sports »

LUNCH IS SPECIAL

Bless You, Al

Steve Stein | Contributing Writer

S

portscaster Al Ackerman was
“must-watch television” in
Detroit in the 1960s, 1970s and

WDIV

1980s.
Ackerman spiced his broadcasts with
tough, fair reporting, probing questions
during interviews, and opinions that
were often biting and
reflected what fans
were thinking. His
favorite targets were
the woeful Detroit
Lions and its general
manager who could
do nothing right,
Russ Thomas.
Al Ackerman
But he also coined
the phrase “Bless You Boys” that
became the slogan of the 1984 World
Champion Detroit Tigers, and he rang
a small bell during his sportscast each
time the Tigers won that season.
Ackerman was inducted into the
Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
in 1997, along with tennis star Aaron
Krickstein and boxing manager and
promoter Jackie Kallen. He called it one
of his greatest honors.
Detroit lost a journalism icon last
week when Ackerman died at age 90 in
Florida.
Jim Berk and Mort Meisner worked
with Ackerman, who spent a combined
25 years at WXYZ-Channel 7 and
WDIV-Channel 4.
Berk was a sports
reporter and anchor
at Channel 4 and
Meisner was assign-
ment editor at
Channel 7 when they
were colleagues with
Ackerman.
Jim Berk
“I marveled at
Al’s dedication to journalism and his
bravery. He told it like it is,” Berk said.
“What’s interesting is Al’s commentaries
were better suited for radio than televi-
sion. He was one of a kind.
“He was a great guy to work for
because I respected him so much. I was
happy when I could get him a scoop or
sound bite that nobody else had.”
Channel 4 had an all-Jewish sports
team when Berk arrived in Detroit in
1983. The others were Ackerman, Don
Shane and Eli Zaret.
Ackerman left Channel 4 in 1986,
replaced by Bernie Smilovitz. Berk left
the station in 1987, had several other
broadcast media jobs in the area and
is now a personal trainer and exercise
teacher and was a 2015 silver medalist

in swimming in the National Senior
Games.
Meisner said he worked with
Ackerman at Channel 7 in the late
1970s before Ackerman departed and
was replaced as sports director by Dave
Diles.
“Al was a true
sports journalist,
as Dave Diles was,”
Meisner said. “They
were legendary guys.
Viewers today don’t
know what they’re
missing.”
Mort Meisner
Meisner said the
Pontiac Silverdome,
home of the Lions, was part of
Ackerman’s frequent diatribes about the
Lions and Thomas.
“He refused to call the Silverdome by
its name. He called it the plastic dome,”
he said.
Ackerman was a character. One of
his most memorable on-air moments at
Channel 7 involved Meisner.
“Al got mad at me one night because
I had to take his sports camera crew
away for breaking news, a fatal fire,”
Meisner said. “He came into my office
and attacked me in a profane-laden
diatribe.
“He left my office, and I followed
him into his office, demanding an apol-
ogy. We were both half-mad and half-
laughing.”
Why the mixed emotions?
“Al knew what a big sports fan I was,
but he also knew I had to take away his
crew,” Meisner said.
Meisner wouldn’t let Ackerman out of
the office, so Ackerman started climb-
ing out a window. But the window fell
on Ackerman’s hand, Meisner said,
rupturing tendons or ligaments on a
middle finger.
Ackerman needed surgery to repair
the damage, but he was back on the air
in a couple of days.
At the end of yet another critical
commentary on the Lions, Meisner
said, Ackerman held up his bandaged
finger and said, “this is for you,” direct-
ed at the Lions.
Needless to say, that got Ackerman in
trouble with the station bosses. But he
blamed Meisner for the incident, say-
ing it never would have happened if he
hadn’t had the argument with Meisner.
Meisner is now of Huntington
Woods-based Mort Meisner Associates,
best known for representing and plac-
ing broadcast news talent.

*

Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

Pick any two items
from our not
famous yet salads,
sandwiches,
and soups for only

$

10!

'PS$BSSZPVUQMFBTFDBMMtUIFNBQMFUIFBUFSDPN

Proudly
Serving:

8.BQMF3PBEt#MPPNýFME)JMMTø

5IF"SUPG'JMNt5IF"SUPG'PPE

HAVE YOUR NEXT OUTING AT THE MAPLE KITCHEN

Planning a special event?
5IF.BQMF,JUDIFOJTBHSFBUQMBDFGPSB4VOEBZ
#SVODIUPHBUIFSXJUIGSJFOETGBNJMZ8FDBO
BSSBOHFQSJWBUFFWFOUTGPSQFPQMF
'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPO QMFBTFDPOUBDU
SVUI!UIFNBQMFUIFBUFSDPN
PSøDBMM

'PSøUIF#&45-6963:NPWJFFYQFSJFODF

DIFDLPVU THE

RIVIERA.

t-VYVSZ3FDMJOJOH4FBUT
t4UBUFPGUIF"SU1SPKFDUJPO4PVOE
t'SFF4UZMF$PDB$PMBNBDIJOFT
with 100+ fl avors
t)PU'SFTI#VUUFSFEQPQDPSO
t.BEFUPPSEFS1J[[B
 $IJDLFO5FOEFST /BDIPT 
and more!

t is
This sea r you!
o
waiting f

For showtimes and to purchase tickets, please visit therivieracinema.com

(SBOE3JWFS"WFOVF 'BSNJOHUPO)JMMT

(off of 9 mile, just West of Middlebelt)

Have a FREE
small popcorn on us!

Valid at The Maple & The Riviera
Expires 6/30/16

June 16 • 2016

55

