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Hall of Fame broadcaster Enberg dies at 82 (San Diego Padres)
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Sportswriters, Broadcasters Honor Dick Enberg (Sports Illustrated)
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Dick Enberg Lit Up The World By Being Willing To Make Others the Stars (by John Feinstein, Washington Post)
CoSIDA joins the international sports world in mourning the sudden passing of Dick Enberg, iconic and beloved Hall of Fame broadcaster who served as the long-time ambassador and spokesperson for CoSIDA's signature
Academic All-America® program.
Enberg passed away suddenly on December 21 at his home in La Jolla, California. He was 82.
Enberg (right) pictured with the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame class.
His amazing and award-winning broadcasting career spanned six decades and he was internationally renown for his work in numerous sports and for his signature catchphrase "Oh my!" - his trademark exclaimation for a big play or amazing achievement.
Enberg had a long association with CoSIDA and our Academic All-America® program. Enberg led the annual selections for the Academic All-America Hall of Fame and also served as an emcee and special guest at each Academic All-America induction ceremony held annually during the CoSIDA conventions. Always the master storyteller, his passion for education and college athletics was clearly evident during each induction.
In addition, Enberg annually selected the recipient of the
Dick Enberg Award. Established in 1997, the Enberg Award is given annually to a person whose actions and commitment have furthered the meaning and reach of the Academic All-America® Teams Program and/or the student-athlete while promoting the values of education and academics.
The award was created in part to recognize Enberg's passion and support of the Academic All-America® program and, more importantly, his dedication to education for more than four decades.
Enberg was a great supporter of CoSIDA and the
Academic All-America® program.
Most recently, Enberg called games for the Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. His long history in sports play-by-play includes covering 28 Wimbledons, 10 Super Bowls and eight NCAA Division I men's basketball championships. He also called numerous Olympics.
CoSIDA leaders paid tribute to Enberg upon learning of his passing.
"There was great sadness when I learned of the passing of Dick Enberg," noted CoSIDA President Rob Carolla, Diretor of Communications for College Football 150th Anniversary. "He was an iconic voice in sports who I can personally remember calling just about every premiere sporting event as I grew up. To actually meet him once I was selected for the honor of serving as an officer and president for CoSIDA is one of the top memories of my career in athletics."
"As a former teacher, Dick Enberg always understood the importance of academics. His contributions to CoSIDA's signature Academic All-America® program cannot be measured. I have heard stories of the Hall of Fame inductees not believing Dick would individually call each one of them to tell them of their induction, but that was how much he cared about the program. On behalf of our 3,000 members, I want to say thank you. He will be missed."
CoSIDA Executive Director Doug Vance expressed his admiration and thanks for Enberg's contributions to the sports world and to CoSIDA.
"He was accurately known as one of the iconic voices of our time, but Dick Enberg had a much broader impact on the college sports landscape as the ambassador on behalf of CoSIDA for the Academic All-America® program," noted Vance. "He proudly served as our program spokesperson and took great honor in making the phone call to inform each of our Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductees of their selection. And, without question, the joy he exhibited each year during the induction ceremony brought moments on stage we will all remember."
"Dick Enberg was a man of grace and dignity who was equally impressed with the many accomplishments of a student-athlete away from the competition," Vance concluded. "His voice will be missed, but his commitment to promoting the values of education and community involvement will continue to serve as an inspiration to everyone associated with CoSIDA and the Academic All-America® program mission."
Enberg visiting with Academic All-America® Hall of Fame committee chair
Bernadette Cafarelli and one of the vice chairs, Jim Seavey.
Bernie Cafarelli (American Athletic Conference), chair of the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame Committee, expressed her thoughts on behalf of the committee and the membership.
"Today's news on the passing of our dear friend, Dick Enberg, is simply heartbreaking. He was a giant in his profession and a kind gentleman whose passion and commitment to CoSIDA's Academic All-America and Hall of Fame® programs resonated for more than three decades. His unabashed love and dedication to the mission of the Academic All-America program will never be forgotten," Cafarelli stated.
"Dick was a treasure to CoSIDA and to the members of the Academic All-America committee. It is comforting for all of us to know that an award given out by our organization bears his name. He will forever be a part of everything that we do on behalf of the more than 800 student-athletes that are honored annually; his legacy always will be with us.
It was a blessing for all of us to know and call Dick our friend. On behalf of the AAA Committee, we extend our deepest sympathy to his lovely wife, Barbara, and their children,' Cafarelli concluded. "They are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time."
A vice chair on the Academic All-America committee, Jim Seavey (Mount Ida) worked closely with Enberg throughout the years, particulary with the Enberg Award.
"Dick Enberg was the soundtrack of life for countless generations throughout his glorious career. He mastered his art by making the viewer or listener the most important person during any event he broadcast, and he never lost the little kid and fan inside of him," Seavey said. "Dick was one of the most caring, committed and compassionate people on the face of the Earth. He epitomized the "Golden Rule" of treating others as you wanted to be treated yourself. His passion for education and academic excellence was unsurpassed, and his love for the mission of the Academic All-America® program and CoSIDA was both unabashed and boundless. It was a privilege to rub shoulders with his greatness, but a bigger privilege and honor to call him a friend. The entire college sports information world joins together today to offer deepest sympathies to Barbara and the entire Enberg family."