Education
In 1947, Cristil studied Broadcast Journalism at the University of Minnesota before moving back home to Memphis.
In 1947, Cristil studied Broadcast Journalism at the University of Minnesota before moving back home to Memphis.
Over his 58-year tenure (1953–2011), Cristil called 636 football games (or roughly 63% of all football games played by Mississippi State) and 1,538 basketball games (or roughly 55% of all basketball games played by Mississippi State). Born in Memphis, Tennessee to Latvian and Russian Jewish immigrants, Cristil listened to radio stations from Pittsburgh, Saint Louis, and Chicago at a young age and knew then he wanted to be a radio broadcaster. Shortly thereafter, Cristil began his radio play-by-play career calling Minor League Baseball in various places such as Jackson, Tennessee.
Anniston, Alabama.
And Memphis, Tennessee. He then moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to call Clarksdale High School football games. Cristil submitted an audition tape to then Moscow State University Athletic Director C.R. “Dudy” Noble in August 1953.
In September 1953, Cristil began calling Mississippi State football games.
In 1957, Cristil began calling play-by-play for men"s basketball. Cristil announced his retirement after the men"s basketball game against University of Tennessee on February 23, 2011.
Cristil cited health issues as his reason for stepping down after 58 years. He addressed the fans after the broadcast for almost two minutes, expressing thanks and appreciation to the Mississippi State fan base.
Cristil died September 7, 2014, at the age of 88 at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, Mississippi of complications from kidney disease and cancer.