Dick Enberg, Hall of Fame sportscaster, died at the age of 82

Nick Romano
Updated
Dick Enberg dead: Hall of Fame sportscaster died at 82

Dick Enberg, the Hall of Fame sportscaster with signature catchphrases “Oh my!” (for big plays) and “Touch ’em all” (for home runs), was found dead on Thursday at his home in La Jolla, California. He was 82.

Enberg’s daughter, Nicole Enberg Vaz, confirmed the news to the Associated Press. The family grew concerned when Enberg did not arrive in Boston for the holidays as planned. Vaz lives in Boston and Enberg’s wife, Barbara, was already in the city awaiting his arrival. He was later found dead at his home with his bags packed.

“It’s very, very, very shocking,” Vaz told AP. “He’d been busy with two podcasts and was full of energy.”

According to a statement from Enberg’s attorney, Dennis Coleman, the family “is grateful for the kind thoughts and prayers of all of Dick’s countless fans and dear friends. 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’s 60-year career included calls for Super Bowls, the Olympics, Final Fours, Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres baseball games, and UCLA basketball. He retired from his TV job with the Padres in October 2016.

“We are immensely saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of legendary broadcaster Dick Enberg,” read a statement from the Padres. “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.”

“Professor, I’ll miss you coming in the booth to say hello, tell some stories and have some laughs. RIP my friend. Love ya, mean it. Mud,” Enberg’s former colleague Mark Grant tweeted on Friday.

“If there was a Mount Rushmore of LA Sports Announcers, Dick Enberg is on it with Chick Hearn, Vin Scully and Bob Miller,” John Ireland, radio voice for the Los Angeles Lakers, tweeted. “Rams, Angels, UCLA, NBC, and so much more. Was the first famous announcer I ever met, and he couldn’t have been nicer. Definition of a gentleman. RIP.”