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For many sports fans in the 1960s through the 1990s, Pat Summerall was the voice of the NFL, starting with CBS' Sunday telecasts and later with Fox, famously paired for much of that time with John Madden.
Summerall, 82, passed away Tuesday, Fox Sports spokesman Dan Bell said. The Dallas Morning News reported Summerall died in his room at Zale Lipshy Hospital where he was recovering from surgery for a broken hip, a family friend confirmed.
Summerall worked a record 16 Super Bowls, drawing on his football relationships made during his nine-plus years as a kicker in the NFL, primarily for the then-Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants from 1952-61.
He had been ill off and on in his later years and had a liver transplant in 2004.
His was a trusted, low-key, to the point voice, which made the contrast to the effervescent Madden -- "Boom!" -- a pairing that was informative and entertaining.
His last Super Bowl worked was for Fox on Feb. 3, 2002, which was also his last game with Madden, ending a 21-year run together.
Summerall became so gifted at his second career that he was named National Sportscaster of the Year in 1977 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1994.
Pro football recognized him, too, as the 1994 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, by the Pro Football Hall of Fame "for longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football."
And in 1999 he was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame.
Summerall, born May 10, 1930, attended the University of Arkansas.
Summerall, 82, passed away Tuesday, Fox Sports spokesman Dan Bell said. The Dallas Morning News reported Summerall died in his room at Zale Lipshy Hospital where he was recovering from surgery for a broken hip, a family friend confirmed.
Summerall worked a record 16 Super Bowls, drawing on his football relationships made during his nine-plus years as a kicker in the NFL, primarily for the then-Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants from 1952-61.
He had been ill off and on in his later years and had a liver transplant in 2004.
His was a trusted, low-key, to the point voice, which made the contrast to the effervescent Madden -- "Boom!" -- a pairing that was informative and entertaining.
His last Super Bowl worked was for Fox on Feb. 3, 2002, which was also his last game with Madden, ending a 21-year run together.
Summerall became so gifted at his second career that he was named National Sportscaster of the Year in 1977 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1994.
Pro football recognized him, too, as the 1994 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, by the Pro Football Hall of Fame "for longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football."
And in 1999 he was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame.
Summerall, born May 10, 1930, attended the University of Arkansas.
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