TV

Family, friends bid Mazer farewell

A funeral service for sports broadcasting icon “The Amazin’’ Bill Mazer, was held Sunday at Temple Israel Center in White Plains, with Mazer’s daughter, Francine, remembering how her father would “defend his family as fiercely as his sports heroes, including players like Metta World Peace.’’

Mazer, who died at 92 on Wednesday, was best known for his 20 years hosting Fox 5’s “Sports Extra” and became a piece of many sports fans’ childhoods. He was one of the original hosts on WFAN and served as a Knicks broadcaster in the mid-1960s. The Knicks paid tribute to Mazer on the Garden scoreboard Friday.

A handful of sportscasters were on hand Sunday, including Duke Castiglione, the current host of “Sports Extra”, and Mazer’s former “Sports Extra” partner, John Dockery, the former Jet. Dockery said Mazer’s brilliance was having his encyclopedic knowledge of sports “before the internet, before Google.’’

Mazer had a fascination for World Peace, the former Ron Artest, because Mazer once taught at St. John’s. Mazer defended Artest and Mark Jackson on the airwaves with tenacity.

Former Knicks publicity director John Cirillo said at the service Mazer would call him constantly for updates on Jackson after the Knicks drafted him.