TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Eli Gold, the radio voice of the Alabama Crimson Tide for more than 30 years, will not be behind the microphone for a while, and miss at least the start of the 2022 football season.
The 68-year-old will be sidelined due to health issues. There's no timetable for his return, which a source close to the situation indicated could be anywhere from weeks to months.
Jim Carabin, vice president and general manager of Crimson Tide Sports Marketing, made the formal announcement Wednesday morning. Chris Stewart will fill in for Gold for games and also host the “The Nick Saban Show” and “Hey, Coach” radio broadcasts.
“Eli has done a fantastic job of being the voice of our iconic brand at the University of Alabama for a long, long time,” Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban said Wednesday afternoon. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and we certainly hope that he has a speedy recovery.
“He’s a good friend. He's been a great ambassador for the University of Alabama, and we appreciate all he's done, more than you know.”
Gold started calling Alabama football games in 1988. He's also served as the play-by-play commentator for Alabama basketball on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
In 2019, he was honored with the Chris Schenkel Award at the National Football Foundation’s 62nd Annual Awards Dinner. Presented annually since 1996, the award recognizes individuals who have had long, distinguished careers broadcasting college football with direct ties to a specific university
"It’s a remarkable honor," Gold said at the time. "Any time you get any kind of a career or a lifetime achievement award it’s so flattering and just so unbelievable. You know, I never could have imagined anything like this as a kid growing up in New York City.