History of Dick Vitale in Timeline
Richard "Dick" Vitale, or "Dickie V," is a prominent American basketball sportscaster known for his energetic commentary during his 41-year career with ESPN. A former college and professional basketball coach, Vitale's broadcasting style is characterized by catchphrases like "This is awesome, baby!" and "diaper dandy." He is also a prolific author with fourteen published books and has made appearances in various films.
June 9, 1939: Birth of Dick Vitale
Dick Vitale was born on June 9, 1939.
1958: High School Graduation
Dick Vitale graduated from East Rutherford High School in 1958.
1958: First Coaching Job
Dick Vitale began his coaching career at an elementary school in Garfield, New Jersey in 1958.
1962: College Graduation
Dick Vitale graduated from Seton Hall University with a degree in business administration in 1962.
1964: High School Coaching
Dick Vitale became head coach at East Rutherford High School in 1964.
1971: Assistant Coach at Rutgers
Dick Vitale became an assistant coach at Rutgers University in 1971.
1971: Marriage to Lorraine McGrath
Dick Vitale married Lorraine McGrath in 1971.
1971: End of High School Coaching Tenure
In 1971, Dick Vitale's time as head coach at East Rutherford High School ended. He had a 131-47 record and led his teams to two state championships.
March 31, 1973: Head Coach at University of Detroit
Dick Vitale was appointed head coach at the University of Detroit on March 31, 1973.
December 15, 1977: Bob Kauffman Interim Coach
Bob Kauffman became the interim coach of the Detroit-Pistons/full?utm_medium=mention&utm_source=Dick-Vitale" class="mention Detroit-Pistons">Detroit Pistons on December 15, 1977, succeeding Herb Brown.
1977: NCAA Tournament and Athletic Director
In 1977, Dick Vitale led the Detroit Titans to the NCAA tournament and was subsequently named the university's athletic director.
May 1, 1978: Head Coach of Detroit Pistons
Dick Vitale became head coach of the Detroit-Pistons/full?utm_medium=mention&utm_source=Dick-Vitale" class="mention Detroit-Pistons">Detroit Pistons on May 1, 1978.
November 8, 1979: Dismissal from Detroit Pistons
Dick Vitale was fired as head coach of the Detroit-Pistons/full?utm_medium=mention&utm_source=Dick-Vitale" class="mention Detroit-Pistons">Detroit Pistons on November 8, 1979, after a 4-8 start to the season.
December 5, 1979: ESPN Debut
Dick Vitale made his broadcasting debut on ESPN on December 5, 1979, calling the DePaul vs. Wisconsin game.
1979: Start of Duke-UNC Coverage
Dick Vitale started covering Duke-UNC games for ESPN in 1979.
1979: Bob McAdoo Trade
In 1979, the Detroit-Pistons/full?utm_medium=mention&utm_source=Dick-Vitale" class="mention Detroit-Pistons">Detroit Pistons, with Dick Vitale in charge of player personnel, traded for Bob McAdoo.
1980: Worst Season in Pistons History
The Detroit-Pistons/full?utm_medium=mention&utm_source=Dick-Vitale" class="mention Detroit-Pistons">Detroit Pistons had the worst season in franchise history in 1980.
1983: Recognition at Final Four
Dick Vitale gained significant recognition at the 1983 Final Four, solidifying his broadcasting career.
1984: Previous NBA Commentary
Dick Vitale commentated NBA games for ESPN during their first incarnation covering the league, including the 1984 NBA playoffs.
1985: Broadcasts on ABC
Dick Vitale began broadcasting on ABC in 1985.
1988: Cameo Appearances in "The Naked Gun" and "The Cosby Show"
In 1988, Vitale made a cameo appearance as a baseball commentator in "The Naked Gun". He also guest-starred on "The Cosby Show" with Jim Valvano.
1994: Dick Vitale's "Awesome, Baby!" College Hoops Release
In 1994, Dick Vitale lent his name and voice to the Sega Genesis college basketball video game, "Dick Vitale's Awesome, Baby! College Hoops".
1999: "Hoops Malone" Promos
In 1999, Dick Vitale appeared in promotional shorts for a sitcom called "Hoops Malone".
December 2002: LeBron James Game Commentary
In December 2002, Dick Vitale commentated a high school game featuring LeBron James.
2004: Increased Broadcasting Workload
By the 2004-2005 season, Dick Vitale was broadcasting approximately 40 games per year.
2004: "Living a Dream" Autobiography Release
In 2004, Dick Vitale released his autobiography, "Living a Dream," co-written with Dick Weiss. The book details his time with the Pistons and ESPN, along with memories of Jim Valvano.
January 7, 2009: Return to NBA Commentary
On January 7, 2009, Dick Vitale commentated his first NBA game on television since the 1984 NBA playoffs.
2009: Dick Vitale's Broadcasting Career Milestones
By 2009, Dick Vitale had called nearly 1,000 games as a color commentator. He primarily worked with Mike Patrick for ACC games and Dan Shulman for Saturday Primetime and other non-ACC games. During the postseason, he served as an in-studio analyst.
2010: End of Vitale's Commentary for EA Sports
Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler provided commentary for EA Sports' NCAA Basketball video game series until its discontinuation in 2010.
February 2015: Removal from Duke-UNC Coverage
Dick Vitale was removed from covering the Duke-UNC basketball game in February 2015, despite having covered every such game televised by ESPN since 1979.
August 2021: Melanoma Diagnosis and Treatment
In August 2021, Dick Vitale announced he was undergoing treatment for melanoma.
December 2021: Lymphoma Diagnosis and Vocal Cord Issues
In December 2021, Vitale announced a lymphoma diagnosis and pre-cancerous dysplasia on his vocal cords, resulting in a four-month voice loss after surgeries.
January 2022: Break from Broadcasting for Vocal Surgery
In January 2022, Dick Vitale took a break from broadcasting to undergo vocal surgery.
August 2022: Declared Cancer-Free
In August 2022, Vitale's doctors declared him cancer-free.
July 2023: Laryngeal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
In July 2023, Vitale announced he was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and would undergo radiation therapy.
December 2023: Declared Cancer-Free Again
In December 2023, Vitale announced he was once again cancer-free.
2023: ESPN Contract Extension
Dick Vitale's contract with ESPN was extended through the 2023-2024 college basketball season.