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Dick Vitale

Richard John Vitale (/vaɪˈtæl/; born June 9, 1939), also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well known for his 41-year tenure as a college basketball broadcaster for ESPN. He is known for catchphrases such as "This is awesome, baby!" and "diaper dandy" (outstanding freshman player), as well as his enthusiastic and colorful remarks during games. He has also written fourteen books and appeared in several films.

Personal information

(1939-06-09) June 9, 1939
Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.

1963–1979

Rutgers (assistant)

79–29 (.731)

34–60 (.362)

Early life[edit]

Vitale was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and grew up in Garfield, New Jersey. He moved to East Paterson (now Elmwood Park) in his freshman year of high school. His father, John, was a piecework clothing press operator and had a second job as a security guard.[1] His mother, Mae, worked in a factory as a seamstress and sewed coats until she suffered a stroke.[2]

Education[edit]

Vitale graduated from East Rutherford High School in 1958.[3][4][5] He attended Seton Hall University and graduated with a degree in business administration in 1962.[6][7] As the first in his family to attend college, he is a first-generation college student.[8] He later earned a master's degree in education from William Paterson University, formerly known as Paterson State College.[9][10][11]

Coaching[edit]

High school coaching[edit]

Vitale took his first job as a coach at an elementary school in Garfield, New Jersey in 1958. Eventually he moved up to the high school level to become head coach at Garfield High School for one season, and then at East Rutherford High School (his alma mater), where he had a record of 131–47 from 1964 to 1971 and led his teams to two New Jersey state championships.[12]

College coaching[edit]

In 1971, Vitale moved to Rutgers University as an assistant coach under head coach Dick Lloyd. He was named head coach at the University of Detroit on March 31, 1973.[13] He took the Titans to the 32-team NCAA tournament in 1977. Vitale had a 78–30 record during his tenure at Detroit, which included a 21-game winning streak during the 1977 season. During that streak the Titans defeated the eventual champion Marquette, on the road, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following the 1977 season, his fourth as Detroit head coach, Vitale was named the university's athletic director.

NBA coaching[edit]

Vitale left the Titans to become head coach of the Detroit Pistons on May 1, 1978, succeeding Bob Kauffman who had served as an interim following the dismissal of Herb Brown 4+1⁄2 months prior on December 15, 1977. He signed a 3‐year contract with a $100,000 annual salary and a new Cadillac.[14] The Pistons finished with a 30–52 (.366) record in 1978–79.[15] Vitale was hospitalized with stress related stomach issues during his first season on the bench in Detroit as the team struggled. In his second year, on November 8, 1979, Pistons owner Bill Davidson came to Vitale's house and told him that the Pistons were making a coaching change. It was twelve games into the 1979–80 Detroit Pistons season, and with the Pistons off to a 4–8 start, Vitale was fired on November 8, 1979, with assistant coach Richie Adubato promoted to replace him on an interim basis.[16]


A significant reason for Vitale's downfall with the Pistons was the maneuver that brought Bob McAdoo to Detroit. M.L. Carr's decision to sign with Boston as a free agent in 1979 spawned a transaction in which the Pistons, with Vitale in charge of player personnel, entitled to compensation for Carr, demanded McAdoo, whom the Celtics were looking to unload due to injuries. The Pistons sent two 1980 first-round draft picks (in addition to Carr) to the Celtics in exchange for McAdoo in a combination free agent signing/trade. The Pistons would have the worst season in franchise history in 1979–80, and their pick would become the first overall pick in the 1980 draft. Boston then traded the two picks to the Warriors (who selected Joe Barry Carroll with the number 1 pick and Rickey Brown with the number 13 pick) in exchange for Robert Parish and the number 3 pick (Kevin McHale).[17]

University of Detroit named their basketball court "Dick Vitale Court" in his honor (2011).

Basketball


Broadcasting


ESPY Awards


Halls of Fame

Appearances in other media[edit]

Video games[edit]

Dick Vitale lent his name, voice and likeness to the 1994 Sega Genesis college basketball video game Dick Vitale's "Awesome, Baby!" College Hoops, developed and sold by Time Warner Interactive and only released in the United States.[30] Later, Vitale and Brad Nessler provided the commentator voices for EA Sports' NCAA Basketball (formerly NCAA March Madness) video game series until its 2010 discontinuation.

Books[edit]

In 2004, Vitale released a descriptive autobiography co-written with Dick Weiss, entitled Living a Dream. The book has several thoughts and comments on his days with the Pistons and ESPN, and memories of former NC State basketball Coach Jim Valvano.

Product endorsements[edit]

Vitale has appeared in commercials for DiGiorno pizza, Oberto beef jerky, the Airborne Athletics basketball training device Dr. Dish, GEICO and Hooters restaurants. Appearing in early 1990s Taco Bell TV ads promoting the 7-layer burrito, Vitale exclaimed, "It's 'Sevendipity,' baby !!

Films and television[edit]

In 1988, Vitale had a cameo appearance as a baseball color commentator, sharing the crowded broadcast booth with Curt Gowdy, Jim Palmer, Dick Enberg, Mel Allen, Tim McCarver and Joyce Brothers in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!. He guest starred on The Cosby Show along with friend Jim Valvano as furniture movers in the eighth-season episode The Getaway. Other film appearances have generally been Vitale playing himself and commentating the fictional games occurring in those films.

Personal life[edit]

Vitale married Lorraine McGrath in 1971. The couple have two daughters, Terri and Sherri,[31] and five grandchildren.[32] He has lived in Lakewood Ranch, Florida in the greater Tampa Bay area since the 1990s and has become a well-known fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lightning, and Rays.[33] He is a Roman Catholic.[34]


In August 2021, Vitale announced that he was undergoing treatment to remove melanoma that had been discovered by doctors. In October of the same year, Vitale also announced that his doctors had diagnosed him with lymphoma which he would seek treatment to combat.[35] In December 2021, he was diagnosed with pre-cancerous dysplasia and ulcerous lesions on his vocal cords, and lost his voice for four months after undergoing surgeries.[36] In August 2022, Vitale announced that his doctors had officially declared him "cancer free".[37] In July 2023, he announced that he had been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and would undergo six weeks of radiation therapy.[38] In December 2023, Vitale once again announced that he was cancer free and held a clean bill of health.[39]

Dickie V's ABCs and 1-2-3s, Ascend Books (October 2010)

Living a Dream: Reflections on 25 Years Sitting in the Best Seat, Champaign, IL Sports Publishing LLC (January 1, 2003)

Dick Vitale's Fabulous 50 Players and Moments in College Basketball: From the Best Seat in the House During My 30 Years at ESPN, Ascend Books (October 6, 2008)

Time Out Baby!, Berkley (December 1, 1992)

Vitale, Simon and Schuster; 1st Edition (1988)

Dickie V's Top 40 All-Everything Teams, Masters Press (June 1994)

Tourney Time: It's Awesome Baby!, Masters Press (December 1993)

Holding Court: Reflections on the Game I Love, Masters Press (November 1995)

Campus Chaos: Why the Game I Love Is Breaking My Heart, Sideline Sports Publishing (December 1999)

Getting a W in the Game of Life: Using My T.E.A.M. Model to Motivate, Elevate, and Be Great (Oct. 2012)

Dick Vitale's Mount Rushmores of College Basketball; Nico 11 Publishing (2018)

The Lost Season: A Look at What the Journey to the 2020 National Championship Could Have Been (June 2020)

Vitale has authored fourteen books, including:

Dick Vitale Online

Vitale's "V-File" at ESPN.com