Louis John Puma (November 5, 1935 – October 18, 2019), known professionally as Lou Palmer, was an American sportscaster. Palmer was an employee at ESPN from 1978 (one year before the network launched on cable television) to 1985. He covered many top sports events and was a ''

SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...

'' anchor and reporter. He was also one of the original studio anchors at WFAN, New York City, the nation's first All Sports Radio Station. Lou lived in Wellington, Florida, a suburb of West Palm Beach, where he ran an Adult Amateur Baseball League (founded 1992). He was a public address announcer for

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

games in Jupiter, Florida and Port St. Lucie, Florida, and worked in several baseball tournaments for NABA (

National Adult Baseball Association The National Adult Baseball Association (NABA) is an adult, amateur baseball organization, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It offers competitive and recreational baseball for players in over 125 leagues in over 40 U.S. states. Over 25,000 pla ...

). He was also the official scorer in

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

games for the St. Louis Cardinals beginning in 1998. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Palmer attended

Barringer High School Barringer Academy of the Arts & Humanities (formerly Barringer High School and Newark High School), is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Newark, in Essex County, New Jersey, United ...

and played college baseball at Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey and professionally in the farm systems of the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

and Chicago White Sox.Lou Puma
Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed February 23, 2022. "High School: Barringer HS (Newark, NJ) School: Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ)" Palmer died on October 18, 2019 at the age of 83.

References

1935 births 2019 deaths American sports announcers American reporters and correspondents Barringer High School alumni Baseball players from Florida Baseball players from Newark, New Jersey Deaths from lung cancer in Florida Duluth-Superior White Sox players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) commentators People from Wellington, Florida Selma Cloverleafs players Seton Hall Pirates baseball players {{US-radio-bio-stub