R.I.P. Pat Summerall
/Barry Horn with the Dallas Morning News hometown obituary of announcing great Pat Summerall.
Pat Summerall died Tuesday. He was 82.
That’s exactly how Summerall once told a writer he would craft the first sentences of his own obituary _ short and to the point.
He died in his hospital room at Zale Lipshy Hospital where he was recovering from surgery for a broken hip, a family friend confirmed.
The obituary conversation was held at his Southlake home after a 2004 liver transplant that saved Summerall’s life.
If you're too young to recall what Summerall sounded like on golf, here's a fun YouTube clip of a CBS broadcast opening and early coverage.
**Memories from CBS colleagues:
“There is no one more closely associated with the great legacy and tradition of CBS Sports than Pat Summerall. His voice was synonymous with big events whether it was NFL football and the Super Bowl, the Masters or U.S. Open Tennis.” – Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports
“Pat Summerall was a hero to me. I treasured the gift of friendship that I had with him. I was his understudy for 10 years. He could not have been more generous or kind to a young broadcaster. He was a giant and one of the iconic figures in the history of the CBS Television Network.” – CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz
“In 1976 I was a junior in college and Chuck Will put me in the 18th tower as a spotter for Pat Summerall. He told me, ‘You’re not going to meet a finer man in this business than Pat Summerall.’ And to this day, I never have. He was kind to everyone. When you were around him you never knew that he was the number one broadcaster. He taught me so much, not only about this business, but how to treat people. I’m sad on this day, but also smiling because I know he will be with his good buddy Tom Brookshier.” – Lance Barrow, Coordinating Producer, CBS Sports, Golf and NFL
“Pat was a friend of nearly 40 years. He was a master of restraint in his commentary, an example for all of us. He was also one of the great storytellers who ever spoke into a microphone.” – CBS Sports’ Verne Lundquist
