Veteran NFL broadcast Al Michaels was clearly emotional as he paid a heartfelt tribute to Dan Hicks following the NBC broadcaster’s shock loss of life on the age of 64.
Hicks died on Wednesday, his household introduced, after battling an acute sickness. A precise explanation for loss of life has not been revealed.
The Tucson, Arizona, native was greatest recognized for calling the motion on the Olympics, on the PGA Tour and at Notre Dame soccer video games. He additionally labored NFL video games for NBC between 1992 and 1998.
As Amazon Prime’s broadcast of the Thursday Evening Soccer recreation between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders went to a industrial break, Michaels took a second to pay tribute to Hicks.
‘All of us within the sports activities broadcasting enterprise had been shocked to study this morning of the passing of Dan Hicks,’ the 82-year-old mentioned.
‘He offered captions to so many iconic moments in golf, tennis and Notre Dame soccer and he and Rowdy Gaines turned the calling of swimming at a number of Olympics into an artwork kind.
Al Michaels was clearly emotional as he paid tribute to Dan Hicks following his shock loss of life
Hicks, pictured with spouse Hannah Storm, died on Wednesday after battling an acute sickness
‘He was genial, he was compassionate, nice firm, had a world class humorousness and on this tough day for therefore many people, we ship our like to Hannah and your three daughters. Wishing you energy and luxury.’
Michaels’s voice was clearly beginning to break in direction of the tip of his tribute as his feelings obtained the higher of him.
Hicks’s spouse, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, shared an announcement on behalf of herself and their three daughters: Hannah, Ellery and Riley.
‘Our household is heartbroken by the sudden and surprising passing of Dan following an acute sickness,’ Storm mentioned in an announcement Thursday. ‘He was a faithful husband of over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished buddy to so many. His loss is immeasurable.
‘Dan was actually certainly one of a sort and, fairly merely, the particular person everybody wished to be round. When he walked right into a room, he introduced the vitality, the laughter and the individuals collectively. He was endlessly sort, considerate and humorous, and he made everybody really feel like they mattered.
‘Our three daughters and I are heartbroken. We’re grateful for the love and assist surrounding our household throughout this extremely tough time. There are merely no phrases to precise how a lot he shall be missed.’
Mike Tirico, who calls Sunday Evening Soccer video games for NBC however missed final week’s recreation attributable to sickness, paid his personal tribute to Hicks on Thursday and referred to as him a ‘broadcaster’s broadcaster.’
Talking on Golf Channel, he mentioned: ‘He had extra massive moments on his plate, and nailed each massive second. You may’t consider an enormous second that Dan did not have the best name, the best vitality, the best phrases.
‘Take into consideration each Michael Phelps gold medal received in Olympic swimming, and Dan doing that. Take into consideration all the massive moments on the hill with all the good U.S. ski athletes on the Olympic Video games, and Dan was the voice.’
Hicks’ largest moments on the mic included the US swim crew’s comeback on the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Tiger Woods’ dramatic putt to power a playoff on the 2008 US Open.
NBC Sports activities executives Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and Molly Solomon responded to the tragedy with their very own assertion on Hicks’ affect.
Mike Tirico additionally paid an emotional tribute to his NBC colleague Hicks after his shock loss of life
Tiger Woods (proper) is interviewed by NBC’s Dan Hicks (left) after successful the TOUR Championship on September 23, 2018, on the East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta
‘Dan Hicks was a rare colleague, buddy and particular person,’ the assertion started. ‘In his 34 years at NBC Sports activities, he was an distinctive storyteller and caller of video games and occasions who elevated a number of the largest moments in sports activities historical past.
‘From Olympic swimming and snowboarding to Notre Dame soccer, quite a few different excessive profile occasions and particularly because the signature voice of our golf protection for the final 26 years, Dan’s mix of data, fashion, enthusiasm and humor knowledgeable and entertained followers for many years.
‘However far past his on-air excellence, Dan was a greater one who welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a phrase of encouragement, typically all three in the identical sentence.
‘Our heartfelt condolences and like to his spouse Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.’
