Dan Hicks, the longtime NBC Sports announcer whose voice accompanied some of the biggest moments in golf and Olympic history, died November 11 following an acute illness. He was 64.
“Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan,” Hicks’ wife, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, shared in a statement. “He was a devoted husband of over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished friend to so many. His loss is immeasurable.
“Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around,” her statement continued. “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.”
NBC Sports chief Rick Cordella, and veteran executives Sam Flood and Molly Solomon, also released a joint statement: “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. 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.”
Following a three-year stint at CNN, Hicks joined NBC Sports in 1992 and became the network’s lead golf play-by-play announcer in 2000. He also handled play-by-play at 15 Olympic Games — including eight Summer Olympics as a swimming commentator, and four consecutive Winter Olympics calling Alpine skiing. His other assignments included Notre Dame football, the NFL, NBA, and French Open tennis.
Among Hicks’ most memorable calls was Tiger Woods’ dramatic putt to force a playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open (“Expect anything different?”). Two months later, he called all eight of Michael Phelps’ gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. In all, Hicks called each of Phelps’ 28 Olympic medals between 2004 and 2016.
His passing was acknowledged during the third hour of NBC’s “Today,” which you can watch above.
