When the Rangers open their season on Tuesday night at The Garden, Kenny Albert will be on the MSG Networks' mic doing the play-by-play along with Dave Maloney.
That – in and of itself is nothing unusual; but what is astonishing is the fact that the Blueshirts helped inspire the most amazing string of family broadcasting in world history.
Nowhere – and I do mean NOWHERE – will you find a play by play family in this order; the brothers Marv Albert, Al Albert and Steve Albert; plus, now Marv's brilliant son Kenny Albert, expertly handling Rangers and NHL network tv.
The Albert Brothers were Rangers fans growing up in the seaside community of Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn. Kenny came later on Long Island.
Starting with Marv, each of the Alberts had broadcasting on their minds. Here's how Steve described the manner in which the brothers created their futures. (By the way, It's all detailed in
Steve's book, "A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To The Broadcast Booth.")
Steve: "My brothers and I would go into this little room in the corner of our house and there we would set up our makeshift broadcast pool. It consisted of a small black and white tv complete with rabbit antenna on top.
"And three rickety old folding chairs, a folding card table and on top of the table sat a large reel to reel tape recorder, a record player and two large price-marking pencils from my father's grocery store.
"We practiced in the summer on Yankees games, turning the volume down so we could do our own play by play. And we would rotate assignments. One would do play by play, another would control the sound effects which included the sound of a baseball crowd.
"The ball hitting bat sound was simulated by knocking two price marking pencils together. We would switch around so all three of us got the chance to do play by play. And that's how it all began for the three of us."
Rangers Banter And Some Other NHL Stuff
<b>1.</b> The question "Who is the best American-born Ranger of all-time?" was quickly answered by Joltin' Joe Dionisio in Santa Barbara, California.
More interesting Albert stuff; Al was at a Rangers training camp, auditioning as a goalie when he got drafted into the U.S. Army. He later worked with me doing play-by-play for the Devils. Steve worked with me in 1979-80 doing Islanders' play-by-play.
No less amazing is the fact that Kenny so seamlessly and superbly has followed in the airways of his dad and uncles.
To an Albert man, each superb at his work and each a swell guy in his own right. And to think it all started in a little room in a corner of their house in Manhattan Beach.
You can't make this up – but the Amazing Alberts sure did! Here's to them – and now Kenny – YAY!