Dick Enberg, the Hall of Fame broadcaster whose "Oh my!" calls rang
familiar with so many sports fans, has died, his wife and daughter
confirmed Thursday night.
He was 82.
Enberg's daughter
Nicole said the family became concerned when he didn't arrive on his
flight to Boston on Thursday and that he was found dead at his home in
La Jolla, a San Diego neighborhood, with his bags packed for a trip to
see his third grandchild for the first time. The family said it was
awaiting official word on the cause of death but believed he had a heart
attack.
The family "is grateful for the kind thoughts and prayers
of all of Dick's countless fans and dear friends," according to a
statement released by Enberg's attorney, Dennis Coleman. "At this time
we are all still processing the significant loss, and we ask for prayers
and respectful privacy in the immediate aftermath of such untimely
news."
Enberg was one of America's most beloved sports
broadcasters, with his versatile voice spanning the world on networks
such as NBC, CBS and ESPN. In all, he covered 28 Wimbledons, 10 Super
Bowls and eight NCAA men's basketball title games, including the Magic
Johnson-Larry Bird showdown in 1979.
His work was celebrated with a
host of honors, including the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C.
Frick Award (2015), the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Rozelle Award (1999)
and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Gowdy Award (1995).
He won 13 Sports Emmy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Emmy. He
received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and UCLA named its media
center in Pauley Pavilion after Enberg this year.
Most recently, Enberg had served as the primary play-by-play television voice of the San Diego Padres, retiring in 2016 after seven seasons with the team.
"Baseball," he said then, "has been in my DNA from the time I was in diapers."
