Tom Hammond

For other people named Thomas Hammond, see Thomas Hammond (disambiguation).

Tom Hammond
Born
Thomas Taylor Hammond

(1944-05-10) May 10, 1944 (age 80)
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Kentucky
OccupationSports commentator
Years active1984–2021
Employers
TelevisionNBC Sports (1984–2021)
SpouseSheleigh Hammond
Children3

Thomas Taylor Hammond (born May 10, 1944[1]) is an American former sports commentator. Hammond began working with NBC Sports in 1984. Hammond covered Thoroughbred Racing on NBC and Notre Dame Football on NBC.

Hammond also served as the play-by-play announcer for NBC's coverage of track and field at the Summer Olympic Games and speed skating events during the 2018 Winter Olympics.

NBC Sports

While working at WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, Hammond's tenure at NBC began in 1984, when he was named as a co-host of the inaugural Breeders' Cup alongside Dick Enberg. It was supposed to be a one-shot deal for Hammond, but network execs were so impressed, he ended up getting a long-term contract. He was the main host of the network's thoroughbred racing coverage[2] until Mike Tirico took over in 2017.[3]

Hammond's duties at NBC expanded to covering many other sports. He was the network's play-by-play voice for its coverage of Notre Dame football alongside analyst Mike Mayock. He was also the lead play-by-play man for The AFL on NBC. Hammond also has been very much involved in NBC's Olympic Games coverage. At the Summer Olympics, Hammond served as the chief commentator for track and field, a position for which he debuted at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where his broadcast partner that year was O. J. Simpson. Hammond has since said that, prior to the O. J. Simpson murder case, he and Simpson were great friends and got along well. Hammond also commentates on other track and field events shown on NBC. At the Winter Olympics, Hammond is the main commentator for figure skating and ice dancing.[4]

Hammond was considered the leading play-by-play candidate when NBC won the bidding for Sunday night NFL coverage beginning with the 2006 season, but ended up losing out to former ABC announcer Al Michaels after the latter signed with NBC. Hammond teamed with Cris Collinsworth to call the secondary Saturday Wild Card playoff game for NBC each year, including Chiefs-Colts in January 2007, Redskins-Seahawks in 2008, and Falcons-Cardinals in 2009, but teamed with Joe Gibbs and Joe Theismann for the Jets-Bengals Wild Card playoff game in January 2010.[5]

Hammond and Collinsworth also serve as the announcing team on the Madden NFL 09 video game in 2008 and 2009,[6] Madden NFL 10.[7]

Honors and awards

He was the first recipient of the annual Outstanding Kentuckian Award given by the A.B. Chandler Foundation, is a charter member of the Lafayette High School Hall of Fame and has been inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni and Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame. Inducted into the KY Pro Football HOF in 2006.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Thomas T. Hammond". ukalumni.net. University of Kentucky Alumni Association. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "TOM HAMMOND". Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Tom Hammond hosts NBC's horse racing coverage, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, as well as Summer at Saratoga and Autumn at Keeneland.
  3. ^ "2017 Kentucky Derby: Mike Tirico succeeds Tom Hammond". NBC Sports. April 25, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  4. ^ "NBC commentators surprised, shocked by judges". ESPN. February 11, 2002. Archived from the original on March 6, 2003. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  5. ^ Raissman, Bob (January 12, 2010). "For NBC, Joe Gibbs, Joe Theismann and Tom Hammond are first & wrong during Jets-Bengals telecast". Articles.nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  6. ^ "Madden NFL 09 : Madden 2009 - EA Games". Ea.com. November 12, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  7. ^ Alan, Scott (October 3, 2010). "Madden NFL 10 - Overview". allgame. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  8. ^ "Alumni Choose Three Nominees to Board". News.uky.edu. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.