Gary Cohen

Lore & Background

Cohen grew up in the Kew Gardens neighborhood of Queens. He developed an early passion for the New York Mets when the team moved to Shea Stadium in 1964, and became a regular attendee at games. He closely followed the Mets' World Series victory in 1969 and, as a teenager, attended games on his own during their 1973 pennant run. He first developed an interest in sports broadcasting while listening to Mets radio announcer Bob Murphy, and came to idolize Marv Albert. Cohen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Columbia University in 1980. He began his broadcasting career with WKCR Sports, where he did play-by-play for baseball, football and men's basketball, and also announced men's soccer games with future presidential adviser and Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos.

In Their Own Story

The booth lights dimmed slightly as dusk settled over Flushing Meadows. Gary Cohen adjusted his headset, the familiar scent of stale coffee and fresh paper filling the small space. Below, the stadium buzzed with anticipation for Opening Day. He took a breath, feeling the weight of forty years of history resting on his shoulders. As the pitcher wound up, he didn't just call the pitch; he called the memory of every similar moment that had come before.

Reader's Guide

Cohen currently calls Mets games for SNY and WPIX, as well as Seton Hall basketball games on WMCA and WNYM. He is famous for his baritone voice and signature calls, most notably 'It's outta here!' for home runs. Prior to joining the Mets' broadcast team in 1989, he worked as the voice of the minor league Spartanburg Spinners (1983–1984), Durham Bulls (1986), and Pawtucket Red Sox (1987–1988). He also called ice hockey and basketball games for Providence College from 1988 to 1989, and football for Brown University in 1987. Along with his work with the Mets, Cohen has called postseason MLB games for ESPN Radio and CBS Radio. He has called men's college basketball games for many years, starting with St. John's on WFAN from 1995 to 2002, and later Seton Hall games. He also served as a backup announcer on New York Rangers radio broadcasts, called Olympic hockey at the 1992, 1994, and 1998 Winter Olympics, and NCAA tournament games for Westwood One. In September 2022, Cohen pre-recorded announcements for the MTA New York City Subway 7 line, along with Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling. On November 9, 2005, it was announced that Cohen would become the play-by-play announcer for SNY; as part of the agreement, he also calls about 25 Mets games per year on WPIX with analysts Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez. He is known for his vivid and succinct description of game action, his smooth baritone voice, corny joking with former broadcast partner Howie Rose, and his sometimes biting but well-informed baseball commentary.

Did You Know?

• Cohen was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame on June 3, 2023.
• In May 2024, Cohen received an honorary doctoral degree from Seton Hall and delivered a commencement speech.
• Cohen is Jewish and lives in Connecticut with his wife, Lynn Cohen, and has five children.