Early Life

Costas was born on March 22, 1952, grew up in Commack, New York, and was born in Queens, New York City. Jayne (Quinlan), an Irishwoman, and John George Costas, a Greek-American electrical engineer. His father's ancestors originated on the Greek island of Kalymnos in the Aegean Sea. Costas had a strained relationship with his father, as he revealed on Ken Burns' Baseball. Costas attended Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, after graduating from Commack High School South. In 1974, he earned a communications degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Career

Costas began his professional career in 1973 while still pursuing his communications degree at Syracuse's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, at WSYR TV and radio. While at Syracuse University, he worked as an announcer for the Syracuse Blazers, a minor-league hockey team that competed in the Eastern Hockey League and the North American Hockey League.

Costas went to KMOX radio in St. Louis, Missouri, after graduating in 1974 at 22. He called play-by-play for the Spirits of St. Louis of the American Basketball Association in 1974. He was a significant contributor to the ABA book Loose Balls: The American Basketball Association's Short, Wild Life. On a variety of themes, he is frequently quoted. The book includes his observations about ABA life during his time as the Spirits of St. Louis radio voice.

Costas would call Missouri Tigers basketball and co-host KMOX's Open Line call-in show later in his career. During the 1979–1980 NBA season, he worked as a play-by-play announcer for WGN-Chicago TV's Bulls broadcasts. Costas worked as a fill-in play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Blues on KMOX from 1978 to 1981, while regular play-by-play announcer Dan Kelly was absent. From 1976 to 1979, he worked for CBS Sports as a regional CBS NFL and CBS NBA broadcaster before moving to NBC.

NBC Sports Network

NBC employed Costas in 1980. Don Ohlmeyer, who managed the network's sports division at the time, informed Costas, then 28, that he looked like a 14-year-old. During an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Costas would recite this anecdote. Costas' small stature (he stands at 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) and boyish, baby-faced appearance prompted Ohlmeyer's reaction.

Costas hosted NBC's National Football League and NBA coverage for many years. He also worked as a play-by-play announcer for the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Costas also became the host of the new monthly interview show Costas Tonight, which debuted with the launch of the NBC Sports Network.

Boxing

On March 30, 2015, it was reported that Costas would join Marv Albert (blow-by-blow) and Al Michaels (host) on NBC's primetime PBC on NBC boxing series on April 11, 2015.

Costas was recruited as a special contributor for the event from Brooklyn's Barclays Center. He'd narrate and write a piece about New York City's illustrious boxing history.

Personal life

Costas was married to Carole "Randy" Randall Krummenacher from 1983 to 2001. Keith (born 1986) and Taylor (born 1989) was their two children (born 1989). Costas jokingly promised Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins that he would name the infant Kirby if he were hitting over.350 by the time his child was born. Kirby was batting over.350, but Bob's son was not named Kirby as a first (or second) name. When Puckett informed him of the deal, Costas' birth certificate was altered to "Keith Michael Kirby Costas."

Costas married Jill Sutton, his second wife, on March 12, 2004. Costas and his wife now live primarily in New York, and while Costas was born and raised in the city, he has frequently stated that St. Louis is his birthplace.

Keith Costas, an associate producer on MLB Network's MLB Tonight, and Taylor Costas, an assistant producer on NBC's coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics, have received Sports Emmys.