America learned of John Lennon’s murder
from legendary broadcaster Howard Cosell during a Dec. 8, 1980 Monday
Night Football broadcast.
If you’re old enough to remember this,
you’re probably old enough to remember where you were when it happened.
But you might not remember who was playing that night: The New England
Patriots and the Miami Dolphins.
December 1980: A man and woman among the crowd in Central Park,
New York, who have gathered to mourn the death of John Lennon. The man
holds a picture of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in bed during one of their
'love-in' peace protests
The Patriots were on third down with four yards to go. Co-host Frank
Gifford transitioned from calling the game to setting up Cosell to
deliver the news. Perhaps Gifford knew America needed to hear this from
Cosell. “Time out is called. Three seconds
remaining. John Smith is on the line. I don’t care what’s on the line
Howard. You have got to say what we know in the booth,” said Gifford.”
Cosell took the ball. “We have to say it. Remember this is just a
football game. No matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy
confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon. Outside of
his apartment building on the West Side of New York City. The most
famous perhaps of all of The Beatles. Shot twice in the back. Rushed to
Roosevelt Hospital,” Cosell said.
He delivered the next three words as if spitting them against a hard wind. “Dead. On. Arrival.”
The consummate professional then returned
to the job – but not before putting it in context with an incredibly
efficient sentence that few broadcasters living or dead would be able to
construct on the fly. “Hard to go back to the game after that news flash, which in duty bound, we had to take.”
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