Dick Vitale, who has called more than a thousand NCAA college basketball games with ESPN, was inducted last night into the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame in Manhattan. The class included ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and Debra OConnell, president of news group and networks for the Walt Disney Company.
Vitale was given the Humanitarian Award at the event for his efforts to combat cancer, especially pediatric cancer.
Vitale posted on social media after the event, “No one gets Hall of Fame honors like I am tonight from the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame without the help of many.” He went on to thank his wife of 53 tears, Lorraine and his ESPN family he has been with for 45 years as well as ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro and his colleagues along with his longtime agent, fellow coaches, fans and media.
In May at Vitale’s annual event, Pitaro had said, “As wonderful as he is on air, Dick Vitale the humanitarian is even more impressive. Despite his frustrations with not being able to work on TV, he never stopped working on behalf of humanity. That’s the essence of Dick Vitale.”
Vitale has been off the air as he has been recovering from various surgeries due to cancer.
Vitale was the head basketball coach at the University of Detroit from 1973-77 and was then named the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. He was fired 12 games into the 1979-80 season, and he joined the new cable sports channel, ESPN. Vitale worked as analyst alongside Joe Boyle for the networks first college basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979 between DePaul and Wisconsin.
Vitale is on the board of directors of The V Foundation, the nonprofit founded in 1993 by the late Jim Valvano. The V Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for cancer and Vitale hosts the annual Dick Vitale Gala in Florida, benefiting the foundation. The 2024 gala raised nearly $25 million, and overall funds raised by the event in its 19 years are close to $93 million.
