orig. Melvin Allen Israel
born Feb. 14, 1913, Birmingham, Ala., U.S.
died June 16, 1996, Greenwich, Conn.
U.S. sports broadcaster.
As lead announcer for the New York Yankees baseball team (1940–64), he was known for his congeniality and his catchphrase "How about that!" He hosted the television program This Week in Baseball (1977–95). In 1978 Allen and Red Barber became the first broadcasters elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.