Biography of Al Trautwig

He can be seen hosting both the pre- and post-game shows for MSG’s Knicks and Rangers coverage.

Trautwig is one of the industry’s busiest and most sought-after announcers. In 2004, Trautwig worked special assignments on several major national sporting events. Once again, he was a member of the NBC Olympics broadcast team, lending his broadcasting skills to men’s and women’s gymnastics. In addition, Trautwig served as host for OLN’s coverage of the Tour de France as well as USA Network’s coverage of the US Open tennis tournament in New York.

Trautwig’s extraordinary talents have been recognized several times. He won the New York Emmy award for “On-Camera Achievement” in both 1995 and 1996, after being nominated for the honor in 1992 and 1994. He was also nominated twice for a national CableACE award.

Trautwig deservedly won the 2000 New York Sportscaster of the Year award. He has been part of five New York Emmy award-winning teams for “Outstanding Live Sports Coverage-Series” – for the Yankees in 1998; the Knicks in 1992, 1993 and 1996; and the Rangers in 1994. The Rangers broadcast team also won the prestigious national CableACE award in the same category in 1994. Trautwig has also been a part of four New York Emmy award–winning single programs, including David Wells’ perfect game in 1998, “The Battle for New York: Yankees vs. Mets” in 1997, Dwight Gooden’s no-hitter in 1996, and Michael Jordan’s return in 1995.

Trautwig has been an Olympic broadcaster in the last seven Olympics, including the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Other national assignments have included World Cup Soccer and the New York City Marathon. In 1995, he won a New York Emmy for his writing work on the Marathon, and two national Emmy’s for his writing on NBC’s Ironman Triathlon.

A member of the Adelphi University Sports Hall of Fame, Trautwig began his broadcasting career in 1979 calling New York Apollo Soccer for WMCA radio. Over the next two years he worked at SportsPhone, called soccer games for Cosmos radio, called New York Arrows Indoor Soccer for WPIX and SportsChannel and worked on ESPN college soccer telecasts.
In 1980, Trautwig went to USA Network, where he worked on over 500 sports telecasts, including play-by-play for the North American Soccer League, NCAA College Basketball, the NHL, gymnastics, tennis, and golf. Following four years at USA, Trautwig moved to ABC-TV, where he hosted “Wide World of Sports.” Trautwig has also worked his way to the silver screen – where, in 1986, he played himself in the Paramount Pictures film “Cool Runnings,” and in 1996, a news reporter in the Hollywood Pictures release of “Eddie,” starring Whoopi Goldberg.

A former New York Islanders stickboy and New York Nets ballboy, Trautwig lives on the north shore of Long Island with his wife Cathy and son Alex.