This Cris and Holly Collinsworth Story from 1988 is Amazing

A great find today by 91.7 WVXU's John Kiesewetter.

He writes on his blog about the time, 30 years ago, when Fort Thomas resident, Cris Collinsworth, wanted to announce his imminent engagement to Holly (Bankemper) on air during the 1988 All-Star Game in Cincinnati.

Kiesewetter cites Collinsworths' broadcast partner, Al Michaels' autobiography, You Can't Make This Up, in which Michaels recalls a 29-year old Collinsworth asking Michaels to mention it during the live broadcast of the game.

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"… He stopped by the booth before the game to ask if we could announce on national television that he'd be getting engaged to the beauteous Holly Bankemper before the night was done. We couldn't. But I loved his chutzpah,” wrote Michaels.

Holly Collinsworth, Angie Simons and Cris Collinsworth. Movers and Markers Magazine, Cincinnati. 

“In 2006, (NBC Sports chairman) Dick Ebersol had brought him over from Fox to work the 'Sunday Night Football' pregame show along with Bob Costas, making him the obvious candidate to replace John Madden when he retired. It was the perfect choice."

Kiesewetter goes on to write, “Fort Thomas residents Cris and Holly Collinsworth have four grown children. He has won 16 Emmys – nine for outstanding sports studio analyst and seven for outstanding event analyst.

Collinsworth also is majority owner of Pro Football Focus, "which utilizes an exclusive and proprietary grading system to analyze the performance of every NFL and college player….  More than half of NFL clubs directly with Pro Football Focus to use its play-by-play and player grading analystics," says his NBC bio.”


Photo: Cover of Sports Illustrated, December, 1981.