Growing up in the Hill neighborhood of St. Louis not far from future Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Garagiola went on to hit .257 during nine years in the majors.But it was after he stopped playing that his fortunes took off. He thrived as a glib baseball broadcaster and fixture on the Today show, leading to a nearly 30-year association with NBC. Garagiola won baseball’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting in 1991.
Joe Garagiola, 87, the Major League Baseball veteran best known for his affable personality and quick wit as a sports commentator, game show host and even latenight television personality, retired from broadcasting on Wednesday.
