George Bodenheimer to receive Lifetime Achievement Sports Emmy

George Bodenheimer during his second year at ESPN.

George Bodenheimer with NBA Commissioner David Stern. (Rich Arden/ESPN Images

George Bodenheimer in 2002. (Steve Fenn/ABC)

George Bodenheimer presents MLB President and COO Bob DuPuy with a commemorative home plate to celebrate the launch of ESPN HD. (ESPN Images)

George Bodenheimer (r) and Chris Berman at the 2004 ESPY Awards. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

George Bodenheimer talks with ESPN employees minutes before the launch of ESPN Deportes. (Rich Arden/ESPN Images)

(L-R) NYSE President & Co-COO Robert Britz, George Bodenheimer, Cheryl Therriault and Bob Ley ring the NYSE bell on ESPN’s 25th Anniversary. (Photo courtesy NYSE)

President George H. W. Bush (l) with George Bodenheimer and John Skipper prior to the reopening of the Superdome on Monday Night Football. (Rich Arden/ESPN Images)

(L-R) SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn, then-CEO of the V Foundation Nick Valvano, NBA guard Ray Allen and George Bodenheimer are shown holding a $1.3 million V Foundation check in 2007. (Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)

(L-R) NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Stephen M. Ross, owner and managing general partner of the Miami Dolphins, singer Marc Anthony and ESPN president George Bodenheimer. (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

George and Ann Bodenheimer during the new Bristol Boys and Girls Club dedication ceremony. (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

A Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award for a guy who started in the ESPN mailroom? As unlikely the storyline, that’s the story that culminated today when the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced it will bestow its highest Sports Emmy Award on former ESPN President and Chairman George Bodenheimer.

The photo gallery above captures his 33-year ESPN career and illustrates the lifetime of friendships he has achieved.