Legendary Sports Broadcaster Hospitalized

Hall of Fame college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale was hospitalized after a fall at his Florida home.

“I’m sorry that unable to post about sports but I’m recovering from a tough fall & being kept active at the hospital,” Vitale said.

“Good news is the neurosurgeons have said I am making great strides & surgery not necessary. So sorry that I can’t get at courtside as was planned,” he added.

I’m sorry that unable to post about sports but I’m
recovering from
a tough fall & being kept active at the hospital .Good news is the neurosurgeons have said I am making great strides & surgery not https://t.co/4YS3rCLZpF sorry that I can’t get at courtside as was planned.

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) January 19, 2025

Per ESPN:

The news comes one day after ESPN announced Vitale would call the Duke-Wake Forest men’s college basketball game Jan. 25 at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston Salem, North Carolina, which would have been his first time on air since 2023.

Vitale, 85, has battled four different types of cancer in the past 3½ years. Most recently, he underwent surgery in summer 2024 after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer. Vitale announced on Jan. 8 that he was cancer-free.

“I’m devastated that I won’t be courtside with my ESPN buddy Dave O’Brien and with all the players and fans, especially because of the overwhelming response I received when news of my planned return was announced,” Vitale said. “I was anxiously awaiting the chance to feel the excitement and energy of a college basketball environment for the first time in nearly two years.”

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Vitale added that he is expected to make a full recovery, but no timetable for his return to broadcasting has been made.

Dick Vitale’s return to ESPN has been put on hold after an accident in his home. There is no timetable for his return pic.twitter.com/ZCSfzzQvBR

— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) January 18, 2025

“Despite this latest setback, I feel blessed to have the support of my family, friends and ESPN teammates,” Vitale said, according to ESPN.

“I’m a lucky guy and as I’ve said before, I will continue to do whatever it takes to get back to calling the sport I love,” he added.

UPDATE: ESPN announcer Dick Vitale had an accident in his home and he will not be able to return to announcing next week as planned.

There was no other information provided. pic.twitter.com/9pGrpaF4en

— College Basketball Content (@CBBcontent) January 18, 2025

From the Associated Press:

The Basketball Hall of Famer has been with ESPN since 1979, the year the network launched. The former college and NBA coach called ESPN’s first college basketball broadcast.

He’s also a longtime fundraiser for cancer research, helping friend Jim Valvano to the stage at the 1993 ESPYs, where Valvano delivered his famous “Don’t give up” speech. Valvano died of adenocarcinoma less than two months later.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

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