Anita Marie Martini (March 3, 1939 - July 10, 1993) was an American sports journalist and broadcaster. She was the first woman to cover a Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game (1973) and the first female journalist allowed into a baseball locker room (after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros at the Astrodome to win the pennant in 1974).[1][2] Based in Houston for most of her career, Martini worked for radio and television stations in the city from the mid-1960s until shortly before her death.
Martini was born in Galveston, Texas, where her father operated the holding corporation of the historic Martini Theater at 524 Moody Avenue.[3] She was exposed to baseball as a young child; her uncle, Buck Fausett, was a professional baseball player, and she would often accompany him to ballparks.[4] She was educated at Ursuline Academy, a local private school. Later, she attended Ball High School, the public high school in Galveston.[5] For college, she went to Columbia, Missouri, where she studied for an associate degree in journalism from Stephens College. She got married and moved to Houston after that, but was soon divorced.[3]
Career
By the 1960s, Martini worked for and then owned a Houston publication called FUN Magazine.[4] Her broadcast career began in 1965,[6] and she worked mostly for Houston stations, spending 14 years at KPRC Radio and also appearing on KPRC-TV, KHTV (Channel 39), and KULF Radio.[7] She was the first woman in a major radio market to co-host a sports talk show (with Mike Edmonds on KPRC Radio, 1972-1979 and 1986-1991).[8]
For the first several years of Martini's career, no woman from the media had ever been admitted into a men's locker room in professional sports. At the Astrodome, women were also not allowed on the playing field or in the dining room. Late in the 1974 baseball season, after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros to win the National League pennant, Martini lined up with male reporters to enter the Dodgers locker room. Predictably, Martini was initially refused access.[3] She asked to speak with Dodgers manager Walter Alston, and Alston allowed her to come into the locker room. Martini conducted interviews that day with Alston and with Dodgers players Steve Garvey and Jimmy Wynn. A lawsuit was later filed against MLB that established the rights of female reporters to enter baseball's locker rooms, but Martini was not involved in the suit.[3]
Martini had a long tenure in Houston, but in a 1975 interview with Sports Illustrated, she expressed disappointment at not getting a chance at a national broadcasting job: "What burns me is the networks are looking for women to accomplish something their men haven't done yet," she says. "I'm not capable of doing a perfect game, but neither is any man."[9] In 1976, Martini interviewed with ABC to broadcast the station's backup game each week, but the network selected former MLB pitcher Bob Gibson. She asked some questions for a 1990 ESPN special, but she was not seen on camera.[10]
With her partner, Nelda Peña, Martini ran a public relations firm that promoted both sports-related and non-sports-related entities.[9]
Death
Martini was diagnosed with brain cancer[4] and underwent brain surgery in April 1989.[11] She experienced partial paralysis on one side of her body after the procedure, but she hosted a radio show from the hospital the day after her surgery. In a January 1990 article in The Galveston Daily News, she was described as "doing fine now."[3]
Martini's health took a turn for the worse around May 1993, and she died of cancer in July of that year.[2] She was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.[12]
References
^Footer, Alyson (8 July 2005). "Notes: Club clarifies rotation changes". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
^ ab"Anita Martini; Sports Journalist, 54". NY Times. NY Times. July 11, 1993. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
^"The Story of Anita Martini". YouTube. Houston Sports. December 19, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2017. The Jackie Robinson of women's sports
^ abKirkpatrick, Curry (April 21, 1975). "Getting into the picture". Sports Illustrated.
^Craig, Jack (July 16, 1993). "Martini blazed trail for women". The Boston Globe. p. 34.
^"Woman sportscaster Martini dies". UPI. July 10, 1993. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
^McLane, Paul (July 6, 2015). "Texas Radio Hall of Fame Names New Inductees". Radioworld. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
February 08, 2023
anita, martini, anita, marie, martini, march, 1939, july, 1993, american, sports, journalist, broadcaster, first, woman, cover, major, league, baseball, star, game, 1973, first, female, journalist, allowed, into, baseball, locker, room, after, angeles, dodgers. Anita Marie Martini March 3 1939 July 10 1993 was an American sports journalist and broadcaster She was the first woman to cover a Major League Baseball MLB All Star Game 1973 and the first female journalist allowed into a baseball locker room after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros at the Astrodome to win the pennant in 1974 1 2 Based in Houston for most of her career Martini worked for radio and television stations in the city from the mid 1960s until shortly before her death Anita MartiniBorn 1939 03 03 March 3 1939Galveston TexasDiedJuly 10 1993 1993 07 10 aged 54 Houston TexasResting placeCalvary Catholic Cemetery Galveston TXOccupationSports journalistKnown forFirst female journalist admitted to a major league baseball team s locker room Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 ReferencesEarly life EditMartini was born in Galveston Texas where her father operated the holding corporation of the historic Martini Theater at 524 Moody Avenue 3 She was exposed to baseball as a young child her uncle Buck Fausett was a professional baseball player and she would often accompany him to ballparks 4 She was educated at Ursuline Academy a local private school Later she attended Ball High School the public high school in Galveston 5 For college she went to Columbia Missouri where she studied for an associate degree in journalism from Stephens College She got married and moved to Houston after that but was soon divorced 3 Career EditBy the 1960s Martini worked for and then owned a Houston publication called FUN Magazine 4 Her broadcast career began in 1965 6 and she worked mostly for Houston stations spending 14 years at KPRC Radio and also appearing on KPRC TV KHTV Channel 39 and KULF Radio 7 She was the first woman in a major radio market to co host a sports talk show with Mike Edmonds on KPRC Radio 1972 1979 and 1986 1991 8 For the first several years of Martini s career no woman from the media had ever been admitted into a men s locker room in professional sports At the Astrodome women were also not allowed on the playing field or in the dining room Late in the 1974 baseball season after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros to win the National League pennant Martini lined up with male reporters to enter the Dodgers locker room Predictably Martini was initially refused access 3 She asked to speak with Dodgers manager Walter Alston and Alston allowed her to come into the locker room Martini conducted interviews that day with Alston and with Dodgers players Steve Garvey and Jimmy Wynn A lawsuit was later filed against MLB that established the rights of female reporters to enter baseball s locker rooms but Martini was not involved in the suit 3 Martini had a long tenure in Houston but in a 1975 interview with Sports Illustrated she expressed disappointment at not getting a chance at a national broadcasting job What burns me is the networks are looking for women to accomplish something their men haven t done yet she says I m not capable of doing a perfect game but neither is any man 9 In 1976 Martini interviewed with ABC to broadcast the station s backup game each week but the network selected former MLB pitcher Bob Gibson She asked some questions for a 1990 ESPN special but she was not seen on camera 10 With her partner Nelda Pena Martini ran a public relations firm that promoted both sports related and non sports related entities 9 Death EditMartini was diagnosed with brain cancer 4 and underwent brain surgery in April 1989 11 She experienced partial paralysis on one side of her body after the procedure but she hosted a radio show from the hospital the day after her surgery In a January 1990 article in The Galveston Daily News she was described as doing fine now 3 Martini s health took a turn for the worse around May 1993 and she died of cancer in July of that year 2 She was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2015 12 References Edit Footer Alyson 8 July 2005 Notes Club clarifies rotation changes MLB com Major League Baseball Retrieved March 13 2017 a b Anita Martini Sports Journalist 54 NY Times NY Times July 11 1993 Retrieved March 13 2017 a b c d e Bailey Mike January 28 1990 On top of her game The Galveston Daily News p 1 C a b c Luna Richard October 20 1990 Women Sportscaster Anita Martini continues fight for women UPI Retrieved February 20 2019 Ball HS dedicates Radio TV Station to Anita Martini ABC13 Houston October 25 2017 Retrieved February 20 2019 Creedon Pamela 1994 Women Media and Sport Sage Publications p 133 ISBN 9780803952348 Moreno Jr Manuel July 14 1993 An all star tribute The Galveston Daily News p B1 The Story of Anita Martini YouTube Houston Sports December 19 2016 Retrieved March 13 2017 The Jackie Robinson of women s sports a b Kirkpatrick Curry April 21 1975 Getting into the picture Sports Illustrated Craig Jack July 16 1993 Martini blazed trail for women The Boston Globe p 34 Woman sportscaster Martini dies UPI July 10 1993 Retrieved February 20 2019 McLane Paul July 6 2015 Texas Radio Hall of Fame Names New Inductees Radioworld Retrieved March 14 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anita Martini amp oldid 1134830916, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
