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