The Time Howard Cosell Broke Up a Fight in the LOUP

Howard Cosell in the LOUP? Oh yeah.

Long-time sports broadcaster Al Michaels is out with a new book, You Can’t Make This Up.

NyPo has a sneak peek and provides the Cosell story:

In the fall of 1981, a white stretch limo carrying sportscasters Al Michaels and Howard Cosell was driving through a “gritty, inner-city” neighborhood in Kansas City when, from their window, they saw two teenage boys slugging it out, with a cheering crowd “egging them on.”

Cosell, braced by vodka, could not abide the violence. He left the limo and walked toward the boys, resisting Michaels’ attempt to hold him back.

At the sight of the broadcasting legend, who was chomping on his trademark cigar and wearing his bright yellow ABC blazer, the fight stopped and everyone stared in disbelief.
Then, as Michaels tells us in his new memoir, “You Can’t Make This Up,” Cosell addressed the crowd with his signature off-rhythm patter, as if opining about amateur boxers not quite set for the big time.

“Now LISTEN,” said Cosell. “It’s quite apparent to this TRAINED observer that the young southpaw does NOT have a jab REQUISITE for the continuation of this fray. Furthermore, his opponent is a man of INFERIOR and DIMINISHING skills. This confrontation is halted POSTHASTE!”

Within seconds, the shocked kids — their beef now forgotten — had found a pen, and Cosell was signing autographs.

This was probably not the first time Cosell had vodka in him. Here's a very funny Billy Crystal story about Cosell:




But Cosell met his match  with Muhammad Ali in this interview.

-RW