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MacNut

macrumors Core
Original poster
Jan 4, 2002
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DALLAS -- Pat Summerall was the calm alongside John Madden's storm.

Over four decades, Summerall's deep, resonant voice described some of the biggest games in America. Simple, spare, he delivered the details on 16 Super Bowls, the Masters and the U.S. Open tennis tournament with a simple, understated style that was the perfect complement for the "boom!" and "bang!" of Madden, his partner for half of the NFL player-turned-broadcaster's career.

Summerall died Tuesday at age 82 of cardiac arrest, said University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center spokesman Jeff Carlton, speaking on behalf of Summerall's wife, Cheri.

"He was an extraordinary man and a wonderful father," said Susie Wiles, his daughter. "I know he will be greatly missed."

His final play-by-play words beside Madden were succinct, of course, as he called the game-ending field goal of the Super Bowl for Fox on Feb. 3, 2002, when New England beat St. Louis 20-17.

"It's right down the pipe. Adam Vinatieri. No time on the clock. And the Patriots have won Super Bowl XXXVI. Unbelievable," Summerall said.

Sparse, exciting, perfect. A flawless summation without distracting from the reaction viewers could see on the screen.

At the end of their final broadcast together, Madden described Summerall as "a treasure" and the "spirit of the National Football League" in a tribute to the partner that complemented the boisterous former Oakland Raiders coach so well.

"Pat was my broadcasting partner for a long time, but more than that he was my friend for all of these years," Madden said in a statement Tuesday. "We never had one argument, and that was because of Pat. He was a great broadcaster and a great man. He always had a joke. Pat never complained and we never had an unhappy moment. He was something very special. Pat Summerall is the voice of football and always will be."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also praised Summerall for being an "important part of NFL history."

"Pat Summerall was one of the best friends and greatest contributors that the NFL has known," Goodell said Tuesday in a statement. "He spent 50 years as part of our league, first as a player on the legendary New York Giants teams of the late '50s and early '60s and then as a Hall of Fame broadcaster for CBS and FOX. His majestic voice was treasured by millions of NFL fans for more than four decades. Pat always represented the essence of class and friendship. It is a sad day in the NFL. Our hearts go out to Pat's wife Cheri and the entire Summerall family. Pat will always be an important part of NFL history."

Summerall started doing NFL games for CBS in 1964 and became a play-by-play guy 10 years later. He was also part of CBS's coverage of the PGA Tour, including the Masters from 1968-94, and U.S. Open tennis.

When CBS lost its NFL deal after the 1993 season, Summerall switched to Fox to keep calling NFL games with Madden. He had hoped to keep working with CBS for other events like the Masters, but network executives saw it otherwise. At the time, CBS Sports anchor Jim Nantz said he was "very saddened" that Summerall didn't get to leave CBS under his own terms.

"He is CBS Sports. I always thought he could work here until he was 75 or 80 years old," Nantz told The Philadelphia Daily News then. "He's been a much larger influence on my career than I think he realizes. There will be a piece of Pat Summerall on the air as long as I do golf for this network."

A recovering alcoholic, Summerall had a liver transplant in April 2004. The lifesaving surgery was necessary even after 12 years of sobriety.

After an intervention involving, among others, former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, former CBS Sports president Peter Lund and former PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beaman, Summerall checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in April 1992.

"I had no intention of quitting, I was having too good a time," Summerall said in a 2000 Associated Press story. "The prescribed stay at Betty Ford is 28 days. They kept me 33 because I was so angry at the people who did the intervention, the first five days didn't do me any good."

Summerall received the liver of a 13-year-old junior high football player from Arkansas who died unexpectedly from an aneurysm. Summerall had an emotional meeting with the teenager's family the following year.

Summerall often shared his testimony with Christian groups and told his story when speaking before other organizations. In his 2006 book, "Summerall: On and Off The Air," he frankly discussed his personal struggles and professional successes.

Long before broadcasting Super Bowl games, 16 for television and 10 more for radio -- in fact, before there was even a Super Bowl -- Summerall played a role in what is known in football circles as "The Greatest Game Ever Played," the 1958 NFL championship. The Giants lost to the Baltimore Colts 23-17 in the NFL's first-ever overtime game.

Born George Allen Summerall on May 10, 1930, in Lake City, Fla., he was an All-State prep football and basketball player there, and lettered in baseball and tennis. He played college football at Arkansas before going to the NFL.

After breaking his arm in the preseason as a rookie for Detroit, Summerall played five years for the Chicago Cardinals before four seasons with the Giants. While he was also a defensive back, Summerall was primarily a kicker, making 100 field goals and 256 of 265 extra points in his career.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9...caster-pat-summerall-dies-82-ofcardiac-arrest
 
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Silencio

macrumors 68040
Jul 18, 2002
3,447
1,552
NYC
Sad news. Loved his minimalist style of play calling, which seems long gone today.

A typically spare Summerall play call:

"Montana... to Rice... Touchdown, 49ers."
 

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,520
RIP Mr. Summerall, the only man who could make having to listen to John Madden bearable.
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Original poster
Jan 4, 2002
22,995
9,971
CT
RIP Mr. Summerall, the only man who could make having to listen to John Madden bearable.
When Summerall left the booth NFL games were not the same. Nobody could ever come close to the soothing tones of Pat Summerall. He made the game entertaining even when the game itself sucked.
 

cuestakid

macrumors 68000
Jun 14, 2006
1,775
44
San Fran
When Summerall left the booth NFL games were not the same. Nobody could ever come close to the soothing tones of Pat Summerall. He made the game entertaining even when the game itself sucked.

My mother and grandmother(and I am sure many others) learned how to watch and understand football from both him and Madden.

And you are right-Summerall and Madden were and will always be the best tandem in pro sports history.
 

mscriv

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2008
4,923
602
Dallas, Texas
Sumerall was always a pleasure to listen to when he commentated a sporting event. I remember no only for football, but for golf as well. His minimal style and quiet tone was a perfect fit for golf. He was also a kind man who did a lot for charity in the Dallas area.
 
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