Via the Orlando Magic:
Orlando Magic Television Play-by-Play Announcer David Steele was named the Florida Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA), Executive Director Dave Goren announced today. The award marks the first of Steele’s broadcasting career.
Steele is in his 21st season with Orlando Magic basketball and his 12th as the television play-by-play announcer, calling the action for Sun Sports and FOX Sports Florida. He was named as the television play-by-play voice for the Magic in March of 1998 after handling radio play-by-play duties for the team’s first nine seasons. In addition to his Magic responsibilities, Steele handles play-by-play for Sun Sports telecasts of University of Florida football.
A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Steele’s professional broadcasting career began in 1975 as sports director for WJHG-TV in Panama City, Fla. He also served as sports director at WLOS-TV in Asheville, NC and was the football/basketball play-by-play announcer at Western Carolina University.
Steele, along with the other 106 winners of the State Sportscaster and Sportswriter of the Year Awards, will be honored at the NSSA Awards Banquet May 3 in Salisbury, NC. Also at the awards banquet, baseball’s Peter Gammons and football’s John Madden will be inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, while National Sportscaster of the Year Jim Nantz of CBS Sports and National Sportswriter of the Year Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe will also be honored.
