Courtesy Newsday

(December 20, 2010) Joel Blumberg of East Meadow, a long-time New York-area sports radio producer, engineer and play-by-play man, as well as a film historian, died Friday at age 64.

He suffered an apparent heart attack on the 3:09 p.m. LIRR train from Babylon to Penn Station, en route to the Heat-Knicks game.

I didn't know Joel well, but I spoke to him on several occasions about New York-area sports and sports media. My condolences to his family.

Here's the weird part:

At 10:36 a.m Friday he sent me an email - his address was "themaltesefalcon" - responding to my list of best boxing movies ever in that morning's newspaper and to my invitation to readers to give me their own favorites.

Here is what he sent:

Hey Neil

Loved your list in today's Newsday.

I have a list for you not as contemporary but take this from a film
historian's prospective

1) The Harder They Fall--Bogart's last film--still holds up today--based
on the life of Primo Carnera
2) Raging Bull
3)Only In America--The Don King Story--Best cable movie ever made
4) Rocky
5)The Set Up--1949 Robert Ryan--brilliant story of washed up boxer done
in real time
6) When We Were Kings
7) Champion
8) Million Dollar Baby
9)Cinderella Man
10) Body and Soul 1947

Hope all is well

JB

At 5:09 p.m. I responded with a thank you for sending a great list. Too late.

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