Howard Cosell's - "Little Monkey" Comments - History In Context

On September 5, 1983, during the season opening Monday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins, Howard Cosell made a second comment using the words "little monkey." In that game, Redskins wide receiver (#89) Alvin Garrett was playing a great game, and following Garrett's 6th pass reception while still in the first quarter, Howard Cosell commented to Don Meredith, "Joe Gibbs wanted to get this kid [from the N.Y. Giants] and that little monkey gets loose doesn't he?" Don Meredith hesitatingly responded, "He certainly.... he certainly does as a matter of fact." 


Because on this second occurrence, the focus of Cosell's "little monkey" comment happened to be toward an African-American (Black) player, a media uproar ensued. One man, the Reverend Joseph Lowery, then president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Southern Christian Leadership Conference, denounced Cosell's comment as racist and demanded a public apology, even despite support from other Black personalities like Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, Jesse Jackson, Bill Cosby and even Redskins Alvin Garrett himself.  Garrett commented that he was pleased just to receive the notoriety and media attention.  In Cosell's book, "I Never Played the Game," in a chapter entitled "Monkey Business," Cosell wrote that he often and regularly used the term "little monkey" as a term of endearment for his own grandchildren.  Garrett was also referred to as one of the two "Smurfs" and a member of the Redskins "Fun Bunch."

Joe Theismann passed for 325 yards, and Danny White countered by throwing 75-yard and 51-yard touchdown passes to Tony Hill.  Tony Dorsett rushed for 151 yards, including a 77-yard run.  The Dallas Cowboys exciting 31-30 comeback victory over the Washington Redskins was completely over-shadowed by the media reaction to Howard Cosell's comment.

"LITTLE MONKEY" COMMENT FACTS:
1.  Howard Cosell never said, "Look at that little monkey run" on Monday Night Football (MNF).
2.  Howard Cosell never said, "Look at that little monkey run" about Washington Redskins wide-receiver Alvin Garrett.
3.  Howard Cosell did say, "Joe Gibbs wanted that kid, and that little monkey gets loose doesn't he" when referring to Washington Redskins wide receiver Alvin Garrett during a Monday Night Football (MNF) game on September 5th, 1983 between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.
4.  Howard Cosell did say, "Look at that little monkey run!" referring to Kansas City Chiefs running back Mike Adamle in the July 29, 1972 "Hall of Fame" game at Fawcett Stadium in Canton Ohio.


CONCLUSIONS:
            Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, and Don Meredith made Monday Night Football memorable, and the memories of the early years of Monday Night Football are still widely talked about.  The legendary sports broadcasting team of Cosell, Meredith, and Gifford were together less than five years, but the aura of that trio remains larger than life.  A unique chemistry existed among them, often with a tension in the booth that equaled that of the playing field combatants.  Over the years enemies became friends, and friend became enemies. It was that volatile chemistry of early personalities that made Monday Night Football legendary.

            Cosell became a legendary figure not despite the fact, but because of the fact that he was admittedly verbose, arrogant, egotistical, and outspoken about controversial issues.   Add to these attributes his intelligence, work ethic, social commitment, and ability to entertain us and you have the definition of Howard Cosell. 

            Howard Cosell had a very strong (positive) civil rights record.  Howard Cosell both delighted and infuriated listeners. He was probably simultaneously the most popular and the most disliked sportscaster of the era.  Often imitated, but never duplicated, he was actually a sports genius.  Best known for his role with ABC's "Monday Night Football," Cosell was a graduate in law from New York University, was a TV producer, author and lecturer as well as sportscaster.  Whether you loved Cosell or hated him, you knew he was a man of his convictions who would prove true to his word.  He was certainly not a racist.  We are not likely to experience this same level of color-commentary genius ever again.  As Howard Cosell would say, that's "Telling it like it is." 






Book References:

Excerpt from Roone Arledge's book: ROONE - A Memoir (link)

Excerpt from Howard Cosell's book: "I Never Played The Game" (link)


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