4Ambassador 44 WWW.NIAF.ORG

Steve Johnson Sports Icon Sports National Became a Coach Basketball High School How a Dick Vitalein2010Sarasota,Fla. ESPN men’s collegebasketballanalyst Rosano Dick By call him “Dickie V” like the rest of the adoring world in theNationalBasketballAssociation didn’t goaswell. ing a record of 78-30 at the University of Detroit, his stint ing the Detroit Pistons for two seasons. But after compil- chance at college coaching, which led to the pros, coach- High School led predictably to a and East Rutherford simply retired in 1979 when his coaching career ended. successthatitistodayifhehad the hugeentertainment exaggeration tosaythatcollegebasketballwouldnotbe Fornecessary. those who don’t, it may not be too great an games oftheseason. vision, broadcasting the most critical college basketball giant personality, theonewhoisright nowonyourtele- with this and fan favorite. I had requested an interview through the telephone, “not manufactured for TV.” at theKFCYum!CenterinLouisville,K.Y. in2015 Crowd surfingbeforeaNorthCarolina-DukegameatCameronIndoorStadiuminDurham,N.C.,March3,2012;DuringLouisvilleUn From left:ESPN’s DickVitaleduringthepre-gamebroadcastof2013NCAAMen’s DivisionIBasketballFinalFourChampionshi T Vitale — let’s dispense with journalistic style and just just and style let’s — Vitale journalistic with dispense stintsatNewJersey’s GarfieldHighSchool Laudatory For thosewhoknowDickVitale,nointroductionis The callerwasDickVitale,HallofFameannouncer “That’s been me forever,” he said, the smile coming other endoftheline,andonethatcanhardly bemistaken fanofcollegebasketball. byanytrue explosion,onethatconveyedthelaughterfromearpiece. Itwasaheartfelt thepersonat hadhardlyhe interview begun,when“That’sawesome, baby!”rang outfrom thetelephone

Peter Lockley/NCAA Photos ESPN Thomas LaGrega/ memorable witticisms coming from the edge of it. matched by insightful commentary, rounds of humor, and wouldbe that theathleticsuperiority onthecourt He became a larger-than-life commentator who ensured caster and crowned Dickie V the sport’s grandest celebrity. basketball soonfellinlovewiththecoach-turned-sports- nuts who were fanatical about college caught on. Sports while, Dickie V’s short ebullient style of reporting a very position untilanothercoachingjobcameup. aged himtotakethejobandjusthavefunwithit,afill-in know nothingaboutTV.” encour- Buthiswife,Lorraine, Pistons’ coach to broadcast games from the booth. former and quickly hired the effervescent an opportunity coaching changeandDickieVwasoutofajob.ESPN saw college gameontelevisiongotitsbiggestgiftinacentury. pressive record than he was used to. That was when the withthePistonsandpostedalessim- does —struggled Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images Initially he was reluctant, but that quickly reversed. In “Absolutely no way,” was Dickie V’s initial response. “I Pistons’ ownerBillDavidsondecidedtomakea p gameintheGeorgiaDomeAtlanta; iversity Cardinalsbasketballgame Ambassador

45 WWW.NIAF.ORG 6Ambassador 46 WWW.NIAF.ORG means aplayerthat’s inconsistent to aprime-timeplayer. “AllMystique” phrase for young stars. “PTPer” refers from watching the games.” I carried “locker-room kidding around, things him. “Talking to athletes,” he replied, belongs to. knowswhoit take thatstep.Everyone trademarked, buthedoesn’t haveto phrases. “That’s awesome,baby!” isn’t ie V became known for his signature Yogi Dick- American insports, Berra, the collegegame’s favoriteannouncer. missal, butitalsoledtotheinitiationof at theprolevelmayhaveledtohisdis- betold,hismodestsuccess And, truth college is proof enough of that wager. for metoclimbtheladder.” ball andsawthatitwasthebestsport played it.Ilovedthegameofbasket- levels,” hetoldme,“youhaveto ahead in football at the college or pro who helditintheirhands.“To get the ball,heknewhowtocoachothers you wanttobe.’” ‘Even withoneeye,youcanbewhat orjumpplayalick.” run ian from back in Jersey who couldn’t saying hewasa“bald,one-eyed,Ital- quotedhimas although onearticle an “averagehighschoolplayer”— my fatherhadninesiblings.” says. “Mymotherhadninesiblings, came from a blue collar family,” he American familyinPassaic,N.J. in1939intoanItalian was born Dick VitaleduringaregularseasonLouisianaStateUniversitygameatthePeteMaravichAssemblyCenterinBatonRouge,La.,i “Diaper Dandy”ishisfavorite Where did you get these, I asked And justlikeanotherItalian His record in high school and Despite his lack of prowess with “But mymotheralwaystoldme, By hisownadmission,hewas “I was just kid chasing a dream, So whoishe?RichardJohnVitale man we know on the sportscast isto man weknowonthesportscast you.’” to people,andpeoplewillbe goodto ‘Richie,’ myDadusedtosay, ‘begood love atthefamilydinnertable: ofcanceronyoungpeople. effects responsibility to stop the ravaging the sidelineorcallingoutsociety’s does, whether calling plays from he pours passionintoeverything this medicalchallenge. among thosecommittedtosolving aloyalfollowing attention hasearned to draw dollars and V’s tireless efforts dollars to cancer research, and Dickie of millions draws Gala Vitale Dick al fighting childhoodcancer. Theannu- dedicated himselfformanyyearsto sucks,” hesaid.“Quotemeonthat.” “Cancer,time forthatluxury. flatout, and reflection, but Dickie V didn’t have pause asked. Aserioussubjectdeserves watching thekidsplaywithenthusiasm. he quicklyaddedhowmuchloved state championships,”camefirst,but back-to-back school level.“Winning was quick to recall the times at the high fondest memoriesofcoachingandhe outburst, “That’s awesome,Baby!” so eagerly awaited than his signature phrases from Dickie V, but none are nent andcleantheglass. one that can out-rebound the oppo- Team”a bigman,and“AllWindex is you aliveondefense,“SpaceEater”is “Mr. PacMan”isaplayerwhowilleat “dishing the rock” means passing it. in his play. The “rock” is the ball, so The bestwaywecanhonor the more about life and “I learned Richard John“DickieV”Vitale True tothatpassion,DickieVhas And what about the rest of life, I I asked him what were among his There are many more memorable that cause. to the pay I receive from this article I,forone,willdonate your services. com/v-foundation.html andoffer http://www.dickvitaleonline.Visit enlist in his mission to cure cancer. The Washington Enthusiast, Post,Wine as well as magazine, Ambassador in here appeared have columns whose writer Dick Rosanoisawine,foodandtravel Italian-Americans onwine. Heritage”ontheinfluenceof book “Wine “Hunting Truffles,” aswellahistory Treasures,”Italian “Tuscan and Blood” Crimes, Nazi Altamura: of Secret “The Italy: in set mysteries three the of author and othernationalmagazines.Heisthe

V Foundation, visit:www.jimmyv.org. To connect and contribute to the heart, anditcannottouch my soul.” touch my mind, it cannot touch my all my physical abilities. It cannot ovation: “Cancer can take away His closing words drew a standing V Foundation for Cancer Research. death, “Jimmy V” announced the ESPY awards shortly before his In an emotional speech at the died in1993. and later years several cancer metastatic with diagnosed was he but 1983, in championship basketball college national the won team State Carolina North age.His early an at cancer of died American, Italian fellow and another basketball coach coach basketball another Jim Valvano, n 2016

Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images