Eric Gallanty — a Staples Class of 2011 grad, and Syracuse University senior — has won a great award. The Sportscasters Talent Agency of America just named him the nation’s outstanding collegiate sports broadcaster.
“Eric does both TV and radio play-by-play,” says STAA CEO Jon Chelesnik. “When I watched his football, I had to double-check that Eric was still in school. He is fabulous.”
Nice — but “06880”-worthy? Isn’t that a little, um, “inside baseball”?
Normally. Except for this: The former WWPT-FM and Staples Television Network star’s honor is the Jim Nantz Award. It’s named for the veteran CBS Sports broadcaster — who was a longtime Westport resident.
Eric Gallanty (left) and Jim Nantz.
Next month’s awards ceremony in North Carolina will not be the first time Gallanty and Nantz’s paths cross. A few years ago, while still in Staples, Gallanty and 2 other rising broadcasters — DJ Sixsmith and Brandon Edelson — were invited by Nantz to lunch at Gold’s.
They expected a quick bite. But he spent 2 hours with them, talking about sports and TV.
Perhaps one day Eric and Jim will share something even more exciting than an award (and a pastrami sandwich): a broadcast booth.