Legendary broadcaster Dick Enberg, the 2015 Ford C. Frick Award winner and an icon in the broadcasting industry, has passed away at the age of 82, according to Bryce Miller of the San Diego Union Tribune. Enberg’s wife, Barbara, tells Miller that the family believes he suffered a heart attack.
Enberg’s career in broadcasting spanned well beyond the world of baseball, as he spent six decades also calling NCAA basketball, the NFL, professional tennis, the PGA and the Olympics, among other sporting events. That versatility brought Enberg’s iconic voice into the homes of millions of sports fans, from his humble beginnings calling Indiana Hoosiers football and basketball in the 1950s to the seven seasons he spent as one of the voices of MLB’s San Diego Padres from 2010-16.
Along the way, Enberg was honored not only by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award, but also by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, who named him the recipient of their respective Pete Rozelle Award (1999) and Curt Gowdy Award (1995).
“We are immensely saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of legendary broadcaster Dick Enberg,” the Padres said in a statement issued by chairman Ron Fowler and managing partner Peter Seidler. “Dick was an institution in the industry for 60 years and we were lucky enough to have his iconic voice behind the microphone for Padres games for nearly a decade. On behalf of our entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Barbara, and the entire Enberg family.”
Enberg’s signature “Oh, my!” call was a familiar refrain for multiple generations of sports fans across the country, and the impact that he had on the sportscasting industry is immeasurable. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Enberg, as well as the countless fans whose lives were bettered by his passion, insight and joy over the years.
RIP Dick, easily one of the best!
RIP and thanks for the years.
True legend.
I had the pleasure to have dinner with Dick on the beach in La Jolla one evening. He loved red wine…late in the evening I asked him which sport was his favorite to announce: Wimbledon…without hesitation. He was an avid player and played until his passing. He had lunch at my friend’s restaurant last Friday…now he is gone. Take pictures…create memories…hug those you love…you never know when your meeting will be the last one.
Great philosophy
I came here for rumors and trash talk. Not feels. No you’re crying.
RIP. The millions of sports fans who stayed fans because of his entertainment will miss you.
RIP Dick
Absolutely iconic, you could always tell he loved what he was doing. RIP to a great one.
Legendary. RIP Mr. Enberg and may peace be with his family during this time.
One of the great ones……….loved to hear the “OH MY” enthusiast calls.
A great announcer and even better guy . . .
Goodbye, Professor. You will be missed.
I loved listening to his tennis coverage as a kid, no one was better. RIP to one of the giants.
Oh My!
May you “touch em all” on your way to your place in Heaven.
You will be missed Mr Enberg!
Right. RIP.
I loved listening to him and Merlin Olsen do football games on NBC. RIP Mr. Enberg.
Enberg called the Bears Super Bowl and Byners fumble. God bless the Enberg family.
Dick was doing the Angel games when I was at ASU in grad school ’68-’72. We could get the station and he was on every night keeping us company on those late night lab nights. He did not have a good team to cover and had to compete with Vin Scully, but he was our man; kept right on top of the AL scores; just a wonderful announcer.
Dick and Merlin Olsen in the booth back in the eighties brings back great memories. RIP to both!
Oh my rest in piece 🙁
Rest in peace Mr. Enberg.
He was already a legend by the time the Padres hired him. His voice helped bring some luster to what were otherwise some real bad teams they ran out over the years.
R.I.P. Dick you will surely be missed by millions!!!
R.I.P.Dick you will surely be missed by millions !!!
Thanks for the decades as the Angels broadcaster from the Andy Messersmith years through the Nolan Ryan years and beyond.
Loved him working the Angels games with Don Drysdale at his side.
They even broadcast the Rams games together.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see the Angels do along the lines of a statue because the Angels games is what he did the most.
Quite possibly the greatest all-around sports broadcaster of all time.
RIP, sir, and thank you.
I would give that title to Curt Gowdy, but Dick Enberg was surely a great one.
too bad…..did he ever get LASIX surgery?
Thanks for making Michigan proud Dick, RIP.
Glad I got the chance to listen to you do a few Tiger games on TV this past year.
A true great.
Great memories of my brother and I watching Sports Challenge every week with Mr. Enberg as host. Rest in Peace, Sir. One of the true broadcasting greats.
A great broadcaster and a great guy.
Feels like an old friend or an old neighbor has passed away.
My condolences to his family and friends.
RIP. great voice
Oh my. One of the greatest announcers. He is with the other greats now