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Originally Posted by affirmedny
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Not sure why you've made a big deal about what Andy said, but you did. Things never seem to close. Ain't no biggie but weird nonetheless.
The link and press release you provided did have an error, I guarantee it.
Yes in 1979 NYRA had an Announcer's Contest. Why? I do not know because NYRA already had Marshall Cassidy as the main man and an extremely talented and capable backup in Frank Dwyer. (There was also a 3rd announcer in those days. Only a few today will remember him and his name was Bill Johnson. He was needed only in dire circumstances and may have called only 1-2 races a year, usually the last race on a Sunday.)
The Announcer's Contest came down to two people, John Imbriale and Larry Lederman.
John Imbriale did NOT win the contest, Larry Lederman won!
Larry Lederman was offered the NYRA job for winning the contest but turned it down for a few reasons, namely, and in no particular order: the salary was too low; Larry was already the call taker for the Daily Racing Form under Jack Wilson and didn't want to quit that job, and finally, he also worked for his father-in-law in the family candy business.
John Imbriale then took the job at the NYRA press office and served as a media relations rep for Chris Scherf and soon after, Steve Schwartz and even later, Glen Mathes.
John Imbriale should have been named the main announcer many times over in the past few decades, imo. A big NYRA error but gladly they eventually came to their senses. Better late than never.
