Sports Phone set out to change the way scores and breaking news were consumed, and in turn ended up setting the tone for the up-to-the-second updates we take for granted today. Found among those who called the service home are some of the most well-known broadcasters, reporters, public address announcers, and other prominent media figures — as well as several who’ve been successful in Hollywood and the music industry. A veritable breeding ground for these now-polished professionals, the dial-up platform that once handled 50 million calls in a year churned out talent at a level likely not seen before or since.

Brought to you by media veterans Scott Orgera and Sports Phone alum Howie Karpin, 976-1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground features never-before-told tales of triumph and tragedy, a mix of hilarity, inspiration, and regret from the broadcasting hopefuls and sports junkies that comprised the brains and voices behind the pioneering operation.

As colorful as that cast of characters was, those who dialed 976-1313 regularly had their own yarns to spin. They form a tapestry of hardcore fans, award-winning actors, well-known comedians, impulsive gamblers, Broadway singers, and infamous mobsters, each with captivating stories told in this book.

Karpin and Orgera interviewed more than a hundred people en route to creating what is a must-listen.

The esteemed list of interviewees includes Joe Benigno, Steve Cangialosi, Chris Carrino, Ricky Cobb (Super 70s Sports), Gary Cohen, Linda Cohn, Chuck Cooperstein, Mark Cuban, Jack Curry, Frank “The Tank” Fleming, Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Don La Greca, Bill James, Daniel Okrent (the founder of fantasy sports), Eddie Olczyk, Bob Papa, Howie Rose, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, Charlie Slowes, Leigh Steinberg (the real-life Jerry Maguire), Jeffrey Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff), Suzyn Waldman, and many more.