The Greenville and ECU community was saddened this week to learn of the Tuesday passing of one who played a huge role for the Pirates in the seventies.
Ken Smith, who served as the sports information director at ECU, died Monday of a heart attack. Smith also served as the play by play voice on the Pirate Radio Network for several years.
Smith left ECU in the 80’s to go into private business. He was a key player for North Carolina Amateur Sports, Inc. in Raleigh. That group brought the 1987 United States Olympic Festival to the Triangle.
In recent years, Smith worked as a business broker and lived in Fuquay-Varina.
During his tenure with the Pirates, Smith was highly regarded by the members of the media he served. He also won the solid respect of his associates in ECU's athletic department at a time when the school was fighting to gain exposure and a solid foothold as a fledgling I-A program.
Friends remember Smith as a kind and very professional person who represented ECU well.
Ken Smith was 55 years old.