He began his career as a radio news and sports reporter in New York City in the 1970s, later becoming a New York radio personality, working with Howard Cosell, Don Imus, Howard Stern and many others, and was the sports reporter/sidekick on WNEW-FM's popular Rock 'n Roll Morning Show from 1986 to 1991.
Chaplin claims to have provided via cassette recording an audio play-by-play[1] for one of the most famous moments in American sports history—the Miracle on Ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York.
Chaplin, in an interview,[2] notes that he was assigned to cover the game as a sports reporter for ABC News Radio, not a play-by-play announcer.
During the 1988–89 season, he served as host of the syndicated sports game show Grandstand (for which his former WNEW colleague Dave Herman served as announcer), and hosted the popular ESPN sports trivia game show "Designated Hitter" in 1993–94.
Even though Curt is in the Hall of Fame, he spend his time now as the Angel Hernandez of the softball league he umps weekly.