Charlie Steiner (born July 17, 1949) is a sportscaster who has been working on the ESPN television show, Sportscenter, since the show began broadcasting in 1979. Steiner is also a radio talk show host at ESPN radio and he is the play by play commentator of the New York Yankees on the YES Network.
Apart from his knowledge of baseball, Steiner is also known for his knowledge of boxing, sport in which he has covered some major fights for Sportscenter. Steiner has been involved in many, often comical, situations during his tenure at the show, including one when Carl Lewis sang the national anthem at a New Jersey Nets NBA game, and Steiner, amused by hearing Lewis sing, apparently could not contain himself and began laughing during the Sportscenter show that night, not being able to stop himself until the show ended.
Steiner raised some eyebrows with his calling of Cal Ripken Jr's last game, with comments that made some question the legitimacy of Ripken's home run against the Seattle Mariners on Safeco Field that day. His comments during that game led some to think that Ripken might have been allowed by Mariners pitching to hit that home run, to go out in style.
Steiner was featured on one of the most famous Sportscenter television ads from their This is Sportscenter comical ads campaign. In 1999, amid fears of the Y2K situation, Steiner starred in a Sportscenter ad, where Sportscenter cast spoke about a contingency plan at ESPN's studios after Y2K, and Steiner was featured wearing a head band and screaming the phrase Follow me to freedom!!
