Michael Kay (sports broadcaster): Difference between revisions

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			{{Short description\|American sportscaster}}
	{{pp-semi-vandalism\|small=yes}}
			{{Use mdy dates\|date=October 2021}}
	{{Infobox Person
			{{Infobox person
	\| image =<!-- Only freely-licensed images may be used to depict living people. See ]. -->
			\| name = Michael Kay
	\| image_size = 150px \|
	\| ~~name~~ = Michael Kay		\| image = Michael Kay.jpg
	\| ~~caption~~ =		\| image_size =
			\| caption = Kay in 2010
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date and age\|1961\|2\|2}}
			\| occupation = ]
	\| birth_place = ]
			\| birth_date = {{birth date and age\|1961\|2\|2}}
	\| residence = ]
			\| birth_place = ], U.S.
	\| nationality = ]
	\| ~~education~~ = ] ~~in ]<br />]~~		\| alma_mater = ] (])
	\| ~~employer~~ = ], ]		\| known_for = Broadcaster for the ]
			\| years_active = 1992–present
	\| occupation = baseball ] announcer, interviewer, radio ] host
			\| spouse = {{marriage\|]\|2011}}
	\| height =
	\| ~~weight~~ =		\| children = 2
			\| relatives = ] (uncle)<br/>] (cousin)<br/>] (cousin)
	\| religion =
	\| signature =
	\| website =
	\| footnotes =
	}}'''Michael Kay''' (born February 2, 1961), is the television ] broadcaster of the ], host of ''Centerstage'' on the ], and the host of ''The Michael Kay Show'' heard on ], ], ], and ].<ref name = "NYY-Bio">{{cite web
	\|url = http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=nyy
	\|title = Michael Kay
	\|accessdate = 2007-08-16
	\|year = 2007
	\|work = Broadcasters
	\|publisher = ]
	}}		}}
	</ref>

			'''Michael Kay''' (born February 2, 1961)<ref>{{Cite tweet \|user=RealMichaelKay \|number=832697840652529666 \|title=Two kids born on Feb 2, seven years apart, but together at the Fox baseball seminars.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|last=Isaacs \|first=Stan \|date=1992-04-10 \|title=Old Master's Voice Returns with Spring \|page=161 \|work=] \|quote=Kay is 31, a Bronx High School of Science and Fordham product.}}</ref> is an American sports broadcaster who is the television ] broadcaster of the ] and host of ''CenterStage'' on the ], and the host of '']'' heard on "ESPN New York 880" ] in New York City and ] on ] on ].<ref name="NYY-Bio">{{cite web\|url=https://www.mlb.com/yankees/team/broadcasters\|access-date=2022-06-28\|work=]\|title=Broadcasters}}</ref> Kay also works on the ].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Rajan \|first=Ronce \|date=2023-09-27 \|title=ESPN Broadcast Teams for 2023 MLB Wild Card Series Exclusively on Disney Platforms \|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/09/espn-broadcast-teams-for-2023-mlb-wild-card-series-exclusively-on-disney-platforms/ \|access-date=2023-09-27 \|website=ESPN Press Room U.S. \|language=en-US}}</ref>
	==Biography==
	===Early life and education===
	As a native of The Bronx, and a nephew of actor ],<ref>{{cite web
	\|url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000732/bio
	\|title = Biography for Danny Aiello
	\|accessdate = 2007-09-24
	\|work = Danny Aiello
	\|publisher = ]
	}}
	</ref> Kay began reporting as a youth at the ] and then at ] for WFUV. Receiving a ] in ] from ],<ref name = "NYY-Bio" /> Kay is part of a successful line of Fordham alumni ]s including ], ], ], and ].

			== Early life and education ==
	===Broadcasting career===
			Kay was born and raised in the New York City borough of ].<ref>{{cite news \|last=Kay \|first=Michael \|date=1989-02-23 \|title=Michael Kay: Another News Heavy Hitter \|page=72 \|work=] \|quote=Being born and bred in the Bronx, there was only one team to root for—the Yankees.}}</ref> His father was ] and his mother was of ] descent.<ref>{{cite news \|url=https://iabf.foundation/michael-kay-named-2022-iabf-media-award-honoree/ \|title=Michael Kay Named 2022 IABF Media Award Honoree \|author=<!-- Not stated --> \|date=<!-- Not stated --> \|website=Italian American Baseball Foundation \|access-date=2023-04-14 \|quote=...my dad, who was of Jewish heritage...}}</ref> Always a Yankee fan, Kay wore number 1 in ] for his favorite player, ]. Wanting to be the Yankees announcer when he grew up, he wrote as many of his school assignments as he could about the Yankees, so he could learn all about them.<ref>Foreword: Pinstripe Pride-by ]</ref>{{full citation needed\|date=June 2022}} Kay began his reporting career at the ] and continued reporting at ] for their radio station ]. He earned a ] in ] from Fordham.<ref name="NYY-Bio"/>
	Kay started his professional career as a New York sports reporter writing for the '']'' in 1982 as a general assignment writer, with specific assignments to college basketball, the Nets, the ] coming over time. He received the Yankees assignment in 1987.<ref name = "NYY-Bio" /> In 1989, Kay left the Post for the ''],'' still primarily working on the Yankees. At this time, Kay also served as the ] Yankee reporter starting in 1989.<ref name = "NYY-Bio" /> From 1992 to 1999, he also served as MSG's locker room reporter for the ].<ref name = "NYY-Bio" /> He had previously worked for the network as a contributor on the news-format sports show ''SportsNight''.<ref name = "NYY-Bio" /> Kay left the Daily News to host a sports talk show on ] in 1992, briefly returning to write "Kay's Korner" for the News in 1993, before taking the microphone job for radio broadcasts New York Yankee games beside ].<ref name = "NYY-Bio" /> In 2008, he served as a play-by-play for ] during the ].

			== Early career ==
	====Announcer for the New York Yankees====
			Kay started his professional career with the '']'' in 1982 as a general assignment writer, with sports-specific assignments to college basketball, the ] and the ] happening over time. He received the writing assignment covering the Yankees in 1987.<ref name="NYY-Bio"/>
	Kay spent a decade partnered with ] as the radio announcers of the team on ]. Kay and Sterling also paired together in 1998 for ''Sports Talk with John Sterling and Michael Kay,'' a nightly radio show which aired on WABC. During the baseball season, the duo hosted ''Yankee Talk,'' a weekend pre-game radio show. From 1992 to 1993 Kay hosted his own show on WABC. Kay continued during that time as a spot reporter on ABC radio, doing off-season shows with Sterling and as a fill-in sports reporter for Channel 7 Eyewitness News New York. When ESPN launched an AM station, Kay moved downtown to 2 Penn Plaza to host a radio show on ESPN's WEPN from 10AM to 1PM. (See ])

			In 1989, Kay left the ''Post'' for the ''],'' still primarily covering the Yankees. Kay also served as the ] Yankee reporter starting in 1989.<ref name="NYY-Bio"/>
	On radio and TV, Kay has been best known for yelling "See-ya!" during his ] calls and noting the time of the game during the recap, often using the word 'unmanageable' if the game was longer than 3 hours. As a radio broadcaster one of Kay's best known trademarks was describing the uniforms of the Yankees and their opponent, this description typically ended with him describing the back of the Yankees' jersey as having "no name, of course."

			In 1992–99, he was MSG's locker room reporter for the ]. He had previously worked for the network as a contributor on the news-format sports show ''MSG SportsDesk''. Kay left the ''Daily News'' to host a sports talk show on ] in 1992, briefly returning to write "Kay's Korner" for the ''Daily News'' in 1993, before taking a job doing radio broadcasts of New York Yankees games with ].<ref name="NYY-Bio"/> Kay also worked as a reporter for ] in the late 1990s.
	When ] acquired the radio rights to the Yankees broadcasts in ], Kay moved to the debuting YES Network on television and Sterling remained on the radio. Kay has been the Yankees' lead television play-by-play announcer since this time.<ref name = "NYY-Bio" />

			== Announcer for the New York Yankees (1992–present) ==
	Late in the ], Kay was sporadically absent from both the YES Network and his ESPN Radio Show while tending to his ailing mother who was battling with ]. On September 11, 2006, it was announced by ] during the New York Yankee broadcast that Kay's mother, Rose, had died. Kay returned to announce for the Yankees on September 18th, after a hiatus of 27 days.{{Fact\|date=September 2008}}
			], ], and ] providing play-by-play commentary for the Yankees on YES]]
			Kay spent a decade partnered with Sterling as the radio announcers of the team on WABC from 1992 to 2001.<ref name="web.yesnetwork.com">, yesnetwork.com; accessed March 28, 2018.</ref> Kay and Sterling also paired together in 1998 for ''Sports Talk with John Sterling and Michael Kay,'' a nightly radio show which aired on WABC.<ref name="web.yesnetwork.com"/>

			During the baseball season, the duo hosted ''Yankee Talk,'' a weekend pre-game radio show. From 1992 to 1993 Kay hosted his own show on WABC. Kay continued during that time as a spot reporter on ], doing off-season shows with Sterling and as a fill-in sports reporter on ]. When ESPN Radio began leasing (and later purchasing) WEVD radio in 2001, Kay was chosen to host a daily radio show on the newly rechristened "1050 ESPN Radio".<ref>{{cite web \|title=Michael Kay \|url=https://www.espn.com/radio/story/_/page/BIO_MichaelKay2/michael-kay \|website=ESPN.com \|publisher=ESPN, Inc. \|access-date=August 9, 2019}}</ref>
	In 2008 MLB invited Kay to call the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium during that year's All Star festivities.

			When ] acquired the radio rights to the Yankees broadcasts in 2002, Kay moved to the debuting ] on television and Sterling remained on the radio. Kay has been the Yankees' lead television play-by-play announcer ever since.<ref name="NYY-Bio"/>
	Since the late 1990s, Kay and Sterling have co-]d the Yankees' annual ] ceremony (following in the tradition of the late ] and ]), players' number retirements, and the ] celebrations after Yankees' ] victories.

			Kay has worked with a series of partners on YES, often with three or four different partners in the same season. Most have been former professional players, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Kay calls about 125 games a year for the ] and ] (the Prime games were formerly broadcast in the Yankees' territory by a network led by ]).<ref>{{cite web \|title=PIX11 Announces Yankees Broadcast Schedule for 2018 \|url=http://www.tribunemedia.com/pix11-announces-yankees-broadcast-schedule-for-2018/ \|website=TribuneMedia.com \|publisher=Tribune Media \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref>
	Kay and Sterling also provided play-by-play commentary for ]'s '']'' video game from 1999 to 2001.

			In 2008, Major League Baseball invited Kay to call the ] at Yankee Stadium during that year's All Star festivities. On September 21, 2008, he joined ] and ] to call the seventh inning of ]'s ] of the final home game at ] against the ]. According to Miller, Kay was brought in because ESPN felt that they should include the local aspects of broadcasting for the Yankees for this special game, as the ] was not allowed to cover the game.<ref>{{cite web \|title=Michael Kay {{!}} Keynote Speaker \|url=http://www.brooksinternational.com/MichaelKay_1603.htm \|website=brooksinternational.com \|access-date=August 9, 2019}}</ref>
			]
			Since the late 1990s, Kay and Sterling have co-]d such events as the Yankees' annual ] ceremony<ref>Marisa Scolamiero (July 19, 2009). , ''Bleacher Report''; accessed March 28, 2018.</ref> as well as players' number retirements,<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Marchand \|first1=Andrew \|title=Yankees Honor Paul O'Neill with Monument Park Plaque \|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/11330794 \|website=ESPN.com \|date=August 9, 2014 \|publisher=ESPN, Inc. \|access-date=March 12, 2023}}</ref> anniversary celebrations for the team's World Series victories,<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Sullivan \|first1=Tara \|title=Yankees welcome 1996 World Series champion team \|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/yankees/2016/08/13/yankees-welcome-1996-world-series-champion-team/92943312/ \|website=northjersey.com \|access-date=January 15, 2019}}</ref> and the ] celebrations after Yankees' ] victories.<ref>{{cite web \|title=John Sterling, TicketTape Parade, The Yankees Win \|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2SYCFitlzic \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/2SYCFitlzic\| archive-date=2021-12-12 \|url-status=live\|website=YouTube.com \| date=February 12, 2010 \|access-date=July 22, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

			== Other announcing work ==
	On ] ], Kay joined ] and ] to call the seventh inning of ]'s ] of the final home game at ] against the ]. According to Miller, Kay was brought in because ESPN felt that they should include the local aspects of broadcasting for the Yankees for this special game, as the ]'s coverage was ]. Later that year, Kay was selected to call one of the ] for ].
			Kay and Sterling also provided play-by-play commentary for ]'s '']'' video games from 1999<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Mac Donald \|first1=Ryan \|title=All Star Baseball '99 Review \|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/all-star-baseball-99-review/1900-2544015/ \|website=GameSpot.com \|publisher=CBS Interactive, Inc. \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref> to 2001.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Mac Donald \|first1=Ryan \|title=All Star Baseball 2000 Review \|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/all-star-baseball-2000-review/1900-2544046/ \|website=GameSpot.com \|publisher=CBS Interactive, Inc. \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|last1=Provo \|first1=Frank \|title=All Star Baseball 2001 Review \|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/all-star-baseball-2001-review/1900-2557907/ \|website=GameSpot.com \|publisher=CBS Interactive, Inc. \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref> In addition to his Yankees work, Kay has called play-by-play of several postseason games on ], including the ] between the ] and ],<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Fang \|first1=Ken \|title=League Division Series Schedules \|url=https://thesportsdaily.com/2008/09/29/league-division-series-schedules/ \|website=TheSportsDaily.com \|date=September 29, 2008 \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref> the ] between the ] and ],<ref>{{cite web \|last1=DeCastro \|first1=Amanda \|title=ESPN & the MLB Postseason: ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, Baseball Tonight & More \|url=https://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2013/09/mlbpostseason2013/ \|website=espnmediazone.com \|publisher=ESPN Media Zone \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref> and Game 3 of the ] between the ] and ].

			In January 2022, ] hired Kay and ] to broadcast an alternate '']'' broadcast on ], similar to the critically acclaimed "]" for '']''.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Marchand \|first1=Andrew \|title=Michael Kay will team up with Alex Rodriguez for ESPN 'Manningcast' \|url=https://nypost.com/2022/01/06/michael-kay-alex-rodriguez-to-team-up-for-espn-manningcast/ \|website=nypost.com \|date=January 7, 2022 \|publisher=NYP Holdings, Inc. \|access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref>
	====The Michael Kay Show====
	{{main\|The Michael Kay Show}}
	Kay currently hosts a drive-time talk show on ], as well as the YES Network's '']'', a sports and entertainment interview-format show. On Monday January 5, Michael Kay announced that The Michael Kay show will air from 2PM to 7PM starting on Monday, January 12, 2009.

			That same year, Kay also called the ] on ESPN alongside Rodriguez. Doing the ]-] series, these games were noted for being the final games in the careers of ] and ]. The duo both went out with singles and getting standing ovations from the crowd as they exited for pinch runners. The Phillies swept the Cardinals in two games in the best of three.
	==Awards==
	In 2007, Kay was nominated for a number of New York ] Awards for his work with the YES Network, both for Yankees broadcasts and for his highly rated ] ''Centerstage''.<ref name = "2007NYEmmyNomList">{{cite web
	\|url = http://www.nyemmys.org/attachments/files/219/2007%20Emmy%20Award%20Nominees.doc
	\|title = And the nominees are...
	\|accessdate = 2007-08-16
	\|date = February 8, 2007
	\|format = ]
	\|publisher = ]—] Chapter
	}}
	</ref> Kay won one New York Emmy for his work on the YES Network as part of the team of the NYY broadcast: New York Yankees Baseball “Manny vs. NY – Yankees/Red Sox- 5/24/06.” (YES Network).<ref name = "2007NYEmmyWinList">{{cite web
	\|url = http://www.nyemmys.org/attachments/files/226/2007%20Emmy%20Award%20Winners.doc
	\|title = And the winners are...
	\|accessdate = 2007-08-16
	\|date = April 1, 2007
	\|format = ]
	\|publisher = ]—] Chapter
	}}
	</ref>

			=== ''The Michael Kay Show'' ===
	In 1998, he was on the MSG team that won an Emmy for ''Outstanding Live Sports Coverage—Series''. In 1996 and 1997 he was a member of the MSG team that won Emmys for ''Outstanding Live Sports Coverage—Single Program'' for ] ] and ''The Battle for New York: Yankees vs. Mets''.
			{{Main\|The Michael Kay Show}}
			In 2002, Kay began hosting a drive-time talk show on ] (the former WEVD). That same year he began hosting the YES Network's ''CenterStage'', a sports and entertainment interview-format show.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Best \|first1=Neil \|title=John Sterling sits down with Michael Kay on YES' 'CenterStage' \|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/media/john-sterling-sits-down-with-michael-kay-on-yes-centerstage-1.14156901 \|website=Newsday.com \|publisher=Newsday \|access-date=January 14, 2019}}</ref>

			Kay frequently broadcast live from the vicinity of the stadium that the Yankees were playing in that evening (his contractual exclusivity prohibited him from hosting the show from inside ]). This is no longer the case.
	Kay was also awarded the ''Dick Young Award for Excellence in Sports Media'' by the New York Pro Baseball Scouts in 1995 and the award for Best Sports Reporter at the 2000 New York Metro Achievement in Radio Awards.

			From 2009 until 2011, the 6:00 hour had been co-titled ''New York Baseball Tonight'' throughout the baseball season. Kay did not usually appear during that hour if he was broadcasting a Yankee game that evening. Don La Greca often hosted this segment and appeared with Kay on the rest of ''The Michael Kay Show''.

			When Kay is on the air for the end of his program, he usually signs off with the following: "In the words of ], life is a series of hellos and goodbyes, and I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again," before promoting the next program. Kay opened his first-ever simulcast on the ] on February 3, 2014, by dumping a bottle of ] into the garbage, a move meant to poke fun of the channel's former occupant ]. The canned action was widely criticized.<ref name="BobsBlitz">{{cite news\|url=http://www.bobsblitz.com/2014/02/yes-network-execs-annoyed-with-michael.html\|title=YES Network Execs Annoyed with Michael Kay's Canned Open: Source\|last=Blitz\|first=Bob's\|date=February 5, 2014\|publisher=BobsBlitz.com\|access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref>
	==References==
	{{reflist}}

			The final broadcast of The Michael Kay Show was on December 13th, 2024.
	==External links==

	*{{imdb name\|id=1701985\|name=Michael Kay}}
			== Awards ==
			In 2003, Kay was added to the ]. In 2007, Kay was nominated for a number of New York ] for his work with the YES Network, both for Yankees broadcasts and for his highly rated ] ''Centerstage''.<ref name="2007NYEmmyNomList">{{cite web
			\|url = http://www.nyemmys.org/attachments/files/219/2007%20Emmy%20Award%20Nominees.doc
			\|title = And the nominees are...
			\|access-date = August 16, 2007
			\|date = February 8, 2007
			\|publisher = ]—] Chapter
			\|url-status = dead
			\|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929071320/http://www.nyemmys.org/attachments/files/219/2007%20Emmy%20Award%20Nominees.doc
			\|archive-date = September 29, 2007
			\|df = mdy-all
			}}</ref> He won one New York Emmy for his work on the YES Network as part of the team of the NYY broadcast: New York Yankees Baseball "Manny vs. NY – Yankees/Red Sox- 5/24/06." (YES Network).<ref name="2007NYEmmyWinList">{{cite web\|url=http://www.nyemmys.org/attachments/files/226/2007%20Emmy%20Award%20Winners.doc\|title=And the winners are...\|access-date=August 16, 2007\|date=April 1, 2007\|format=]\|publisher=]—] Chapter\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929071314/http://www.nyemmys.org/attachments/files/226/2007%20Emmy%20Award%20Winners.doc\|archive-date=September 29, 2007}}</ref>

			In 1998, Kay was on the MSG team that won an Emmy for ''Outstanding Live Sports Coverage—Series''. In 1996 and 1997 he was a member of the MSG team that won Emmys for ''Outstanding Live Sports Coverage—Single Program'' for ]'s ] and ''The Battle for New York: Yankees vs. Mets'', and he was awarded the ''Dick Young Award for Excellence in Sports Media'' by the New York Pro Baseball Scouts in 1995, and the award for Best Sports Reporter at the 2000 New York Metro Achievement in Radio Awards.<ref>{{cite web \|title=YES Network announcer bio \|url=http://web.yesnetwork.com/announcers/bio.jsp?id=mkay \|website=web.yesnetwork.com \|access-date=August 9, 2019}}</ref>

			== Personal life ==
			Kay married television journalist ] on February 12, 2011, with former New York mayor ] officiating. Guests included former Yankees such as ], ], and ], actors ], ], and ], and actor/uncle ].<ref>Matthew Abrahams (February 13, 2011) . ''New York Post''.</ref> The couple have two children: a daughter, Caledonia, born in 2013 and a son, Charles, born in 2014.<ref>Michael Starr (January 23, 2013) </ref><ref>. ''Twitter''.</ref> He resides in ].<ref>{{cite web \|title=See ya!!! Michael Kay spotted at Gabriele's in Greenwich \|url=https://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/See-ya-Michael-Kay-spotted-at-Gabriele-s-in-5955282.php \|website=greenwichtime.com \|publisher=Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC \|date=December 13, 2014}}</ref>

			On July 3, 2019, Kay announced that he would undergo vocal cord surgery, keeping him out of the broadcasting booth from early July until late August.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Walker \|first1=Mollie \|title=Michael Kay needs vocal cord surgery, will miss month of Yankees games \|url=https://nypost.com/2019/07/03/michael-kay-needs-vocal-cord-surgery-will-miss-a-month-of-yankees-games/ \|website=nypost.com \|date=July 3, 2019 \|publisher=NYP Holdings, Inc. \|access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref> He returned to the booth on August 17, and returned to his radio show on August 26.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Fischer \|first1=Mark \|title=Michael Kay has tough realization before Yankees return \|url=https://nypost.com/2019/08/17/michael-kay-has-tough-realization-before-yankees-return/ \|website=nypost.com \|date=August 17, 2019 \|publisher=NYP HOLDINGS, INC. \|access-date=August 18, 2019}}</ref>

			==See also==
			* ]

			== References ==
			{{Reflist}}

			== External links ==
			*{{IMDb name\|1701985\|Michael Kay}}
	*		*
			*{{Twitter}}

			{{Yes Network}}
	{{Lifetime\|1961\|LIVING\|Kay, Michael}}
			{{Major League Baseball on ABC}}
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			{{Authority control}}

			{{DEFAULTSORT:Kay, Michael}}
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Latest revision as of 04:25, 18 December 2024

American sportscaster

Michael Kay
Kay in 2010
Born	(1961-02-02) February 2, 1961 (age 63) New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	Fordham University (B.A.)
Occupation	Broadcaster
Years active	1992–present
Known for	Broadcaster for the New York Yankees
Spouse	Jodi Applegate (m. 2011)
Children	2
Relatives	Danny Aiello (uncle) Danny Aiello III (cousin) Rick Aiello (cousin)

Michael Kay (born February 2, 1961) is an American sports broadcaster who is the television play-by-play broadcaster of the New York Yankees and host of CenterStage on the YES Network, and the host of The Michael Kay Show heard on "ESPN New York 880" WHSQ in New York City and simulcast on ESPN Xtra on XM Satellite Radio. Kay also works on the MLB on ESPN.

Early life and education

Kay was born and raised in the New York City borough of the Bronx. His father was Jewish and his mother was of Italian descent. Always a Yankee fan, Kay wore number 1 in Little League for his favorite player, Bobby Murcer. Wanting to be the Yankees announcer when he grew up, he wrote as many of his school assignments as he could about the Yankees, so he could learn all about them. Kay began his reporting career at the Bronx High School of Science and continued reporting at Fordham University for their radio station WFUV. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Fordham.

Early career

Kay started his professional career with the New York Post in 1982 as a general assignment writer, with sports-specific assignments to college basketball, the National Basketball Association and the New Jersey Nets happening over time. He received the writing assignment covering the Yankees in 1987.

In 1989, Kay left the Post for the Daily News, still primarily covering the Yankees. Kay also served as the Madison Square Garden Network Yankee reporter starting in 1989.

In 1992–99, he was MSG's locker room reporter for the New York Knicks. He had previously worked for the network as a contributor on the news-format sports show MSG SportsDesk. Kay left the Daily News to host a sports talk show on WABC in 1992, briefly returning to write "Kay's Korner" for the Daily News in 1993, before taking a job doing radio broadcasts of New York Yankees games with John Sterling. Kay also worked as a reporter for Fox Sports Net in the late 1990s.

Announcer for the New York Yankees (1992–present)

Kay spent a decade partnered with Sterling as the radio announcers of the team on WABC from 1992 to 2001. Kay and Sterling also paired together in 1998 for Sports Talk with John Sterling and Michael Kay, a nightly radio show which aired on WABC.

During the baseball season, the duo hosted Yankee Talk, a weekend pre-game radio show. From 1992 to 1993 Kay hosted his own show on WABC. Kay continued during that time as a spot reporter on ABC Radio, doing off-season shows with Sterling and as a fill-in sports reporter on WABC-TV. When ESPN Radio began leasing (and later purchasing) WEVD radio in 2001, Kay was chosen to host a daily radio show on the newly rechristened "1050 ESPN Radio".

When WCBS acquired the radio rights to the Yankees broadcasts in 2002, Kay moved to the debuting YES Network on television and Sterling remained on the radio. Kay has been the Yankees' lead television play-by-play announcer ever since.

Kay has worked with a series of partners on YES, often with three or four different partners in the same season. Most have been former professional players, including Ken Singleton, David Cone, Al Leiter, Paul O'Neill, Jim Kaat, John Flaherty, Joe Girardi, Lou Piniella, and Bobby Murcer. Kay calls about 125 games a year for the YES Network and Prime Video (the Prime games were formerly broadcast in the Yankees' territory by a network led by WPIX-TV).

In 2008, Major League Baseball invited Kay to call the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium during that year's All Star festivities. On September 21, 2008, he joined Jon Miller and Joe Morgan to call the seventh inning of ESPN's broadcast of the final home game at Yankee Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles. According to Miller, Kay was brought in because ESPN felt that they should include the local aspects of broadcasting for the Yankees for this special game, as the YES Network was not allowed to cover the game.

Since the late 1990s, Kay and Sterling have co-emceed such events as the Yankees' annual Old-Timers' Day ceremony as well as players' number retirements, anniversary celebrations for the team's World Series victories, and the City Hall celebrations after Yankees' World Series victories.

Other announcing work

Kay and Sterling also provided play-by-play commentary for Nintendo 64's All-Star Baseball video games from 1999 to 2001. In addition to his Yankees work, Kay has called play-by-play of several postseason games on ESPN Radio, including the 2008 NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers, the 2013 ALDS between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics, and Game 3 of the 2016 ALDS between the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays.

In January 2022, ESPN hired Kay and Alex Rodriguez to broadcast an alternate Sunday Night Baseball broadcast on ESPN2, similar to the critically acclaimed "Manningcast" for Monday Night Football.

That same year, Kay also called the 2022 National League Wild Card Series on ESPN alongside Rodriguez. Doing the St. Louis Cardinals-Philadelphia Phillies series, these games were noted for being the final games in the careers of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. The duo both went out with singles and getting standing ovations from the crowd as they exited for pinch runners. The Phillies swept the Cardinals in two games in the best of three.

The Michael Kay Show

Main article: The Michael Kay Show

In 2002, Kay began hosting a drive-time talk show on WEPN (the former WEVD). That same year he began hosting the YES Network's CenterStage, a sports and entertainment interview-format show.

Kay frequently broadcast live from the vicinity of the stadium that the Yankees were playing in that evening (his contractual exclusivity prohibited him from hosting the show from inside Yankee Stadium). This is no longer the case.

From 2009 until 2011, the 6:00 hour had been co-titled New York Baseball Tonight throughout the baseball season. Kay did not usually appear during that hour if he was broadcasting a Yankee game that evening. Don La Greca often hosted this segment and appeared with Kay on the rest of The Michael Kay Show.

When Kay is on the air for the end of his program, he usually signs off with the following: "In the words of Billy Joel, life is a series of hellos and goodbyes, and I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again," before promoting the next program. Kay opened his first-ever simulcast on the YES Network on February 3, 2014, by dumping a bottle of Diet Coke into the garbage, a move meant to poke fun of the channel's former occupant Mike Francesa. The canned action was widely criticized.

The final broadcast of The Michael Kay Show was on December 13th, 2024.

Awards

In 2003, Kay was added to the Bronx Walk of Fame. In 2007, Kay was nominated for a number of New York Emmy Awards for his work with the YES Network, both for Yankees broadcasts and for his highly rated interview program Centerstage. He won one New York Emmy for his work on the YES Network as part of the team of the NYY broadcast: New York Yankees Baseball "Manny vs. NY – Yankees/Red Sox- 5/24/06." (YES Network).

In 1998, Kay was on the MSG team that won an Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports Coverage—Series. In 1996 and 1997 he was a member of the MSG team that won Emmys for Outstanding Live Sports Coverage—Single Program for Dwight Gooden's no-hitter and The Battle for New York: Yankees vs. Mets, and he was awarded the Dick Young Award for Excellence in Sports Media by the New York Pro Baseball Scouts in 1995, and the award for Best Sports Reporter at the 2000 New York Metro Achievement in Radio Awards.

Personal life

Kay married television journalist Jodi Applegate on February 12, 2011, with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani officiating. Guests included former Yankees such as Al Leiter, Tino Martinez, and Paul O'Neill, actors Robert De Niro, Bobby Cannavale, and Billy Crystal, and actor/uncle Danny Aiello. The couple have two children: a daughter, Caledonia, born in 2013 and a son, Charles, born in 2014. He resides in Greenwich, Connecticut.

On July 3, 2019, Kay announced that he would undergo vocal cord surgery, keeping him out of the broadcasting booth from early July until late August. He returned to the booth on August 17, and returned to his radio show on August 26.

References

@RealMichaelKay (February 17, 2017). "Two kids born on Feb 2, seven years apart, but together at the Fox baseball seminars" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Isaacs, Stan (April 10, 1992). "Old Master's Voice Returns with Spring". Newsday. p. 161. Kay is 31, a Bronx High School of Science and Fordham product.
^ "Broadcasters". MLB.com. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
Rajan, Ronce (September 27, 2023). "ESPN Broadcast Teams for 2023 MLB Wild Card Series Exclusively on Disney Platforms". ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
Kay, Michael (February 23, 1989). "Michael Kay: Another News Heavy Hitter". The New York Daily News. p. 72. Being born and bred in the Bronx, there was only one team to root for—the Yankees.
"Michael Kay Named 2022 IABF Media Award Honoree". Italian American Baseball Foundation. Retrieved April 14, 2023. ...my dad, who was of Jewish heritage...
Foreword: Pinstripe Pride-by Marty Appel
^ "YES Network announcer bio", yesnetwork.com; accessed March 28, 2018.
"Michael Kay". ESPN.com. ESPN, Inc. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
"PIX11 Announces Yankees Broadcast Schedule for 2018". TribuneMedia.com. Tribune Media. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
"Michael Kay | Keynote Speaker". brooksinternational.com. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
Marisa Scolamiero (July 19, 2009). "New York Yankees Tradition: Old-Timers' Day Still a Hit", Bleacher Report; accessed March 28, 2018.
Marchand, Andrew (August 9, 2014). "Yankees Honor Paul O'Neill with Monument Park Plaque". ESPN.com. ESPN, Inc. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
Sullivan, Tara. "Yankees welcome 1996 World Series champion team". northjersey.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
"John Sterling, TicketTape Parade, The Yankees Win". YouTube.com. February 12, 2010. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
Mac Donald, Ryan. "All Star Baseball '99 Review". GameSpot.com. CBS Interactive, Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
Mac Donald, Ryan. "All Star Baseball 2000 Review". GameSpot.com. CBS Interactive, Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
Provo, Frank. "All Star Baseball 2001 Review". GameSpot.com. CBS Interactive, Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
Fang, Ken (September 29, 2008). "League Division Series Schedules". TheSportsDaily.com. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
DeCastro, Amanda. "ESPN & the MLB Postseason: ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, Baseball Tonight & More". espnmediazone.com. ESPN Media Zone. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
Marchand, Andrew (January 7, 2022). "Michael Kay will team up with Alex Rodriguez for ESPN 'Manningcast'". nypost.com. NYP Holdings, Inc. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
Best, Neil. "John Sterling sits down with Michael Kay on YES' 'CenterStage'". Newsday.com. Newsday. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
Blitz, Bob's (February 5, 2014). "YES Network Execs Annoyed with Michael Kay's Canned Open: Source". BobsBlitz.com. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
"And the nominees are..." National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences—New York Chapter. February 8, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
"And the winners are..." National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences—New York Chapter. April 1, 2007. Archived from the original (Microsoft Office Word) on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
"YES Network announcer bio". web.yesnetwork.com. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
Matthew Abrahams (February 13, 2011) "Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay marries news anchor Jodi Applegate". New York Post.
Michael Starr (January 23, 2013) Applegate, Kay proud new parents
"Michael Kay on Twitter". Twitter.
"See ya!!! Michael Kay spotted at Gabriele's in Greenwich". greenwichtime.com. Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC. December 13, 2014.
Walker, Mollie (July 3, 2019). "Michael Kay needs vocal cord surgery, will miss month of Yankees games". nypost.com. NYP Holdings, Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
Fischer, Mark (August 17, 2019). "Michael Kay has tough realization before Yankees return". nypost.com. NYP HOLDINGS, INC. Retrieved August 18, 2019.

External links

v t e YES Network
Original programming	The Michael Kay Show Yankees Classics Yankeeography
Notable current on-air staff	Vince Carter David Cone Jack Curry Ian Eagle Noah Eagle John Flaherty Todd Frazier Joe Girardi Frank Isola Richard Jefferson Michael Kay Sarah Kustok Bob Lorenz Meredith Marakovits Jeff Nelson Paul O'Neill Ryan Ruocco Justin Shackil
Notable former on-air staff	Marv Albert Michelle Beadle Howard Cross Mike Fratello Fred Hickman Mark Jackson Kimberly Jones David Justice Jim Kaat Al Leiter Tino Martinez Bobby Murcer Lou Piniella Jen Royle Ken Singleton Charley Steiner John Sterling Jim Spanarkel Kelly Tripucka Ross Tucker Suzyn Waldman

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Major League Baseball Game of the Week (1953–1954; 1960; 1965)
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Commentators

Play-by-play announcers	Gary Bender Jack Buck Don Chevrier Ken Coleman Dizzy Dean Bob DeLaney Don Drysdale Curt Gowdy Merle Harmon Keith Jackson Michael Kay George Kell Gene Kirby Jim Lampley Sean McDonough Al Michaels Brent Musburger Bob Neal Bob Prince Karl Ravech Chris Schenkel Jon Sciambi Gary Thorne Pete Van Wieren Matt Vasgersian Jack Whitaker Steve Zabriskie
Color commentators	Johnny Bench Buddy Blattner Lou Brock Steve Busby Norm Cash Howard Cosell Larry Dierker Don Drysdale Leo Durocher Carl Erskine Todd Frazier Tommy Hutton Jim Kaat Tim Kurkjian Reggie Jackson Chipper Jones Bob Gibson Hank Greenberg Tommy Henrich Tim McCarver Jessica Mendoza Joe Morgan Jim Palmer Eduardo Pérez Jackie Robinson Alex Rodriguez Steve Stone Bob Uecker Earl Weaver Bill White Warner Wolf
Guest commentators	Johnny Bench Rick Dempsey Mark Fidrych Tommy John Tommy Lasorda Billy Martin Jimmy Piersall Ross Porter Tom Seaver
Hosts and field reporters	Jack Arute Tim Brant Dave Diles Corey McPherrin Buster Olney John Saunders Bob Stevens Al Trautwig Lesley Visser
"Inside Pitch" scouting analysts	Tony Gwynn Paul Molitor Steve Sax Mike Schmidt

Lore

Tiebreaker games	1959 National League playoff series 1978 AL East Playoff 1980 NL West Playoff
LCS games	"Chris Chambliss' Walk-Off Home Run" (1976) "Garvey Home Run" (1984) "Gatorade Glove Play" (1984) "You're Looking at One for the Ages Here" (1986)
World Series games	"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning" (1977) "Mr. October" (1977) "The Call" (1985) 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

World Series

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~~1994~~
1995 (Games 1, 4-5)

AL Championship Series

1976
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NL Championship Series

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1981
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NL Division Series

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Saturday Game of the Week	1953 1954 1959 (NL tie-breaker series) 1960 1961 (prime time games) 1965
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The 1994 World Series was cancelled due to a strike. Website: ABC News - MLB News

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