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Al Sanders | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 13, 1941 |
| Died | May 5, 1995 (aged 54) |
| Occupation | Anchorman |
| Notable credit(s) | Co-anchor of WJZ-TV, Eyewitness News |
| Spouse | Ruth |
| Children | 3 |
Al Sanders (March 13, 1941 - May 5, 1995) was an American television news anchorman at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. He helped take a third place television newscast to first place, where it stayed throughout his career.[citation needed]
In 1967 Sanders, as Al Gay, worked for radio station KXLW, in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1969, he left for competitor KWK, where he adopted the name Al Sanders, the on-air alias that would follow him through the rest of his career.[1] Sanders joined WJZ-TV in 1972. Five years later, he would replace Oprah Winfrey as Jerry Turner's co-anchor.[2] Turner and Sanders were Baltimore's top news team until 1987, when Turner succumbed to esophageal cancer. Denise Koch joined Sanders on the anchor desk as a fill-in, gaining the role permanently in 1988. Sanders won Emmy Awards in 1993 and 1994 for his regularly featured specialty report, "Picture This."[3] In March 1995, Sanders was diagnosed with lung cancer. Sanders died at the Johns Hopkins Hospital on May 5, 1995, and was replaced by Vic Carter, formerly of WSB-TV in Atlanta., who retired in July of 2024.
Each year, the Baltimore Community Foundation awards college scholarships in the name of Al Sanders for those students who are musically inclined.[4] In Baltimore, the corner of Druid Park Drive and Malden Avenue, two blocks from WJZ-TV, was named Al Sanders Place. The adjoining block of Malden Avenue is named Jerry Turner Way, for his former broadcasting partner.[5]