Super Voice Gone: Pat Summerall Dead at 82


In this Dec. 27, 1958, photo, New York Giants place kicker Pat Summerall poses with his shoe and a football during a workout at New York's Yankee Stadium. (Harry Harris/AP Photo)

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

DALLAS April 17, 2013 (AP)

Pat Summerall, the deep-voiced NFL player-turned-broadcaster who spent half of his four decades calling sports famously paired with John Madden, died Tuesday. He was 82.

Susie Wiles, Summerall's daughter, said her father died in Dallas.

"He was an extraordinary man and a wonderful father," Wiles said. "I know he will be greatly missed."

Summerall was part of network television broadcasts for 16 Super Bowls. His last championship game was for Fox on Feb. 3, 2002, also his last game with longtime partner Madden. The popular duo worked together for 21 years, moving to Fox in 1994 after years as the lead team for CBS.

At the end of their final broadcast together, Madden described Summerall as "a treasure" and the "spirit of the National Football League" in a tribute to the partner that complemented the former coach so well.

"You are what the NFL is all about, what pro football is all about, and more important, what a man is all about and what a gentleman is all about," Madden said.

As former teammate and broadcaster Frank Gifford put it in an accompanying video tribute: "America is very comfortable with Pat Summerall."

Summerall played 10 NFL seasons (1952-61) with the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants. In his second career, he became a voice so familiar to several generations of sports fans, not only those of the NFL.

He started doing NFL games for CBS in 1964, and became a play-by-play guy 10 years later. He was also part of CBS's coverage of the PGA Tour, including the Masters from 1968-94, and the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

When CBS lost its NFL deal after the 1993 season, Summerall switched to Fox to keep calling NFL games with Madden. He had hoped to keep working with CBS for other events like the Masters, but network executives saw it otherwise. At the time, CBS Sports anchor Jim Nantz said he was "very saddened" that Summerall didn't get to leave CBS under his own terms.

"He is CBS Sports. I always thought he could work here until he was 75 or 80 years old," Nantz told The Philadelphia Daily News then. "He's been a much larger influence on my career than I think he realizes. There will be a piece of Pat Summerall on the air as long as I do golf for this network."

A recovering alcoholic, Summerall had a liver transplant in April 2004. The lifesaving surgery was necessary even after 12 years of sobriety.

After an intervention involving, among others, former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, former CBS Sports President Peter Lund and former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beaman, Summerall checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in April 1992.

"I had no intention of quitting, I was having too good a time," Summerall said in a 2000 Associated Press story. "The prescribed stay at Betty Ford is 28 days. They kept me 33 because I was so angry at the people who did the intervention, the first five days didn't do me any good."

Summerall received the liver of a 13-year-old junior high football player from Arkansas who died unexpectedly from an aneurysm. Summerall had an emotional meeting with the teenager's family the following year.

Summerall often shared his testimony with Christian groups and told his story when speaking before other organizations. In his 2006 book, "Summerall: On and Off The Air," he frankly discussed his personal struggles and professional successes.

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RIP, Pat. (I still miss having him and Madden on the air for the games, especially big games.)

Quote: FP123 wrote in post #3

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RIP, Pat. (I still miss having him and Madden on the air for the games, especially big games.)

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He got sober at age 61. Most alcoholics die before that age. Good for him.

I got sober at age 45, and thought I was a latecomer. I have a close friend that got sober at age 55, and now has been sober for 26 years.

The poor quality of announcers these days makes some games unwatchable. Loosing this man behind the mic is a great loss for the game as a whole. He and Madden were the best play by play and color team in the business. RIP.

Quote: Frank Cannon wrote in post #6

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The poor quality of announcers these days makes some games unwatchable. Loosing this man behind the mic is a great loss for the game as a whole. He and Madden were the best play by play and color team in the business. RIP.

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