Sportscaster Chris Berman is best known for his skill of commenting on sports, especially soccer, and work as an anchor on ESPN's Sportscenter.
Berman has also been recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, his peers, and countless other organizations for his exceptional contributions to sports broadcasting. Berman has been selected for the six times National Sportscaster of the Year (1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, and 2001) by the National Sports Media Association members.
Three years ago, on 9 May 2017, Chris Berman's wife, Katherine Berman, died due to a car crash influenced by alcohol.
Let's find out about Chris Berman.
Chris Berman's Wife, Katherine Berman, Died Due To A Drunk Car Crash
On 9 May 2017, Chris Berman's wife, Katherine Berman, died due to a car crash. She died along with another vehicle driver, 87-year-old Edward Bertulis, while returning from his wife's grave.
After one year of investigation, it was revealed that Katherine had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit when she crashed her car.
Chris Berman and his wife, Katherine Berman (©: tmz.com)
The state police investigation concluded that Berman was speeding, not maintaining her lane, and never applied the brakes before rear-ending a car driven by 87-year-old Edward Bertulis. Bertulis’s family has filed a lawsuit against the bar, alleging it continued to serve Berman while she was intoxicated.
The state police probe was closed with no charges filed because both drivers died in the crash.
The accident reconstruction team concluded she was traveling up to 82 mph at the time of the crash. The speed limit on that road is 45 mph. Police estimated Bertulius was driving about 30 mph when his car was struck. Toxicology tests revealed she had a blood/alcohol level of .26 — the legal limit in Connecticut is .08.
Besides, there were traces of strong medications in her system, including oxycodone and tramadol and anti-depressants, including citalopram.
Chris Berman Relieve The Moment of His Wife Fatal Crash
ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman has the worst moment when he found out his wife has been killed in a car crash.
Berman, 62, was at a Mets-Giants game in New York with his son Doug and his son's then-fiancee Clare on May 9 when his phone started buzzing, as he reveals in Adam Podcast. He knew that it was severe, and he picked up the phone.
Berman told the exact moment when he found out about the accident. He returned to his seat, where his son and son's fiance were enjoying as his birthday was on the next day.
Berman couldn't bring himself to break the news while they watched the game, and Berman says he still remembers every agonizing second sitting and entertaining his son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
After another inning, they left their seats for a quiet corner of Citi Field. He said that it was hard to tell his son about the car crash. The family then waited for Berman's daughter Meredith, who lives in Brooklyn, to pick them up to take them home to Connecticut.
Chris Berman Married Life And His Kids
Chris Berman's son Doug married Claire just after his wife Katherine passed away.
In an interview Chris's daughter Meredith had with the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon in August 2019, she opened up about being diagnosed with tongue cancer. She made it clear that the doctor couldn't help understand how she got cancer in her tongue.
She said that neither she is a smoker nor had the HPV virus. It was during her trip with her friends, and her tongue was swollen and painful. After returning, she has to take a painkiller, but nothing works out. She went to the doctor and found out about cancer, and she diagnosis a day after.
Talking about Chris's marriage with Katherine, in 1978, while driving a car, he first saw his future wife Katherine, and she was a couple ahead of him in Connecticut traffic. So Chris came out with a wild plan to get her attention, and he faked car trouble and waved her hand to help.
At that time, she was a 4th grade-school teacher. Four years after they first met, they got married in 1982 at the Inn on Lake Waramaug in New Preston, Connecticut. Both Chris and Kathy used their siblings at the wedding – her sister was her maid of honor, while his brother was the best man.
After marriage, Katherine left the teacher job to take care of her two children Doug and Meredith, and they were together for over 30 years.
Chris Berman Controversies
In 2015, ESPN settled a sexual harassment claim involving Chris Berman. The lawsuit was made by Sue Baumann, a makeup artist who claimed she had received inappropriate comments from Berman both inside the makeup room and through text messages.
ESPN's legal team decided to settle rather than take the matter through the court system, and they claimed that the harassment claims had "no merit." Although the settlement's exact sum was never revealed, many assumed that it was a significant figure.
In 2018, Berman was shrouded in controversy once again after a 2016 incident came to light. Chris allegedly left a "racially disparaging voicemail" for Jemele Hill, a well-known American sports journalist.
Chris also reportedly threatened her. Although Hill complained to senior ESPN executives, no action was taken to address the issue. Again, ESPN's legal team announced that the claims were "without merit," and Hill herself claimed that Berman had never made any racially disparaging comments to her.
The lawsuit was filed by Adrienne Lawrence, a woman who had been previously fired from her ESPN position.
Over the years, several critics have criticized Berman for inappropriate behavior or comments to women, although nothing concrete has ever been revealed due to these allegations.
Chris Berman Net Worth And Career
American Sportscaster Chris Berman has a net worth of $30 million. The sportscaster Berman reportedly earned a salary of $5 million. Berman has quite a recognization in the sports world. He has been selected for the six times National Sportscaster of the Year (1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, and 2001) by the National Sports Media Association members.
Previously, Berman worked as a weekend sports anchor at NBC News affiliate in Hartford. Later one month, in October 1979, Chris Berman joined ESPN. During his time at ESPN, he was famous for covering various NFL shows such as Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown. He was also renowned for hosting the Super Bowl in ABC sports.
In 2010, Chris Berman signed a deal with ESPN for a multi-year that will keep him long. The contract specified that Chris Berman would continue to host the NFL events for popular and additional golf, baseball, and other sports events.
In 2012, ESPN started to respond to Chris Berman's perceived drop in popularity. At the very least, he was becoming a polarizing figure. While many loved Berman's unique take on the sporting world, others seemed to think his jokes were outdated or even offensive. In particular, Chris Berman started to receive widespread criticism on social media platforms like Twitter.
Chris Berman's contract with ESPN was extended from 2010 to 2016. After his contract expired in 2016, he was on the verge of his retirement, and ESPN renewed his contract to reduce his work.
Chris Berman has received several national and international awards. He has won the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's(NASSA) National Sportscasters of the year six times in 1989,1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, and 2001.
Similarly, the American Sportscasters Association honor him thrice as the Sportscasters of the year - studio host; these are in 1995, 1997, and 1998. Berman also bagged the CableACE's Best sportscaster award thrice in 1987, 1988, and 1990.
Who Is Chris Berman?
Chris Berman was born on 10 May 1955 and hailed from Greenwich, also called Christopher James Berman.
His father was corporate executive vice president, whereas his mother, Peggy, worked as a Times Magazine reporter. Berman was inspired by his mother to work as a reporter. He was raised primarily in Irvington, New York.
After Chris graduate from high school, he enrolled in Brown University in 1977. During his period at Brown University, Berman had his first taste of journalism when he became the school's radio station's sports director.
He graduated with a degree in history from Brown University.