The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced Thursday that Alabama football broadcaster Eli Gold will be the recipient of the 2019 NFF Chris Schenkel Award. He will officially be honored Dec. 10 during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown.

Presented annually since 1996, the award recognizes individuals who have had long, distinguished careers broadcasting college football with direct ties to a specific university. The award is named in honor of its inaugural recipient Chris Schenkel, the longtime ABC Sports broadcaster who emceed the NFF Annual Awards Dinner for 28 consecutive years from 1968 to 1995.

"Eli Gold has been the iconic 'Voice of the Crimson Tide' for more than 30 years, broadcasting some of the most memorable games for one of the most successful football programs in college football history," said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell in a release. "His calls of 'Touchdown Alabama!' are a familiar and beloved sound to the Crimson Tide faithful each fall. We are pleased to honor him with the 2019 NFF Chris Schenkel Award in recognition of his distinguished career."

Gold will enter his 31st season as the "Voice of the Crimson Tide" in 2019, having started his time calling Alabama football games in 1989. He also serves as the play-by-play commentator for Alabama basketball and hosts "Hey Coach & The Nick Saban Show" on the Crimson Tide Sports Network every Thursday during the football season.

With Gold on the call, the Crimson Tide have claimed six national titles in eight championship game appearances, nine SEC championships and bowl games in all but four of his 30 seasons.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Gold started his sports broadcasting career in 1972, working as a weekend sports reporter with the Mutual Broadcasting System.

Gold has handled various other play-by-play assignments over the years. He was the primary voice of NASCAR for 41 years before he stepped away from the auto-racing track.

Gold spent 12 years as a professional hockey announcer, including stints with the NHL's St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators, and he was the first play-by-play announcer for the UAB Blazers basketball team. He spent four years as the voice of the Birmingham Barons baseball team (AA Southern League), and he was named the Southern League's Broadcaster of the Year in 1983. Gold has called Arena Football League games for Comcast Sports, FOX Sports Net, NBC Sports and TNN, as well as NFL and college football bowl games on SportsUSA Radio.

A five-time Alabama Sportscaster of the Year, Gold is enshrined in the State of Alabama Sports and the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences halls of fame.

Gold becomes the fifth NFF Chris Schenkel Award recipient from a team currently in the SEC, joining Jack Cristil (Mississippi State - 1997), Larry Munson (Georgia - 2003), Jim Hawthorne (LSU - 2015) and Dave South (Texas A&M - 2018).

*** This information comes from a press release from the National Football Foundation.

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