indians came to play in the Bronx against said recently in a Lehman College Alumni Minnesota Twins as a lefty pitcher and out- the Yankees, Howie called a Yankee error Newsletter interview. “We understand the Howie is the first broadcast media journal- fielder. Unfortunately, he never was able to on what seemed to the Cleveland PR man to crazy schedules and the perseverance you ist to ever become an official scorer for the live out his dream. “I decided since I could- be a Manny Ramirez single. Ramirez ended need in order to get jobs.” New York Yankees, a job that had previous- n’t play it, I’d talk about it. I knew I didn’t up with 165 RBI’s that season, only 26 The Karpins, who live in Riverdale with ly only been given to print journalists. “I’m have a chance, but I actually had real good short of the Hack Wi l s o n ’s record 191 sons Jake and Danny, celebrated their 20th the first one. I applied for the job not think- tryouts. When you’re out there with the best RBI’s in 1930. wedding anniversary last summer. ing I was going to get it, so when I did, I