Legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg, who called multiple Super Bowls, Olympics and Final Fours, as well as play by play for the NFL, MLB and NBA, died Thursday. He was 82.
Enberg's daughter, Nicole, confirmed his death to The Associated Press, noting that he is believed to have suffered a heart attack. He was scheduled to fly to Boston on Thursday but was found dead at his home in La Jolla, California, just north of San Diego.
Enberg's 60-year career included 20 years of NFL play by play for NBC and 11 at CBS. Among his more notable games was Super Bowl XXXII between the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers. Enberg called 10 Super Bowls and is a recipient of the Pete Rozelle Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He won a slew of sportscaster of the year awards and 13 Sports Emmy Awards, and he is the only sportscaster to win Emmys in three categories (broadcasting, writing and producing). Enberg has also been recognized by the Basketball Hall of Fame and National Baseball Hall of Fame, and he was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.
He was known for catchphrases, such as "Oh, my!" and "Touch 'em all!" He was also the voice behind the "Game of the Century," in which the University of Houston snapped UCLA's 47-game win streak in 1968 in basketball, and the 1979 NCAA title game featuring Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The latter was one of eight men's basketball championship games he covered. He also called 28 Wimbledons.
Enberg was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan, and attended Central Michigan University. His broadcasting career began in earnest while completing graduate work at Indiana University, where he did play by play for Hoosiers football and basketball. After a brief stint as a professor and coaching college baseball, he began calling the Los Angeles Rams, California Angels and UCLA basketball.
Enberg retired from TV just last year, following seven seasons with the San Diego Padres. He most recently hosted the Sound of Success podcast, which featured a new episode Thursday.
