Dick Schaap
Dick Schaap: A Legendary Sports Journalist
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Dick Schaap was born Richard Martin Schaap on August 21, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York. He is often referred to as "The Voice" due to his distinctive voice and iconic broadcasts.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: August 21, 1934
Died: October 28, 2001
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Dick Schaap was an American sports journalist, broadcaster, and author. He is best known for his work as a sportscaster on ESPN, where he anchored the network's flagship program _SportsCenter_.
Early Life and Background
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Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Dick Schaap developed a passion for sports at a young age. He was an avid baseball fan and attended many games at Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. After high school, Schaap attended Cornell University, where he studied English literature. It was during his time at Cornell that Schaap began to develop his writing and broadcasting skills.
Major Accomplishments
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Dick Schaap's career spanned over four decades, during which he achieved numerous milestones:
Pioneering Sports Broadcasting: Schaap was one of the first sportscasters to bring sports news and analysis to a wide audience. He pioneered the use of video montages and graphics in sports broadcasting.
Award-Winning Journalism: Schaap won multiple awards for his writing, including the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award and the Sports Emmy Award.
Authorship: Schaap wrote several books on sports, including _You Gotta Have Wa_ (1981) and _There's Only One You: The Dick Schaap Story_ (2003).Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Dick Schaap's most notable works include:
The Muhammad Ali Interviews: In 1974, Schaap conducted a series of interviews with Muhammad Ali, which were widely praised for their insight and depth.
The ESPN Era: Schaap joined ESPN in 1990 and quickly became an integral part of the network. He anchored _SportsCenter_ and contributed to various other programs.Impact and Legacy
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Dick Schaap's impact on sports journalism cannot be overstated:
Pioneering a New Era: Schaap helped establish ESPN as a major player in sports broadcasting, paving the way for future generations of sportscasters.
Influence on Modern Journalism: Schaap's innovative approach to storytelling and his use of video montages and graphics raised the bar for sports journalism.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Dick Schaap is widely quoted and remembered due to his:
Unique Voice and Style: Schaap's distinctive voice and delivery made him instantly recognizable.
Passion and Knowledge: He brought a deep understanding of sports and a contagious enthusiasm to every broadcast.
Iconic Status: Schaap was one of the first sportscasters to achieve true celebrity status, paving the way for future generations.
Dick Schaap's legacy continues to inspire and influence sportscasters and journalists today. His dedication to storytelling, innovative approach to broadcasting, and passion for sports have left an indelible mark on the world of sports journalism.
Quotes by Dick Schaap
Sugar Ray and talked about doing some articles together or writing a book together but dealing with Sugar Ray was a lot like fighting him. He would fake you in and then he’d drop you.
I think on balance, Don King has been bad for boxing. I think he’s done some very good things and I think he did a heck of a job of promoting Ali but I think I could have promoted Ali.
It’s kind of ironic that the two sports with the greatest characters, boxing and horse racing, have both been on the decline. In both cases it’s for the lack of a suitable hero.
I think my mistakes were kind of common – leaning on cliches and adjectives in the place of clear, vivid writing. But at least I knew how to spell, which seems to be a rarity these days.
My writing improved the more I wrote – and the more I read good writing, from Shakespeare on down.
He's in it for Don King and that's understandable because that's why people go into business. He's just kind of slippery about it.
The best thing, ... was that my subject was accessible, which wasn't always true with the other people I worked with. Secondly, I didn't have to split the money with him. He did it gratis, which was nice of him. And if he was wrong, I had nobody to blame but myself. I couldn't pull a Charles Barkley and claim I was misquoted in my autobiography.
All of journalism is a shrinking art, ... So much of it is hype. The O.J. Simpson story is a landmark in the decline of journalism.
You need heroes like that for a sport to surge the way basketball did with Michael Jordan. Now he's gone and that sport is having problems.