What Suzyn Waldman shared Monday afternoon at Binghamton University’s Events Center was a story of perseverance.

She was a woman in sports broadcasting when being a woman in sports broadcasting wasn’t cool.

Longtime radio voice of the New York Yankees, Waldman spoke of athletes who treated her dreadfully, colleagues who wouldn’t talk to her and WFAN listeners who sent her death threats.

Through it all, she persisted, blazed a trail for others to follow and said not enough progress has been made for women in her business, during BU’s Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon that was attended by more than 800 people.

“It’s not enough,” Waldman said. “This is my 16th year in the booth, there’s still just me. Jessica (Mendoza) does it once a week for ESPN, but it’s still just me.”

Serving as color commentator with John Sterling on Yankees’ broadcasts since 2005, she spoke of a 34-year career that at times has been beyond cruel for the Massachusetts native.

“To me, it was five minutes ago since I was spit on and had someone take my tapes and wreck them and had my own security detail at Yankee Stadium,” Waldman said. “It’s five minutes ago. I know it was a long time ago.”

As she climbed the ladder, Waldman took assignments no one else wanted. She disappointed sports writers by becoming one of the first people to bring recorders into locker rooms and play quotes from coaches and athletes following that night’s game, thereby making those comments stale by the time they appeared in newspapers the following morning.

Following the New York Mets’ 1986 World Series title, many of her colleagues wanted to cover the Mets the following season so she volunteered to do the Yankees.

When no one wanted to cover the Knicks following a 24-win season, she saw it as an opportunity in 1987 to cover first-year coach Rick Pitino.

Eventually, Waldman developed a relationship with then-Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and doors opened.

But more work is needed for female sports journalists, she said.

“I would still love it if someone who wasn’t blonde and beautiful could get a sideline reporting job and if they are blonde and beautiful, not being replaced when they’re 35,” she said.

A few other topics arose during a news conference before her speech.

Waldman spoke of her first meeting with Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter accident Sunday in California.

As a 17-year-old rookie, Bryant played his initial game at Madison Square Garden and hordes of media flocked to a news conference before the game, including Waldman. She couldn’t get close to Bryant but as the session ended, Bryant sought out Waldman and said, “Ma’am, do you need me for something?”

Waldman said she wanted to talk for a couple minutes and Bryant obliged.

“That was Kobe,” she said.

Asked about the grind of covering a 162-game major-league season and in many cases with the Yankees, playoffs that follow, Waldman said, “Sure, by August you want to kill everybody.”

She added, “What I try to do every day is find something different, try to keep it fresh.”

As for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in late-July at Cooperstown that will include former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, she said: “Jeter’s friends are from all over. We’re having bets whether Mick Jagger will come. He knows Mick Jagger. That will probably be the biggest (induction ceremony) of all time. It has to be. He’s another one who transcends sports. He’s bigger than life.”

And finally, of her career, Waldman said: “People in New York have heard my voice for 34 years and that’s a good thing, whether you like me or not.”

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