Eddie Andelman, a longtime Boston broadcaster widely credited with helping pioneer the sports talk radio format, has died at the age of 89.
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His family announced his death Tuesday, via CBS.
Andelman spent more than four decades in broadcasting and was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011. He became a familiar voice to sports fans throughout New England and was often referred to as the "godfather of sports radio."
In 1969, Andelman helped launch "Sports Huddle" on WEEI, an interactive program that allowed listeners to call in and discuss sports. The show became one of the earliest and most influential examples of sports talk radio, helping pave the way for the format's growth across the United States.
The Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame said Andelman "virtually invented the sports talk radio format," noting that the show's popularity eventually led to expanded programming and helped inspire the all-sports radio stations that followed.
Beyond broadcasting, Andelman was known for his charitable efforts. In 1989, he launched the Hot Dog Safari, an annual event that later became a Boston tradition. Over the years, the event helped raise millions of dollars for cystic fibrosis research through the Joey Fund.
Born and raised in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, Andelman built a career that spanned generations of sports fans and broadcasters.
In a statement, his family described him as a devoted husband, father and grandfather whose influence extended well beyond radio.
Andelman is survived by his wife of 57 years, his children and grandchildren.
