Mr. Vitale Verified

Dick Vitale joined ESPN in 1979. In addition to working on-air during games, he provides analysis in Dick Vitale's Fast Break segment, which airs weekly during the college basketball season on SportsCenter. He also serves as a college basketball analyst for ESPN Radio. He has been a college basketball analyst for ABC Sports since 1988. [CR-LF][CR-LF]He writes a regular column for ESPN.com and is a regular contributor to ESPN The Magazine. Vitale is a columnist for Basketball Times, and has been a guest columnist for USA Today since 1991. [CR-LF][CR-LF]He's received eight CableACE nominations and captured awards in 1994 and 1995. Basketball Times named Vitale one of the sport's Five Most Influential Personalities of 1983. In 1989, Vitale was recognized by he American Sportscasters Association Sports Personality of the Year, while the NIT Metropolitan Media did the same in 1991. In 1998, he was awarded the Basketball Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media Award. [CR-LF][CR-LF]Vitale's career started at Mark Twain Elementary School, in Garfield, N.J., in 1963. He first coached junior high football and basketball, then moved to the high school level from. As coach at West Rutherford High School he earned four state sectional championships and two state championships. He joined Rutgers University for two years as an assistant coach. Vitale then coached at the University of Detroit (1973-77). He was head coach of the NBA's Detroit Pistons during the 1978-79 season. [CR-LF][CR-LF]He's been selected for seven halls of fame: National Italian Sports Hall of Fame; the Elmwood Park, N.J., Hall of Fame (his hometown); the Sarasota Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame; the Five-Star Basketball Camp Hall of Fame; the University of Detroit Hall of Fame; the Florida Sports Hall of Fame; and the East Rutherford, N.J., Hall of Fame. [CR-LF][CR-LF]He's made cameo appearances in several movies as himself: The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad! (1988); Hoop Dreams (1994 documentary); Blue Chips (1994); The Sixth Man (1997); He Got Game (1998); and Love and Basketball (2000). In 1995's Jury Duty with Pauly Shore and Tia Carrere, he played Hal Gibson. And in 1992, he teamed with Jim Valvano to play furniture movers (V&V Movers) on The Cosby Show. [CR-LF][CR-LF]Vitale also has authored seven books. His most recent -- Living a Dream: Reflections of 25 Years Sitting in the Best Seat in the House -- was released in 2003. In 1988, Simon & Schuster published Vitale's first book, Vitale, an autobiography. He also had home videos distributed by ESPN Video: Time Out Baby!; Dick Vitale's All-Time College Hoops Superstars; and Dick Vitale's Dreamtime, Baby.[CR-LF][CR-LF]For many years he's awarded five scholarships annually to the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota (Fla.). The Dick Vitale Family Scholarship is presented annually to a Notre Dame undergraduate who participates in sports or activities and does not receive financial aid.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Vitale graduated from Seton Hall University with a bachelor of science degree in business administration. He earned a master's degree in education from William Paterson College. The University of Notre Dame presented him with an honorary degree in 1997.

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