Eddie Andelman, Sports Huddle pioneer, dies at 89

Eddie Andelman, the longtime sports radio host who helped shape modern sports talk with his live call-in show “The Sports Huddle,” died Monday at 89. His children announced the death and recalled a 42-year broadcasting career, including raising more than $5 mi

Legendary sports radio broadcaster Eddie Andelman knew how to fill the air—and when the call-ins came in, the conversation rarely stayed small for long.

Andelman. who helped pioneer the modern-day sports talk radio format through his live call-in show “The Sports Huddle. ” died at the age of 89. His children announced his death Monday on social media. writing that Eddie Andelman “was loved by his wife of fifty seven years. worshipped by his sons. and adored by his grandchildren.” They also credited him with rising “from humble roots in Dorchester” to “great success in business and broadcasting. ” adding that “some call him the godfather of sports radio” and that “he certainly changed and elevated the sports radio game.”.

His broadcasting career began in 1969, when he started “The Sports Huddle” with friends Jim McCarthy and Mark Witkin. The show’s origin, as he described it, came after a local radio station owner overheard Andelman and his friends talking sports at a bar.

“The Sports Huddle” first aired on WUNR, a small Brookline-based station, before moving to WBZ, WEEI, and WHDH. What made the program different was the live. interactive feel it brought to the Boston-area airwaves—starting as a weekly Sunday night show and growing into a primetime weekday series that served as a template for the market.

By the time he stepped away, Andelman’s career included about 13,000 radio broadcasts, according to his Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame biography. He also appeared more than 1,200 times on TV. Andelman retired at the end of 2010.

That longevity was matched by humor and confidence in his own path. He told The Boston Globe, “One of the reasons I was successful in radio is because I never gave a damn if I was fired because I knew I could make a living doing something else.”

Outside the booth, Andelman’s work extended into commercial real estate development. He was also a Boston University graduate who obtained an MBA from Northeastern University.

Andelman’s legacy also lives in the fundraising efforts tied to his name. He created the annual Hot Dog Safari event in 1989 to highlight local restaurants and raise money for cystic fibrosis research. Through 21 Hot Dog Safaris. he helped raise more than $5 million for the Joey Fund. which works to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. Over the years. Andelman was named Jimmy Fund Man of the Year. Joey Fund Man of the Year. and Jewish Big Brother Man of the Year.

In the years after, his sons carried forward parts of his broadcasting tradition through the Phantom Gourmet restaurant review program.

In their social media tribute, Andelman’s sons wrote, “There would be no Phantom Gourmet without Eddie Andelman. His passion and pride in the work. down to earth and sometimes irreverent style. and the reverence for small business owners and hard working people only enriched our lives as well as many others as well.” They added. “We learned all that we do from our dad. He was one of a kind. He helped thousands and entertained millions.”.

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