Mike Patrick, longtime ESPN play-by-play announcer, dead at 80

Mike Patrick, a 36-year play-by-play announcer for ESPN, died of earthy causes connected Sunday. 

Patrick was 80 years old. 

Patrick’s doctor, arsenic good arsenic the City of Clarksburg, West Virginia, confirmed the longtime broadcaster’s decease connected Tuesday. 

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ESPN announcer Dick Vitale and Mike Patrick get acceptable earlier the crippled betwixt the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils astatine the Smith Center. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

After starting his vocation successful 1982, Patrick became good known arsenic the dependable of ESPN’s "Sunday Night Football," a relation helium starred successful for 18 years. 

He began that occupation successful 1987, calling immoderate of the champion successful NFL primetime until 2005. He was successful the booth with erstwhile NFL backmost Joe Theismann, and past Paul Maguire. 

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He was besides good known for his roles successful assemblage shot and hoops for the "Worldwide Leader successful Sports." 

For assemblage basketball, Patrick was astir known arsenic the dependable for ESPN’s Women’s Final Four coverage, which began successful 1996 to 2009. 

"Thursday Night Football" and "Saturday Night Football" saw Patrick supply play-by-play sum for assemblage shot arsenic well. 

ESPN tv announcers Len Elmore (L) and Mike Patrick airs for pictures dressed successful 1980s covering earlier the commencement of a retro nighttime crippled betwixt the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina Tar Heels successful an Atlantic Coast Conference crippled connected February 16, 2005, astatine the Dean E. Smith Center successful Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won the crippled 85-61.  (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

"It’s fantastic to bespeak connected however I’ve done precisely what I wanted to bash with my life," Patrick said erstwhile helium retired from ESPN successful 2018. "At the aforesaid time, I’ve had the large pleasance of moving with immoderate of the precise champion radical I’ve ever known, some connected the aerial and down the scenes."

Before breaking retired with ESPN, Patrick began moving for WVSC-Radio successful Somerset, Pennsylvania, successful 1966. He would yet instrumentality the travel down to Jacksonville, wherever helium became WJXT-TV’s sports director.

Patrick besides worked for WJLA-TV successful Washington, D.C., arsenic a sports newsman and a play anchor. It was determination wherever helium called Maryland shot and hoops games.

Other than sports, Patrick served successful the U.S. military, being commissioned arsenic a Second Lieutenant successful the U.S. Air Force pursuing his undergrad astatine George Washington University. 

Many mourned the nonaccomplishment of Patrick, including chap ESPN broadcaster Dr. Jerry Lee Punch. 

Former ESPN broadcaster Mike Patrick (C) is honored by Duke Senior Associate Director of Athletics Jon Jackson (L) and Duke Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Cragg during the crippled betwixt the Louisville Cardinals and the Duke Blue Devils astatine Cameron Indoor Stadium connected February 21, 2018 successful Durham, North Carolina. (Lance King/Getty Images)

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"I learned truthful overmuch from this man. Mike Patrick could bash it all," helium wrote connected X. "His preparation, his delivery, his dependable inflections & his astonishing adust wit made him the GOAT successful my book. I was truthful honored to enactment @ESPNCFB [with] him, & truthful blessed to telephone him a beloved friend. RIP Mike, u earned it."

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