Greg Gumbel-a pioneering sportscaster of more than five decades, is dead. Gumbel died on Wednesday at the age of 78 years after putting up a great fight against cancer. Now it is that he died, he has many friends, colleagues, and family in his memory for his graciousness, professionalism, and pioneer works in the field of radio and television sports. A Brilliant Career in Sports Broadcasting
Gumbel grew up in Chicago but had started an award-winning career in sports media in the early 1980s. Almost from the moment he arrived in 1981, Gumbel became a reassuringly steady voice anchoring “SportsCenter” while contributing to the early coverage of the NBA on ESPN.
In 1988, Gumbel became the first Black announcer to call play-by-play for a major sports championship in the United States. He reached this milestone while at CBS, where he would later become synonymous with the NCAA basketball tournament, NFL coverage, and the Olympic Games.
Milestones and Achievements
The career of Gumbel was replete with many achievements which showed his versatility and talent:
Gumbel has been the studio host for CBS’s NCAA basketball tournament broadcasts since 1998, and to a large swath of viewers, he’s become synonymous with March Madness.
From 1998 through 2003, Gumbel was CBS’s lead play-by-play announcer for the NFL, calling Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He also anchored for CBS’s coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, and NBC’s daytime coverage of the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.
During his career, Gumbel has won numerous local Emmy Awards and the celebrated Pat Summerall Award in 2007 for outstanding work in sports broadcasting.
A Legacy Beyond Broadcasting
Outside of the studio and broadcast booth, Gumbel committed himself to philanthropy. He was on the board of trustees for the March of Dimes for more than 30 years and was an active member of the Sports Council for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His charitable efforts paralleled his commitment to making sure an impact was made both on and off the field.
Gumbel’s family described him as “resilient, positive, and grateful” in fighting the illness. For sure, Gumbel indeed was a great pioneer in sportscasting and a man to be emulated by forthcoming generations.
The sports world has spent time in mourning, remembering Greg Gumbel not just as an iconic voice but with the residual of his great kindness, professionalism, and hard work. He will still be felt for years to come about how his legacy will go on to act as that beacon for those aspiring.
