As the World Series approaches, we’re reminded of nostalgic baseball history just as much as the next game we’ll shift our schedules to watch.
Take for example the historic Cal Ripken/A-Rod SS switch at the 2001 MLB All Star Game. Did you know that Robert Steinfeld, a 10-time Emmy award winning sports television producer, planted the idea in A-Rod’s head? A-Rod then passed the idea along to the team’s manager Joe Torre, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Steinfeld describes this moment and many others in detail in his new book, 3…2…1…We’re On the Air: An Inside Look at Sports Television, Journalism, and Gender Equity (TCU Press, October 22, 2024).
With a 40+ year-career in sports television, Steinfeld’s heart is cemented in home run culture, and his stories and achievements are Hall of Fame worthy in their own right. His book alone includes endorsements from Bob Costas, Jim Nantz and NY Times Best-Selling Author of “The Baseball 100” Joe Posnanski, and much more.
3…2…1…We’re On the Air covers…….
***The Cal Ripken/A-Rod SS switch at the 2001 MLB All Star Game, described as one of the top 10 moments in ASG history and thought to be A-Rod’s idea (Steinfeld will debunk that).
***Producing the first-ever MLB game featured on ESPN.
***Directing – and being the first person to direct – “two” perfect games: Mike Witt’s in 1984 and Kenny Rogers in 1994. There have only been “24” official perfect games in MLB history.
***Directing Nolan Ryan’s 5,000th strikeout game on August 22, 1989 on Home Sports Entertainment – a regional sports network in Texas.
***Producing Nolan Ryan’s historic 300th win telecast for ESPN on July 31, 1990.
***Masterminding and producing a series of baseball instructional videos with MLB Pitching Coach Tom House which included Nolan Ryan’s Fastball Instructional Video with Randy Johnson shot on Ryan’s high school field in Alvin, TX.
Bob Steinfeld is a 10-time Emmy award winning sports television producer, the Executive Producer of the WNBA Dallas Wings, and the author of 3…2…1…We’re On the Air.
Since his career started in the early 1980’s, he has covered Major League Baseball; NBA, WNBA and college basketball; college football; NCAA Championship events; World Cup Soccer; the Cotton Bowl Classic for four decades; and three summer Olympic Games. He’s produced and or directed for ESPN, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox Sports networks, Bally Sports, the NBA and more. In addition to his Emmy Awards and additional five nominations, he’s received a national Cable Ace Award nomination for Outstanding Programming Achievement; five Telly Awards and more. He’s produced five highly- successful and critically acclaimed baseball pitching instructional videos – including Nolan Ryan’s Fastball with Randy Johnson.
He and his wife, Sarah, have two children, Elaine and Lee (AKA Leonhart on YouTube) plus two grandchildren.