Mets Broadcaster: Howie Rose (1987-2014)

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Howard Rose was born February 13th, 1954 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up a big New York Mets fan, as well as a fan of the Jets & Rangers.

He attended high school in Bayside, New York & then graduated to Queens College. Rose is somewhat of a pioneer in broadcasting as well a lucky enough to live his dream.

Back in the late seventies, he was one of the original voices of Sports phone. The Sports phone was updated every half hour with scores as fans would call in to hear the recorded voices give the scores. This was a time long before the internet, cell phone alerts & full time sports networks. It was the only way diehard fans could follow pennant races or even regular season games through the night.

He began to cover his beloved Mets as a freelance reporter in local New York radio. Rose had originally moved to WHN AM radio in 1977 where he served as the station's sports director and an on-air broadcaster until 1983.

In early 1984, Howie moved over to WCBS News Radio, continuing to do freelance work for the NBC Radio network. Howie also hosted a cable TV sports show on Cox Cable between 1984-1986. Rose then got the job hosting “Mets Extra”, the pre & post game radio shows for the New York Mets. He did this for seven years throughout the eighties & early nineties.

When the radio station WFAN took a shot and began one of the nation’s first all sports talk formats, Howie Rose became their original prime-time host in 1987. He hosted the program for eight years until 1995.He began working radio broadcasts of Mets games in 1994 & 1995 along with Bob Murphy & Gary Cohen.

In 1996 Rose moved into the television booth of Mets broadcasts and remained there until 2003, when Bob Murphy retired from being the radio voice of the Mets. through the years, Rose did television play by play with the likes of; Ralph Kiner, Fran Healey, Keith Hernandez, Matt Laughlin & Ted Robinson.

 In 2003 Rose took Bob Murphy's spot alongside Gary Cohen on 66 WFAN. In 2006, Cohen became the play-by-play broadcaster on new Mets TV network; SportsNet, New York. Then Howie Rose became the number one Mets radio voice.

He has shared the radio booth with partners Tom McCarthy (2003-2007) Wayne Hagin (2008-2011) & Josh Lewin (2012-12013). 

Quotes: Rose's famous catch phrase is "Put it in the books" after a Mets victory. His style of the phrasing "and the Mets are leading by a score of __ to __" comes from the same diction as original Mets broadcaster Lindsey Nelson would use.

Howie is a Mets historian, his broadcasts are full of trivia and mentions of former Mets players, as well as historical Met events. Rose filled in for Cohen on SNY in 2006 when he was out with an appendectomy. Rose also has been a long time play-by-play announcer for the New York Islanders hockey team.

He has also worked as a play-by-play radio announcer for the New York Rangers, most recognized by Rangers fans for his call of "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!" when Stephane Matteau scored the game-winning goal in double-overtime of Game Seven of the 1994 NHL Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils.

Rose has also occasionally worked games for FOX NHL Saturday in the mid-90s. In March of 2013 his book "Put it In the Books' was released, co written by the legendary Phil Pepe. It is a memoir of 50 years of Howie's Mets memories & classic moments. 

In 2013 he said goodbye to WFAN radio after being there from it's original days, as the Mets moved onto another radio station heading in 2014. 


Quotes: Howie Rose: "Well. Shakespeare said the play is the thing," Rose said. "But for a baseball broadcaster the game is the thing. It's time to listen to the games in a new location, stay well & stay safe." And like that old cliché goes, check your local listings."

Rose now continues to do Mets radio with Josh Levin on WOR New York.

Honors: He has been the Master of Ceremonies for many Mets on field events: such as The Closing Ceremonies of Shea Stadium (2008), The Opening Ceremonies of Citi Field (2009) the 40th Anniversary of the 1969 Amazing Mets (2009) Mike Piazza's induction to the Mets Hall of Fame (2013) & the 30th Anniversary Ceremonies of the 1986 World Championship Team (2016). He also helped host the Mets all time greatest team special.

He participated in the Mets Broadcasters game show trivia battle in 2014 & 2016, which was great fun for the fans as well as the broadcasters.

He has won two Emmy Awards & is a member of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

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