Bob Neumeier, long-time racing broadcaster, dies at 70

Bob Neumeier, long a mainstay on NBC’s horse racing telecasts and a passionate fan of the sport, died on Saturday after suffering from heart-related issues. He was 70.

Neumeier, a native of Massachusetts affectionately known as “Neumy,” was a long-time sports broadcaster in the Boston area, where he worked on both television and radio. His favorite sports included horse racing and hockey, and he was able to parlay his passion into long-time work in both.

An avid handicapper who also took pride in his reporting skills, Neumeier was an essential part of horse racing teams on NBC and ESPN for two decades.

It was in that capacity, while rehearsing for a Kentucky Oaks telecast at Churchill Downs in 2009, that Neumeier collapsed and was taken to a Louisville hospital for treatment. Trainer Dallas Stewart was among those who rushed to his side and delivered aid.

Neumeier also was hospitalized after suffering a stroke just prior to the 2014 Breeders’ Cup, and underwent five hours of surgery.

He returned to his role the following spring, in time to help chronicle American Pharoah’s sweep of the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes.

A graduate of Syracuse University, Neumeier used his reporting skills to gain employment at the Boston Globe before making his mark in broadcasting.

A long-time hockey fan, Neumeier once worked in the public relations office of the Hartford Whalers of the World Hockey Association, then became the play-by-play announcer for the Whalers and later the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He also did work on hockey broadcasts for Boston University.

In addition to his racing work for NBC, Neumeier also worked on Olympics broadcasts, as well as doing reporting on NHL and National Football League games. He was part of several telecasts that were awarded Eclipse Awards for national television achievement.

Television viewers saw him paired with Mike Battaglia or Eddie Olczyk for his handicapping segment, but Neumeier was a frequent contest player, winning or placing in several tournaments. Just three months after suffering a stroke, Neumeier won the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s National Handicapping Championship Charity Challenge, which featured media members. And when not on the air, Neumeier loved to play the horses; he hit a pick 6 at Del Mar in 2015, among many significant scores over the years.

Neumeier spent much time in recent years in Florida, where he honed his golf game, but he returned to Massachusetts earlier this year when his health began to significantly decline.

Neumeier is survived by his wife, Michele. A celebration of life is in the planning stages for next month, according to a family friend.