John Sanders, a longtime sports broadcaster with deep ties to Pittsburgh and Cleveland, has died. He passed away Wednesday, one week after celebrating his 83rd birthday.
What We Know: Sanders built a distinguished broadcasting career spanning multiple decades and markets. He began in television in Topeka and Kansas City before arriving at KDKA-TV in 1978 as weekend sports anchor and eventually sports director. Sanders joined the Pittsburgh Pirates’ broadcast booth in 1981, working alongside Lanny Frattare for nine seasons. He later spent 16 seasons calling Cleveland Indians games on SportsChannel Ohio, which eventually rebranded as Fox Sports Net Ohio.
What They Said: Legendary Steelers voice and Pitt Panthers play-by-play man, Bill Hillgrove on Sanders passing (via KDKA): “Total respect for John, pro’s pro, good guy. Enjoyed being around him, I’d seen him most recently at Pitt games but I haven’t seen him for a couple of years. It’s just said, it’s all too soon, what a guy!”
What Remains Unclear: The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. It is also unclear whether Sanders had any immediate survivors or funeral arrangements.
What It Means: Sanders leaves behind a legacy built across multiple cities and generations of fans. His career arc — from Kansas markets to Pittsburgh to Cleveland — reflects a commitment to craft that few broadcasters sustain. The Indians chose not to renew his contract after 2006, yet his impact on two major markets endured. For fans who grew up listening to his voice, his death marks the loss of a familiar and trusted presence.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
