Legendary sports broadcaster Dan Hicks suddenly died at the age of 64, his wife Hannah Storm announced Thursday.
Hicks had long been the golf voice of NBC Sports and also worked on the Olympics, Notre Dame, NBA and NFL broadcasts during his prestigious career.
“Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness,” Storm, an ESPN/ABC broadcaster, wrote on X.
“He was a devoted husband of over 30 years, loving father of our three daughters, and cherished friend to so many. His loss is immeasurable.”
Storm noted that Hicks died of an “acute illness” — and it came days before he was scheduled to be on the call for the Notre Dame-Boston College game on NBC.
Hicks was born in Arizona but grew up in Northern California before moving to Greenwich, Conn., when he married Storm.
Hicks and Storm had three daughters together.
“Dan was truly one of a kind, and quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around,” Storm said. “When he walked into a room, he brought the energy, the laughter and the people together. He was endlessly kind, thoughtful and funny, and he made everyone feel like they mattered.
“Our three daughters and I are heartbroken. We are grateful for the love and support surrounding our family during this incredibly difficult time. There are simply no words to express how much he will be missed.”
Hicks started his career in 1984 working at numerous local stations in Tucson, Ariz., before graduating to CNN in 1989 — where he met Storm.
“His desk was next to mine,” Storm said.
“This is a tough one, I mean really tough,” his golf broadcast colleague and close friend Robert Maltbie told Golf Channel in an on-air interview.
“It’s tough looking at dєatᩚh… Jimmy [Roberts] sitting up there and I feel so bad that he’s put in that role. I am sure he has said all the right things and things I totally agree with. This is not losing a colleague and a nice guy, this is losing a pal. And the three of us referred to us as ‘The Supper Club.’
“And Sam Flood called me last night, ‘I had to give you a call.. I knew I had to call you because you, Jimmy and Dan had dinner together more often than you did your wives over the last 25 or so year.’ Danny was such a fun and wonderful guy. I love him, this is really hard.”
Hicks joined NBC in 1992, rising to be one of the most familiar faces at the sports network.
Two of his most memorable calls — within months of each other — showed Hicks’ imprint on some of sports’ biggest moments. He was on the call at the 2008 US Open in June when Tiger Woods hit his memorable putt on the 72nd hole at Torrey Pines to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate.
“Expect anything different!” Hicks exclaimed after Woods had limped through the final round on what would later be revealed to be a torn ACL.
Later that summer, Hicks was at the 2008 Olympics when Michael Phelps won a record-breaking eight gold medals. None more unforgettable than the 4x100m Freestyle Relay when veteran Jason Lezak chased down the favored French team — with Phelps cheering him on wildly — during the final stretch.
“Lezak is closing a little bit on [Alaine] Bernard,” Hicks said. “Can the veteran chase him down and pull off a shocker here? … Bernard is losing some ground, here comes Lezak. Unbelievable at the end! He’s done it! The US has done it!”
NBC Sports put out a statement shortly after the news circulated Thursday morning.
“Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend and person. In his 34 years at NBC Sports, he was an exceptional storyteller and caller of games and events who elevated some of the biggest moments in sports history,” NBC Sports said in a statement.
“From Olympic swimming and skiing to Notre Dame football, numerous other high profile events and especially as the signature voice of our golf coverage for the last 26 years, Dan’s blend of knowledge, style, enthusiasm and humor informed and entertained fans for decades. But far beyond his on-air excellence, Dan was a better person who welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a word of encouragement, sometimes all three in the same sentence. Our heartfelt condolences and love to his wife Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
