Howard Cosell, born on 25 March 1918, was a sports journalist and broadcaster, very well known for his boisterous, cocky personality. He is often cited as one of the most revolutionary broadcasters in history, completely changing how broadcasters spoke and behaved.
Have you ever wondered how rich Howard Cosell rates, as of late 2016? According to authoritative sources, Cosell’s net worth has been estimated at around $5 million, earned during his long career as a journalist and broadcaster which spanned over 40 years. However, Cosell did pass away in 1995, so his net worth is unlikely to change.
Howard Cosell Net Worth $5 Million
Although he was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Cosell was raised in Brooklyn, New York City. He eventually graduated from New York University with a BA degree in English; during his college years he was also a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. After graduating from NYU, Cosell went to the New York University School of Law, and he was admitted to the State Bar in 1941, but the U.S. soon entered World War II and Cosell enlisted.
Cosell joined the US Army Transportation Corps, and was soon promoted to major. He served his time without much danger, and actually found time to get married. He left the Army in 1945 and went back to practicing law in Manhattan, specializing in union law. He didn’t get into broadcasting until 1953, when he was asked to host a show featuring Little League baseball players.
Cosell hosted that show for three years, never taking any pay. After those three years he decided to leave law behind and fully pursue a career in broadcasting; the President of ABC Radio, Robert Pauley, gave Cosell a chance, and Cosell’s show “Speaking of Sports” began airing. Cosell quickly rose in the broadcasting field and gained fame for his unorthodox style of “tell it like it is” broadcasting. It can be argued that he revolutionized the field with his intellectual analysis and in depth reporting.
Cosell really became famous through his coverage and support of the Tommie Smith and John Carlos “black salute” at the 1968 Olympics medal ceremony, and his defense of Muhammad Ali. When Ali’s championship was stripped due to his refusal of military service during the Vietnam War, Cosell was one of the few voices to defend him. Cosell didn’t just cover Ali however; he was known mainly for his coverage of boxing in general during the ‘70s. This lasted until 1982, when he announced he was done covering boxing, but this period at ringside made him famous and greatly attributed to his net worth.
After abandoning the sport that made him famous, Cosell continued to cover various other sports; he was a featured voice on Monday Night Football as well as at the Olympics. He also launched his own investigative series on ABC – “Sports Beat”, which he used to do some hard investigative reporting on various sports, and won three Emmy awards for excellence in reporting journalism. This show was the first of its kind, and helped to pioneer a new era of sports journalism.
Regarding his personal life, Cosell was married to Mary Abrams from 1944 to 1990; the couple had two daughters. After the death of his wife, Cosell retreated from the public, and spent the next five years in private. He passed away on 23 April 1995.
